Secrets can make or break a relationship. Sometimes, it can bring people together.

Other times, it’s the reason why people never speak to one another again. Still, we like reading about the times some juicy secrets get revealed. Especially when they don’t involve us. 

One person online recently prompted others to share their best-kept secrets, when they asked: “What’s the most disturbing secret you’ve ever been told?”

From heartbreaking ones like secret affairs and deathbed confessions to more chaotic evil ones like feeding vegetarians meat and never washing jeans, people shared all kinds of secrets.

#1

I want to be really vague about this, so I’ll explain it this way: A very mild-mannered, friendly older man told me about how he was working abroad in an area that had just gone through an ethnicity-based civil war. The place was still very chaotic and lawless.

He and his colleagues found out there was a group of local men from one ethnic group who would abduct and assault primary school-aged girls from the other ethnic group. There was really no good legal mechanism through which to address this. My friend and his colleagues decided the best way to deal with it was to find out where the men lived and shoot them in the head.

They went out over the course of one night, k*lled several of the men and left their bodies in the road. The assaults in the area stopped because most of the perpetrators were dead and the ones that were left didn’t dare do anything again.

My friend wasn’t upset by about k*lling them, but seemed haunted by what the men were doing to the girls. He said of the men, “They had no business being alive.”

#2

My stepdad confessed on his deathbed that he’d spent thirty years with my very difficult mother just to be sure I could have a normal life. He passed away from cancer about a week later.

For what it’s worth I’m married to a wonderful woman, have two amazing kids, and a fantastic career.

Thanks Dad.

#3

An uncle beat a guy almost to death with his bare hands. He had walked in on a friend molesting a kid. He had to pay a fine and do community service for a long time but also didn’t have to pay for beer at the local bar for a few months. He was so reserved and kind so it threw me when I found out what he’d accomplished in his younger years.

#4

My cousin was a nanny for a wealthy family in the upper west side for three years. They had one daughter who had dairy allergies. My cousin thought she could ease dairy into her diet and make her allergy disappear. So she did that, slowly adding dairy into her diet.

The poor little girl had allergic reactions, and her parents could not figure it out. Of course, my cousin didn’t fess up. And of course, the allergy never disappeared. That poor girl, having such bad reactions and all because of my cousin’s psycho way of thinking.

#5

I am 43 and recently found out that my grandfather (who passed away before I was born) was in prison when he was 16 for killing his father. There were reports of child and spouse abuse and alcoholism. My family looked at it as if he was protecting his siblings. When he got out of prison he met my grandmother, and they had 11 children who were protected until his death.

#6

A co-worker told me her 2nd child wasn’t her husband’s.

Did not need that information.

#7

My ex would feed vegetarians meat and not tell them.

#8

Not as crazy as others’, but I found out that my dad is actually my stepdad and my real dad left immediately after I was born. 18 years and still haven’t met the guy.

#9

A friend of mine told me she is having an affair with one of our friend’s father.