Woman’s husband ended their marriage by text, then ghosted her for two years before asking for his coats back — her mother had other plans for them
Being ghosted by a partner is one of the toughest heartbreaks. When they pop back up two years later asking for their stuff back, it's even more frustrating. Instagram user Mackinlee Waddell, who goes by @mackinleew, said her ex-husband ghosted her in 2022, texting her while she was out getting coffee. By the time she got home, he'd packed up his things and disappeared. He didn't speak to her for two years, leaving her to deal with the heartbreak on her own. But her mom wasn't about to let the opportunity slide without coming up with a little revenge of her own when he reached out to ask for his coats. In a video she shared on August 4, 2026, she said her mom's revenge idea was so petty and personal that Waddell couldn't help but be impressed.
Two years after the heartbreak, she learned through lawyers that he wanted the coats he'd left behind because he was living in Chicago and needed them for winter. Waddell was happy to send them back, saying, "I don't care. Whatever." But her mom had a much more diabolical idea. Knowing how seriously her ex took his physique, especially as an actor who looked like a superhero, her mom suggested, "We send back the coats." When Waddell didn't get what her mom was trying to say, her mother explained that they'll have them "tailored two sizes too small." As Waddell put it, “It is psychological warfare.”
Waddell said she could never have come up with an idea like that herself. She joked that only a “mama bear mother scorned” could think of something so personal. Her ex would have received his coats, tried them on, and wondered why they suddenly didn't fit. As she put it, the plan could have “haunted him for years.” In the end, Waddell and her mom decided to send the coats back untouched.
Still, she couldn't help admiring her mother's creativity, saying she respected her for coming up with the idea. Her mom's plan impressed many viewers. @klubkancerkid commented, "I like the way your mom thinks." @tanjeriine asked, "Does your mom need another bestie?" Meanwhile, @missadrialise had an even more creative suggestion: "I would've sewn sardines into the lining."
Sometimes, the pettiest revenge is the kind that hits a person right where it hurts. In another story, a woman named Erika was left dealing with years' worth of belongings after her ex abandoned the relationship. When he later asked for his things back, she decided to personalize them with reminders of their relationship, including putting her initials over the heart of a sweatshirt he loved. Like Waddell's mom, Erika came up with a way to make sure her ex wouldn't simply get his belongings back and forget how things ended.
For more of her interesting content, follow @mackinleew on Instagram.