The Red Thread

To be called deceitful in a relationship — especially when there has been no cheating, no fighting, no betrayals — is a unique wound. It’s not about what you did, but about how your actions or silence are perceived. It’s not the chaos of arguments or the heartbreak of infidelity. It’s quieter than that. And in some ways, that makes it worse.

You’re accused of having ulterior motives. As if your kindness has strings. As if your love is conditional. As if your presence comes with a hidden cost. But in your heart, you know your intentions are genuine. You didn’t lie. You didn’t manipulate. You didn’t plan to hurt anyone.

Still — the mistrust lingers like a shadow. Not because of what happened, but because of what was assumed. And when someone doesn’t trust you, even when you’ve done nothing to earn suspicion, it cuts deep. You begin to question yourself:
“Did I say something wrong?”
“Did I come off as insincere?”
“Am I being misunderstood… or am I really hiding more than I realize?”

It’s painful because the love was real — at least on your side. You showed up, gave what you could, and kept the peace. But sometimes, peace feels too quiet. And people start to look for reasons. For drama. For hidden motives. And suddenly, your calm becomes calculated, your boundaries become barriers, your silence becomes secrets.

What they don’t see is the sting of mistrust. It’s not loud, but it lingers. It eats at the part of you that wanted to be open. It makes you want to shut down. Because what’s the point of honesty, if it’s going to be doubted anyway?

Being called deceitful when you’ve done nothing wrong doesn’t just make you feel misunderstood — it makes you feel invisible. As if who you are is less real than who they think you are. And that’s a lonely place to be in a relationship.

let me know in the comments of anything said in a relationship that stuck. I understand words can make a whole difference of perception.