Woman Refuses to Return Gift from Ex's Late Great-Grandmother — Because She Thinks He Wants to Gift It to Someone Else

One woman is seeking advice from the Reddit community after finding herself in a delicate situation in which her ex-boyfriend asked her to return a gift that his late great-grandmother gave her. The gift was a stone carved pregnant elephant figurine.

“Me and my ex have been broken up for just about three years now,” the 23-year-old woman began her post. She received the gift about five years ago and it now holds sentimental value for the poster: She received it during a visit to her ex’s family home when she was pregnant with his child.

The great-grandmother had an extensive collection of elephant figurines and insisted on giving her one as a “welcome to the family” present, she wrote. “We stumbled upon the stone carved elephant with a carved out tummy with a baby inside,” she explained. “She heavily implied that my choice should be that specific elephant as it fits the situation perfectly.”

Now, three years after the breakup, her ex-boyfriend has reached out requesting the return of the elephant figurine. His reasoning was to place it alongside a gift from his great-grandfather, as a way to honor his now-deceased great-grandmother. However, the woman suspects there may be an ulterior motive.

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“Part of me is more than willing to give it back to him but part of me knows that he is going to gift this elephant to his new girlfriend because of her new pregnancy,” the woman explained, noting that he has a “narcissistic and manipulative personality.”

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The timing of the request has also raised doubts in her mind. “Why would he ask me NOW and not a year upon her passing?” she questioned. Adding another layer to the situation, the woman discovered that the elephant figurine is made of jade and could be worth between $200 and $400.

This revelation led her to speculate that financial motives might be behind her ex’s sudden interest in reclaiming the gift, as well.

Their former couple's child has also built a connection to the elephant, which is why she is hesitant to return the heirloom. “My child loves the elephant. They keep it right on their nightstand and tell ‘grandma’ goodnight every night,” the poster shared. “I feel like he’d be heartbroken by me giving it to his father and having him lose his goodnight to “grandma.’”

Related: Friend Gets Called Out for White Elephant Gift That Was 'Significantly Under the Spending Criteria'

Now, she’s asking fellow Redditors what to do. But many users are siding with the poster, claiming she should keep the item, as the great-grandmother is still connected to her through their child. “The gift is still ‘in the family.’ Your child connects you to her,” one user wrote.

Another mused: “The gift was made to you. The reason doesn’t change the fact that it is now yours to do with as you wish. There’s nothing wrong with him asking you for it, but he only gets to ask once, has to do so respectfully, and has to accept your answer whatever it may be.”

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