Reddit’s Most Shocking Relationship Secrets

Crimes Of Reddit with Sabrina Deana-Roga & Alexis Linkletter

In this episode of Crimes of Reddit, hosts Alexis Linkletter and Sabrina Deana-Roga react to several disturbing relationship stories sourced from

Key takeaways

• A college student discovered her boyfriend had been faking lung cancer and chemotherapy for five months to manipulate their emotional bond.
• An individual named Lucy was arrested after intentionally ramming into the original poster's Tesla, causing the vehicle to be totaled.

Main topics

• Relationship Deception
• Manipulative Behavior

Notable quotes

It's not worth setting yourself on fire to keep her warm.

Conclusion

The episode serves as a chilling exploration of how extreme manipulati

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:00) Hi everyone, Carter Roy here. Before today's episode, I want to tell you about my crime house show, Murder True Crime Stories. Join me every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday as I explore history's most notorious murders like you've never heard before. Follow Murder True Crime Stories available wherever you listen to podcasts. This is Crime House. Speaker 5 (0:36) As I was pulling into my apartment parking lot, I see a car speeding towards me. Sure enough, it was Lucy's car. Oh my, this is terrifying. I know. I think she was aiming for me, but I steered the car away, so she ended up crashing into the rear door behind me and destroying both of our cars. Speaker 4 (0:55) She literally drove her car into the original poster's car. Yeah. Insane. Trying to kill her. Yes. Speaker 4 (1:15) If you're loving Crimes of Reddit, please follow, rate, and review us wherever you listen. It helps us build this community, and we love hearing from you. To get early access and ad-free listening, subscribe to the CrimeHouse Plus community on Apple Podcasts. You can also catch us on YouTube, where we include visuals that bring every case to life. Hello, and welcome back to Crimes of Reddit. Speaker 5 (1:35) Hi, welcome back. We've reached a phase in our friendship where we're wearing matching outfits, literally, and the text exchanges are just... My whole dating life. Speaker 4 (1:44) No, and our onesies. Yeah. I would love, I love a onesie. We have to get some. And I don't know why, but I feel like a onesie should be worn with like toe socks. Yes. I actually, that really gives me the ick. Well, I Speaker 5 (1:57) want the onesie with the hoods with little ears on them. Speaker 4 (2:00) Oh my God. Wait, I sent you that sweatshirt with the devil horns. That should be our Halloween outfit. Coming soon. Yep. To an episode of Crimes of Reddit. More matching outfits of Alexis and I. Absolutely. Yeah. I've missed you. I've missed you too. Speaker 5 (2:13) It's been Speaker 4 (2:13) a minute. I Speaker 5 (2:14) know. And we've Speaker 4 (2:15) missed all of you. We saw you last week, but we haven't seen each other, Alexis and I, in some time. Weeks. Weeks. I don't know that people know the history of our friendship. That the universe brought us together. It was fate. It was destiny. We knew each other in a previous lifetime. It really was. And I was just telling Speaker 5 (2:32) everyone I know, though, how lucky I am that we hit it off so effortlessly. Yeah, what if we hated each other? It happens. Could you imagine? It happens because people are weird, as we know, from these stories on Reddit. There are some strange people Speaker 4 (2:46) out there. Yeah. Which is a great transition into today, into this episode and every episode of Crimes of Reddit. Well, what's today's topic? Today's topic is relationship stories. Okay. So, you know, really dark things that are happening behind closed doors. And you and I both... We've talked about this a little bit on the show, and I've sent plenty of voice notes to you about my relationship. Escapades. Yeah, or what's the word I'm looking for? Woes. Woes. The woes of my relationships. Yeah, there's a lot that happens in relationships that are good, hopefully, but also a lot of bad and things that people often hide and don't share because it's embarrassing or it's scary. But thank God for Reddit. Yes. Where people feel safe. to share all the nitty gritty details. Well, Speaker 5 (3:39) what's interesting too is like when I think back on my relationships, the weirdest, most messed up experiences I've had with other people are not romantic relationships. And I think that's what makes it interesting because I think some of these stories to go beyond romantic relationships because that's what's expected. But friendships get weird. Coworker relationships get weird. Not jinxing us or anything. Yeah, I know. But they do. Speaker 4 (4:04) Not us. Yeah. Speaker 5 (4:05) We're besties. That's right. I feel like we Speaker 4 (4:07) said we would say the inside to our relationship and then we just said we loved each other and moved past it. Okay. We were brought together for the show. Yes. But we knew people who knew each other. You knew my ex. Yeah. Before I knew you. That's right. And then, yeah, we were brought together by the universe. And now we're obsessed with each other. Yes. Yeah. Like favorite person I wish I could see every day. I know. It is sad. I Speaker 5 (4:29) know. I Speaker 4 (4:30) do text you every day. It's a great every time we get together. It is. And I feel like a lot of our relationship is, I miss you. I know. Yeah. It's true. Speaker 2 (4:42) Something is happening in Dawson Creek. A wave of violence has swept over this community of just 13,000 people. Speaker 3 (4:49) It's like the kind of stuff you only hear about on TV. Speaker 2 (4:52) 15 murders in the last five years. Some criminals, I put them into the category of supervillains. I'm Timothy Sawa, and from CBC's Uncover and The Fifth Estate, an investigation into deaths and disappearances in Dawson Creek, and what's behind it all. Speaker 1 (5:08) I'm not saying another word. Leave me alone. Speaker 2 (5:10) The Mile Zero Murders, available now on CBC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts. Speaker 4 (5:17) This time, we're going to switch it up a little bit where we both have the theme, but we don't know what stories either one's going to share. But I'll start with a story, and then you'll read a story, and we'll kind of switch back and forth like that. Okay, Speaker 5 (5:29) before Speaker 4 (5:29) we Speaker 5 (5:29) get into the first Speaker 4 (5:30) story, we do want to give a content warning for today's episode. There are mentions of attempted murder, suicide, and mental illness, so please listen with care. Okay, this one is called, My Boyfriend Lied to Me About Having Cancer. Already know. It was posted on the Relationship Advice subreddit five years ago. So a while back, I met a guy. We were both in the same friend group at college, but didn't know each other at all. He came to me and introduced himself, seemingly flirting, and we went on a couple of dates and things were looking good. About a month or so in, he confessed to me that he had lung cancer. He said it was still in an early stage and that he had already started chemo. and that he hadn't told anybody else about it. Not gonna lie, that made us get really, really close, from casually hanging out to being together all the time. He said that the hospital he was going to for his treatment every now and again was in a different city, about a five to six hour drive, but he went by plane. And he insisted that he wanted to go alone, regardless of the countless attempts that I made to go with him. He would say it would make him feel uncomfortable. but he'd always call after his treatments with the most aching voice telling me it was hard, but it was over. Even though we weren't living together, we'd still spend many continuous nights at each other's apartments. And now I'm definitely not an expert, but signs were really weird. He never lost an inch from his long hair, was always in tip-top shape, and didn't take any medication. But I never brought any of this up for obvious reasons. Five long months in, he told me he finally beat it. I was concerned and I wanted something physical to really believe that he had beat it. Finally, I asked him for some proof saying that it was to see if he was lying about beating it. I just wanted to feel better. I pushed on and after some time, he told me it was all a lie. Already, if you need proof, she knew. She had a feeling. Deep down, she knew. All of it was a lie. He never had cancer. Speaker 5 (7:36) That's insane. Speaker 4 (7:37) The countless nights I went to sleep thinking I might never see him again, the tears I shed after each fake phone call were all for nothing. He never had cancer. Speaker 4 (7:48) I mean, I think it's Speaker 5 (7:49) sick to lie about anything. I mean, there are real people battling very severe cancers. So lying at all is weird. Elaborate lies are especially disturbing. Like white lies, I could maybe forgive, but I still get rooted out by that. Yeah. Elaborate lies, I think it's, there's mentally something wrong there. Right. especially this it seems very attention starved like people who like like stolen valor like when you fake being a military hero or like when you fake having a deadly illness I just can't understand what the motive is Speaker 4 (8:25) like what is your end game also the OP says he said he did it to make us get closer because he really liked me but didn't know if I felt the same Speaker 4 (8:36) No. Like, who thinks like that? Fucked Speaker 5 (8:40) up Speaker 4 (8:40) people. Yeah. I lash out at him, yelling for what seemed like an eternity while he was mostly silent, just crying and saying how sorry he was. But I was more angry than relieved. So now, a week later, he reached out to me asking if I'd be willing to forgive and forget the audacity. I don't know if it was because of his fake disease, but we actually had a great time together and it would be even better without him being sick. So I'm as confused as it gets. I mean, this is a little bit of love bombing too, because it's like he manipulated the circumstances of which your intimacy grew, which means that you like kind of can't trust the foundation that your relationship was built on. And it's a real thing. I Speaker 5 (9:17) had an ex-boyfriend who I was with for five years and he did suffer like a very catastrophic. medical thing out of nowhere where he needed to get brain surgery. Oh my gosh. And it really does create this fear. Like when you think someone's going to die, it creates this like, this crazy thing that happens in your brain, like where you're like this future you might have is threatened. And it really is this very like oxytocin chemicals in your brain creates just like. Like you hold on to them tighter in the moment. Tighter. And then you. you're desperate not to lose them. And it does create this like emotional pull that I feel like can't be made any other way. Speaker 4 (9:57) So it is so manipulative what this guy has done to her. And I understand why the OP now at this point would be confused because they've built all of these emotions and feelings for someone. So they do love him. But how do you reckon the two versions of someone? One that was, you fell in love with, but is a lie. Anyway. Well, this guy's just willing to manipulate her to create anything. Speaker 5 (10:23) You know, the manipulation, it just shows that that's a default, like, tool. Speaker 4 (10:27) Yeah. So the OP says, on one hand, we really bonded regardless of the short time. But on the other hand, that is a huge lie. And I don't even think red flag is enough of a word. I haven't discussed this with anybody yet, which is why they took to Reddit. And other than this post, I guess, because of how crazy the story is, I could really use some opinions. What do you guys think? And they said for context, we're both international students at the same university, both from different countries. So I never had a chance to speak with their family to understand if this like was a real condition. And Speaker 5 (11:00) also, why would you question that? Speaker 5 (11:05) Especially, I don't know, I'm not trying to speak in just sweeping generalizations. It might sound like that. But especially men typically don't want to be perceived as weak or sick in my experience. So it's just a strange, elaborate, manipulative lie to choose. I feel like he could have opted for a different one. Speaker 4 (11:25) A less disturbing Speaker 5 (11:26) one. Speaker 4 (11:27) Let's just say this. If you're not sure if someone likes you, just ask. Instead of saying you have cancer. Yeah, there's other ways to get vulnerable. Right. Or maybe that's not your person. Yeah. Maybe Speaker 5 (11:39) no one's your person if you're lying about having serious Speaker 4 (11:43) cancer. We'll read some comments, but then I'm curious what you would do in this situation. Speaker 5 (11:48) I would be really worried that this is not where his lies end. And I'd be really, I'd wish that I could warn other people. Yeah. Because this sounds like a gateway lie. Speaker 4 (11:57) Well, and he's saying that he... is getting treatment five to six hours away and is going, where is he going? And calling you with a sore throat being like, that was really, really tough, but it's over. Speaker 4 (12:10) Honestly, that's crazy. There are all these Speaker 5 (12:11) true crime stories where the husband is living this double life where one I'm thinking of is that the husband had this whole lie about getting into medical school and they were going to move to get into medical school because the wife was going to go with him. And then the wife found out that it was a lie and he murdered her. Like, it's like when the walls close in, when you build entire lives around lies, there's no telling how desperate. the liar will get and what they'll do to protect yeah Speaker 4 (12:39) their lie i do think lying is the one Speaker 4 (12:46) especially lying to this extent, is like unforgivable to me. If it's that easy for you to lie, there's just no trust. I just don't trust a mind that Speaker 5 (12:54) acts that way because I personally don't lie because I can't keep up. I don't care enough. And it feels emotionally exhausting for me to lie because then I'm like keeping a ledger in my head of what I've told who. And people who that's easy for terrify me. That shouldn't be easy. Speaker 4 (13:12) Scary. It reminds me of the whole Bell Gibson case. Yes. Yeah. And she did it on like a massive scale where she told the whole world. Speaker 5 (13:19) Yeah. Oh, that was terrifying. Speaker 4 (13:21) Yeah. And there are a lot Speaker 5 (13:22) of Speaker 4 (13:22) cases like that. Okay. So some of the comments, one said, as a middle-aged guy just married to my partner for over 10 years and having mentored many young adults, I have some very strong opinions about this issue. Yes. The general consensus along a relationship advice subreddit is that everything is a red flag. Everyone says breakup. Well, in this case, the dude literally manipulated your emotions to make you get closer to him, meaning he has some fucked up issues. He lied to you about having cancer. I can laugh about how I met my spouse and how our relationship formed, but if he's going to be this neurotic early on, do not waste time staying in something with a likelihood of similar behaviors. Someone else said, as an actual legitimate cancer survivor myself, I consider this unacceptable. It is rude and awful in every single way to those of us who have actually had to fight cancer. Playing with your emotions that way is also inexcusable. Any person with a sense of decency wouldn't have even thought about doing this to you to bring you closer. This is my favorite comment. Forgive and forget? Bitch, bye. I agree. I think that's the takeaway from the story. I don't think these are harsh enough. Like, I think a person Speaker 5 (14:32) who's capable of this is dangerous. Like,