Confessions of a Serial Cheater: 10 Tricks They Don’t Want You to Know
Riya Kumari | Dec 01, 2024, 01:43 IST
I was having coffee with this guy—let’s call him Alex. Alex is charming in that “I could sell you your own watch” kind of way. He starts spilling his past like we’re in some dramatic HBO special. Turns out, Alex is a self-proclaimed serial cheater. Yeah, the kind of person your mom warns you about, complete with a smirk and a “what, me?” shrug.
And, of course, my curiosity got the better of me. “So, how exactly did you pull this off?” I asked, half-appalled, half-impressed. He leaned back, sipped his latte, and said, “You really want to know? Alright, but don’t judge me too hard.” What followed was a crash course in deception. Buckle up.
1. The “Busy Schedule” Defense
Alex’s go-to trick? Blame work. “Late meetings, client calls, ‘networking’ drinks—people eat that stuff up,” he said. The reality? He was usually on a date or texting someone else under the table. Lesson learned: not all ‘hustlers’ are hustling for the same reasons.
2. The Perfect Partner Act
“Guilt gifts,” he said with a laugh. “Flowers, surprise dinners, extra ‘I love you’ texts—it’s all about keeping suspicion low.” According to Alex, the better you are at playing the doting partner, the less likely you are to get caught. Manipulative? Yes. Effective? Unfortunately, also yes.
3. Phone Tricks 101
This one felt like a scene straight out of a heist movie. Notifications? Turned off. Passwords? Uncrackable. “The real cheat code,” Alex revealed, “is a second phone. Call it my ‘work phone,’ but really, it was my workaround phone.”
4. Social Media Sleight of Hand
Alex was basically a magician on Instagram. Just enough couple-y content to look committed but vague enough to not scare off his “options.” His captions? “Always neutral. Like, ‘Chillin’ with my fave.’ Could mean a partner, a dog, or a pizza.”
5. Gaslighting 101
Oh, this one made me want to flip the table. “Whenever she got suspicious, I’d flip it on her. ‘Why are you so insecure?’ or ‘You’re imagining things.’” His face was unapologetic, but even he admitted, “That one was low.”
6. “Just a Friend”
Ah yes, the classic. Alex swore up and down that some of his “friends” were just that. But, as he confessed, “If someone’s name keeps coming up, trust me, it’s not nothing.”
7. The Overpacked Schedule
Juggling multiple relationships is apparently a full-time job. “You have to keep everything straight,” Alex said, “dates, stories, even how you take your coffee when you’re with different people.” He made it sound like an Olympic sport.
8. The Random Glow-Up
Alex laughed when I mentioned this one. “Yeah, when I started hitting the gym or buying new clothes, it wasn’t just for her. It was to make myself feel less like the bad guy. Weird logic, I know.”
9. Building Emotional Walls
Here’s where things got real. “The deeper I got into it, the less connected I felt to anyone,” he admitted. “I was there physically, but emotionally? Checked out. That’s when the lies started catching up with me.”
10. Accusing to Distract
“If she ever got too close to figuring it out, I’d pull a reverse card,” Alex said. “Accuse her of being distant, make her feel like she was the problem.” He sighed. “It was ugly, but it worked.”
The Breaking Point
By now, I was staring at him like he was the villain of a romcom we all love to hate. “So, why stop?” I asked. “Because it all fell apart,” he said. “Eventually, the lies overlap, the guilt piles up, and you realize you’re just a sad, lonely guy who ruined good things for no reason.”
Why This Matters
Here’s the thing: Alex isn’t a unicorn. He’s a reflection of what happens when someone prioritizes their own ego over honesty. If you’ve been on the receiving end of tricks like these, let me tell you—it’s not your fault.
And if you’ve ever been tempted to pull an Alex? Just... don’t. It’s not worth it. Trust me, he’ll be the first to tell you that. Sometimes the most radical thing you can do is tell the truth—even if it’s messy.
1. The “Busy Schedule” Defense
Work
Alex’s go-to trick? Blame work. “Late meetings, client calls, ‘networking’ drinks—people eat that stuff up,” he said. The reality? He was usually on a date or texting someone else under the table. Lesson learned: not all ‘hustlers’ are hustling for the same reasons.
2. The Perfect Partner Act
Gentleman
“Guilt gifts,” he said with a laugh. “Flowers, surprise dinners, extra ‘I love you’ texts—it’s all about keeping suspicion low.” According to Alex, the better you are at playing the doting partner, the less likely you are to get caught. Manipulative? Yes. Effective? Unfortunately, also yes.
3. Phone Tricks 101
Man on Phone
This one felt like a scene straight out of a heist movie. Notifications? Turned off. Passwords? Uncrackable. “The real cheat code,” Alex revealed, “is a second phone. Call it my ‘work phone,’ but really, it was my workaround phone.”
4. Social Media Sleight of Hand
Instagram
Alex was basically a magician on Instagram. Just enough couple-y content to look committed but vague enough to not scare off his “options.” His captions? “Always neutral. Like, ‘Chillin’ with my fave.’ Could mean a partner, a dog, or a pizza.”
5. Gaslighting 101
Walking away
Oh, this one made me want to flip the table. “Whenever she got suspicious, I’d flip it on her. ‘Why are you so insecure?’ or ‘You’re imagining things.’” His face was unapologetic, but even he admitted, “That one was low.”
6. “Just a Friend”
Friends to Lovers
Ah yes, the classic. Alex swore up and down that some of his “friends” were just that. But, as he confessed, “If someone’s name keeps coming up, trust me, it’s not nothing.”
7. The Overpacked Schedule
Busy man
Juggling multiple relationships is apparently a full-time job. “You have to keep everything straight,” Alex said, “dates, stories, even how you take your coffee when you’re with different people.” He made it sound like an Olympic sport.
8. The Random Glow-Up
Man getting ready
Alex laughed when I mentioned this one. “Yeah, when I started hitting the gym or buying new clothes, it wasn’t just for her. It was to make myself feel less like the bad guy. Weird logic, I know.”
9. Building Emotional Walls
Emotionally unavailable man
Here’s where things got real. “The deeper I got into it, the less connected I felt to anyone,” he admitted. “I was there physically, but emotionally? Checked out. That’s when the lies started catching up with me.”
10. Accusing to Distract
Crying woman
“If she ever got too close to figuring it out, I’d pull a reverse card,” Alex said. “Accuse her of being distant, make her feel like she was the problem.” He sighed. “It was ugly, but it worked.”
The Breaking Point
Why This Matters
And if you’ve ever been tempted to pull an Alex? Just... don’t. It’s not worth it. Trust me, he’ll be the first to tell you that. Sometimes the most radical thing you can do is tell the truth—even if it’s messy.