What would you do if you have a secret that is dying to come out?

United States
November 19, 2007 12:55am CST
One day when me and my kids were walking around the shopping mall we bumped into my friend's fiance. The problem was that he was holding hands with a very attractive girl who was not my friend. When he saw us he tried to run but I had to open my big mouth and called out his name before he could make a run for it. That very day before I even had a chance to talk to my friend (his fiancee), he confronted me and asked me not to tell my friend and keep it a secret. I did not agree but I did not disagree with keeping the secret. What would you do if you were in the same dilemma? I can either keep this a secret and pretend it never took place, call my friend and inform her (because she is my friend not him), or call both of them out and have him tell her.
2 people like this
13 responses
• Philippines
19 Nov 07
Oh wow. I've never been in this situation, but if I were you, I would tell my friend about what I saw. You said so yourself, she's the one who's your friend, not him. It would probably better that she knows about it now that she's not married to him yet, then decide what she wants to do, as opposed to her finding out about this when they're already married.
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Nov 07
Yeah, that is totally true. Now I just have to work up to have the courage to tell her face to face. I get beet red when it comes to stuff like this. I get tongue tied to, when I have to tell her about her fiance. Maybe I should tell her on the phone :X
1 person likes this
• Philippines
19 Nov 07
I'm sure it'll be really hard. I mean, that news could change her life! I wish you all the luck in telling her, though.
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Nov 07
Thank you, I need all the luck I can get.
1 person likes this
19 Nov 07
I think you should tell your friend, to be honest. I mean, I know, there's a fair chance she either won't believe you, or won't want to accept that her fiance's obviously got some stuff to hide, but you have to at least TRY and warn her, right? Otherwise, you're always going to wonder if you could've done something to stop it, and you'll never know if your friend's made the biggest mistake of her life.
• United States
20 Nov 07
I will do my best.
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
19 Nov 07
that is a difficult situation you are in. it's not easy to keep a secret especially when your friend is the one who is going to be hurt. i understand your dilemma. but i think you should talk to both of them. talk to your friend's fiance and tell him that what he's doing isn't right. you should try to make him understand that your friend is supposed to know the truth and that she deserves to know. then, talk to your friend about something she should know but... only his boyfriend can tell him about it and not you. atleast give her an idea that something's going on and that she should ask her boyfriend about it. i know it's too difficult to be caught in between. but the only way for you to feel better is to choose a side. anne
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Nov 07
He is being a jerk right now. I called him and he kept telling me to not worry about it he will tell her. But if he is why isn't he letting me talk to my friend. Hmm most people here feel that I should tell her though and you think I should only hint to her? Now, I am not sure what I should do hmm.
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
19 Nov 07
In a situation like this, I try to give the person a chance to explain it to their partner themselves. So when he asked me to keep it a secret, I would have said "I'll give you a day to tell her yourself, and then after that I'm talking to her." I think of it this way because I think it's always better if someone confesses and asks for forgiveness than if the partner has to hear it from someone else. However, I would eventually tell my friend. I wouldn't play it up. I wouldn't make a big deal of it. I would just say "I say your fiance holding hands with a girl, and he seemed upset that I saw him. You might want to find out what's going on." I know I'd rather my friends tell me these things than not, especially if I were engaged and not yet married. It's the best time to decide whether to stay in the relationship or not, rather than wait to find out the guy is a cheater after marriage.
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Nov 07
Hopefully he has told her and then I would not have to do a thing.
@wisedragon (2325)
• Philippines
19 Nov 07
This is very serious. They're already engaged and he's cheating? What kind of a husband will he be? You have a duty to your friend to tell her. It doesn't matter how you do it. But she has to know. It doesn't matter too how she reacts. You know in your conscience that you tried to protect her, you told the truth, and you were concerned for her. If she doesn't believe you then she will be the one to suffer the consequences. She will be the wife of a cheating pig! Some day she'll come back to you and appreciate that you tried to warn her.
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Nov 07
I truly hope so, the truth has to come out. I am going to tell her. I am working up to do it. I want to call her to tell her but I think I should be there for her. My hubby told me that I should tell her face to face that way she will know that I am not lying because when I lie I can't look at them. Also, if she needs a shoulder to cry on or someone to cry with I will be there. Thank you for your comment.
2 people like this
@Sreekala (34312)
• India
19 Nov 07
You have to find out the courage to tell this thing to your friend. You should be loyal to your friend first. If I am in your place I should convey this secret to my friend.
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Nov 07
I trying calling her but somehow he always manages to pick up her phone conviently for her. I called her on a block number so he doesn't know it's me. I just want to call her to come over or me to go over to her house but he won't let me talk to her. I tried calling her at the office too but she was very busy and said she call me back tonight around 9pm. Wish me luck.
@nelly5 (1424)
• United States
19 Nov 07
Oh my gosh, I wouldn't even have to think about this one. I would have called my friend directly from the mall, right after I saw him with another girl. If she is your true friend you should tell her. I mean, would you really want her to stay engaged to this man and possibly marry him when you know for a fact that he already is an unfaithful man? I am sure you would want to know if it were you in that situation, right? Yes, I think you should tell her ASAP, she deserves to know.
• United States
21 Nov 07
Well, the jerk told her but he told her that I was the one to tell him to keep it from her so now she is avoiding me like a plague. Guess, if she believes him I have not a thing to say to her. I know I should have called her right away but I was confuse and had a lot of things to do at the time. I didn't know if I should of mind my own business or spill the beans.
@azimsay (543)
• India
19 Nov 07
About this problem I will tell my family true,and I will tell that happend so long time before it is do not take sirius for us,do not worry.
1 person likes this
19 Nov 07
Right, I would personally tell my friend if I was in the same situation, simply because I know what it's like ot be on the other side and I remember how difficult it was trying not to get angry because my friend knew my husband was cheating on me and didn't tell me. I'd give him a chance first though. Tell him that you will tell her unless he tells her first. And then, if hes doesn't, tell her. It's not fair to let her go ahead and possibly marry this person whilst all the time he's screwing around behind her back. It's not fair on her and it's not fair on you either. He shouldn't have been so public about the whole thing, because if it hadn't have been you that had seen it, it would have been someone else! At the end of the day, the decision is yours, but you have my advice. Good luck in whatever you decide to do!
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Nov 07
It was in another city, so it was shocking and frightening that I saw him. We all were freaked out, I was like huh. I was in a different city seeing a familiar face by reflex I called out his name. I suggested to him to tell her but he said he would deny everything and that she would not believe me.
1 person likes this
@yanqiyao (136)
• China
20 Nov 07
If i was you, i would denfinitely tell my friend. This is not a right time to keep silent. It will be much worse to keep your friend unknow what kind of person her fiance is.It will be too late till she find out herself or someone else tell her for she might have married the guy. Tell her earlier before you feel guilty on their wedding.
• United States
21 Nov 07
He didn't keep silent he told and then he lied to her so now she is not speaking to me. Friends are so hard to understand. Miscommunication and not be able to communicate in time makes it real bad. Thanks for the post.
@hhhxxccc (222)
• United States
20 Nov 07
i defiently agree that you need to let your friend know about this, as soon as possible. As a friend, it is your duty and you never know how it might affect your own friendship later on. Maybe when you mention it to her, make it less of "i saw him cheating" but more of a "ohh. i saw him at the mall yesteray" and let the conversation continue and just natrually let it out.
• United States
21 Nov 07
I didn't see him cheating, what I mean is I saw him with the girl but I didn't see him do anything but hold her hand. I didn't know if it was my thing to do to spill the beans and not let him have the chance to explain and tell her. But the jerk turned around and told her a lie about me. She would not talk to me now because of his lies. Thanks for your comment.
• United States
20 Nov 07
You owe it to your friend to tell her. Why would you want her to make a huge mistake and marry this person? If he is a cheater now, he will cheat on her if she marrys this guy. He obviously doesn't love her if this is how he is treating her. That is what I would do.
• United States
21 Nov 07
He lied to her about what happen and now she wont talk to me. Thanks for your comment.
• United States
22 Nov 07
If she won't speak to you because he told her that you were the one that wanted to delay telling her or not tell her at all, you need to ask her, why would I not tell you? What do I have to lose from not telling you, your friendship? You could lose that either way if you didn't tell her or if you did. Then you need to tell her that you gave her boyfriend the advantage of her hearing it from him first and then if he didn't tell her you were going to. Tell her that you thought it best that she hear it from him rather than you so you gave him the chance to clear it up himself and when you gave him that chance he didn't like the fact that he had that threat hanging over his head and decided to use you as a scapegoat and make it look like you were the one that didn't want to tell her. Tell her to not lose focus on the fact that it is his behavior that is up for question here not yours. He was seen with another girl holding hands in a different city, what does that say? That he has something to hide. You were an innocent bystander that was in the right place at the right time had it not been for you seeing what you did this would have never been an issue and he would still be doing what he is doing and probably still will in the future. Tell her to look at this as an early warning sign that this guy that she is thinking about marrying is not the marrying kind and will probably do this to her in the future. If she takes your advice than she realizes what a true friend you are being, if she doesn't and decides to stay with this guy, than there is not much that you can do and she will have to learn the hard way.
• United States
22 Nov 07
Yeah, I emailed her. Someone commented for me to email her the whole story and let her go from there. I explained myself the whole or deal and how it snow balled into something I didn't want to get involved in. I didn't want to get into something like this and this is the reason why I delay telling her. I didn't want my own foot caught at the door. I didn't do anything wrong other than see something accidentally. I didn't ask him to cheat and let me catch him. He thought since he was not in town that no one will no. Who knew I would be shopping there. Dang next he will tell people I stalk him lol. Yeah, I know gosh I have nothing to loose of gain if they broke up or not. I just don't want her to get hurt. I did make a threat to him to tell Nicole. Because I wanted to give him the opportunity to clear his name so to speak. But I guess I should have never let a cheater try to clear his name because if he can do it once he will do it again. I told Nicole that too in the email I sent her. But, it seems like she is not returning my email so I don't know what is going on. You know I don't know if I am just being noisy or what but I really do want to know what happen the whole story. Not just because he involved me into the story but because I want to know how a cheating jerk can get himself off the hook so fast and turn it around like you said use me as his escape goat.