Lily never expected the betrayal to come from within her own home. After her divorce from Jimmy, she thought co-parenting their 13-year-old son, Liam, would be a challenge—but manageable. What she didn’t see coming was Jimmy weaponizing Liam to try and win full custody.
The worst part? The evidence used against her in court came from recordings secretly captured by her son.
Lily had always tried to shield Liam from the ugly truths of their marriage—Jimmy’s infidelity, his emotional manipulation, and the rage he unleashed behind closed doors. She just wanted her son to have a father. But Jimmy couldn’t let go of his resentment, and instead of co-parenting, he built a case rooted in deception.
It began subtly—Liam’s phone turning up in strange places, always angled toward her. When Lily confronted him, he claimed it was for a school project. She believed him—because he was her son.
Then came the custody papers.
In court, edited footage painted Lily as unstable and overwhelmed. Her words were twisted. Key moments—her tenderness, her humor, her love—were missing. It was a calculated attempt to paint her as an unfit parent. But Lily fought back.
With the help of a forensic analyst, she proved the recordings had been manipulated. The original videos told a different story: a mother doing her best, loving her son, parenting with patience and strength.
The court ruled in her favor. But what mattered most was what came after.
Liam, devastated by the role he had unknowingly played, broke down. He’d been misled by his father—told that the recordings were to help, that they’d show how hard Lily worked so she’d get more support. He hadn’t realized how his trust was being exploited.
Lily reassured him of her love. She didn’t blame him. Instead, they began to heal together—deleting smart devices, rebuilding trust, and finding comfort in small rituals like baking brownies or playing Uno after tough visits with his father.
Jimmy didn’t disappear, but his control did. He still tried to manipulate from a distance, but Liam saw through it now. He understood the difference between love and leverage.
My Ex-Husband Turned Our Son Against Me — But He Didn’t Win
By Prenesa Naidoo | April 15, 2025 | 12:44 P.M.
Lily never expected the betrayal to come from within her own home. After her divorce from Jimmy, she thought co-parenting their 13-year-old son, Liam, would be a challenge—but manageable. What she didn’t see coming was Jimmy weaponizing Liam to try and win full custody.
The worst part? The evidence used against her in court came from recordings secretly captured by her son.
Lily had always tried to shield Liam from the ugly truths of their marriage—Jimmy’s infidelity, his emotional manipulation, and the rage he unleashed behind closed doors. She just wanted her son to have a father. But Jimmy couldn’t let go of his resentment, and instead of co-parenting, he built a case rooted in deception.
It began subtly—Liam’s phone turning up in strange places, always angled toward her. When Lily confronted him, he claimed it was for a school project. She believed him—because he was her son.
Then came the custody papers.
In court, edited footage painted Lily as unstable and overwhelmed. Her words were twisted. Key moments—her tenderness, her humor, her love—were missing. It was a calculated attempt to paint her as an unfit parent. But Lily fought back.
With the help of a forensic analyst, she proved the recordings had been manipulated. The original videos told a different story: a mother doing her best, loving her son, parenting with patience and strength.
The court ruled in her favor. But what mattered most was what came after.
Liam, devastated by the role he had unknowingly played, broke down. He’d been misled by his father—told that the recordings were to help, that they’d show how hard Lily worked so she’d get more support. He hadn’t realized how his trust was being exploited.
Lily reassured him of her love. She didn’t blame him. Instead, they began to heal together—deleting smart devices, rebuilding trust, and finding comfort in small rituals like baking brownies or playing Uno after tough visits with his father.
Jimmy didn’t disappear, but his control did. He still tried to manipulate from a distance, but Liam saw through it now. He understood the difference between love and leverage.
Lily learned something too: that privacy isn’t just about physical space, it’s about emotional safety. And that teaching a child to trust themselves—and be trusted in return—is the most powerful kind of protection.
When Jimmy once accused Lily of making him look like the villain, she simply replied:
“You did that all by yourself.”
And she was right.
Lily learned something too: that privacy isn’t just about physical space, it’s about emotional safety. And that teaching a child to trust themselves—and be trusted in return—is the most powerful kind of protection.
When Jimmy once accused Lily of making him look like the villain, she simply replied:
“You did that all by yourself.”
And she was right.