Ex dodges paying back $5,000 for over a year, then asks former partner to "be cool" at mutual friend's wedding: 'Everyone is asking me to absorb the discomfort'

Should one uncomfortable wedding dinner erase a $5,000 debt that's been ignored for over a year?

Helping an unemployed partner pay rent seemed like the right thing to do, until the relationship ended and the promised repayment never came. Now, with a mutual friend's wedding forcing the exes to share a table, everyone is urging the lender to "be cool" and keep the peace, despite the unresolved $5,000 hanging over the celebration.

Sometimes I don't understand people's behavior. I don't know if it's the money side of it that puts people in weird attitudes since the topic is uncomfortable, or maybe it's that people don't know how to handle money situations. But this story surprised me because a person who owes another a lot of cash asked them to pretend nothing is happening.

I do understand that the OP loaned the money because the situation was tight and his ex needed help. I actually would've done the same thing if it were my boyfriend who needed some assistance. I like how they talked about it not being a gift, so the person was aware that he should give the money back once they were back on their feet. And they absolutely did, although the relationship was over by that time.

It doesn't matter how the bond you have with someone changes when there're money problems involved: the issue here is that they all have to be careful and be mindful when requesting a loan they won't pay back. And the worst part of all is that this person is living their best life, travelling and buying expensive things, knowing they owe their ex $5000. I just cannot cope with the fact that they cannot keep a promise.