‘Breaking no contact with scripture’: Woman’s estranged ex sends her one last gift, and it’s peak manipulation

If ever there was a shared experience that crosses cultural, gender, and even ideological boundaries, it’s the obtrusive ex.

A clingy and determined ex, regardless of age or gender identity, is a headache nearly everyone is familiar with, which makes a recent TikTok from Olivia Joan (@oliviajoan18) all the more relatable. The poor, exhausted TikToker is just trying to carry some good vibes through the holiday season, but if there’s one thing her toxic ex won’t let her have, it’s peace.

This was made extremely clear to her in early December, when the content creator received a very unasked-for package in the mail. She’s left her ex well and truly in her past, but it seems the man is determined to inject himself into her life by any means possible. In this instance, via an unwelcome gift that arrived on her doorstep weeks after they cut ties.

Noting that she just wants “to be left alone,” and that she made as much “quite clear” when she responded to his last attempt at outreach — an email — saying “Please do not contact me anymore,” the TikToker resigns herself to the fact that he clearly “didn’t get the message.” So she may as well make a spectacle out of his final gift, which is what leads us, the viewers, to watch as she unpackages it in real time.

Exasperated as all get-out, this tired, tired woman unveils first a card — she’ll get to that later — and then an impressive, weighty book that she soon reveals to be — you guessed it! — the Bible. The look on her face reflects the award-winning eye roll most users (certainly this one) engaged in at the big reveal, as she makes sure that even viewers in the back realize “he sent me the Bible.”

A Heritage Bible, to be precise, complete with a stylish case and a letter explaining why, of all things, this absolutely unhinged man would send a woman who doesn’t want to see him the word of God. As if bracing herself for a eulogy, Liv pulls out the card to reveal her ex’s reasoning for the weirdly manipulative gift.

“Dear Liv,” the letter begins. “I ordered this before we broke up, and it’s only just come in. I had it monogrammed with your initials so I can’t return it, and I can’t throw a Bible out.” So far so… fine, I guess. Weird? Absolutely, but overall it’s reasonable.

But things soon get even stranger, as the letter goes on to explain “I had hoped to integrate this into our relationship, but I hope you’ll find something valuable in these pages anyway. No need to respond, I’ll leave you alone now. With love, David.”

Sir… what? You wanted to integrate a Bible into your relationship without taking your partner’s temperature on religion first? Me thinks the culprit behind that breakup is exposing itself, at least in part, with that decision.

Thankfully, Liv is taking the whole weird development in stride, likely a well-honed skill after what sounds like an exhausting relationship with David. And, as a happy result of her viral video, she even found someone interested in owning the monogrammed book, which is now rehomed somewhere it won’t elicit unwanted memories of a crummy ex. Liv is now headed into her single life minus both the very unwanted Bible and the dude who sent it.