We all have moments we’d rather forget, actions we wish we could undo, and secrets we intend to carry to our graves. In an extraordinary online thread, people responded to the question, “What’s the Secret You Will Take to Your Grave?” by baring their souls and confessing the worst things they’ve done.

These anonymous stories offer a glimpse into the hidden lives of individuals, showcasing the burdens they bear and the lengths they go to protect their secrets. From innocent childhood pranks to life-altering deceptions, the confessions that follow reveal the complexities of human nature and the enduring impact of our hidden truths.

1. Living a Lie: The Truth about My Career

u/DeesoSaeed: My family believes I completed my computer science degree, but I actually dropped out. Despite this, I’ve been working in the sector for about 25 years without any issues, and both employers and colleagues consider me quite competent.

While it doesn’t bother me personally, it was a big deal for my parents that I finished my studies. My dad passed away three years ago without ever knowing the truth. My mom, who is now 83, is still proud of me, and I hope things stay that way until the end of her days.

2. A School Prank Gone Wrong

u/Carltronfr: One time, as a joke, my friends and I went to all the bathrooms in the school and used lots of paper to block the pipes under the sinks. The sinks had cheap plastic pipes that could easily be removed for replacement.

Everyone else was in the cafeteria eating, so we had the bathrooms to ourselves. We removed all the pipes, stuffed them with paper, and put them back in place. Then we turned on every single sink and closed all the doors before heading to the cafeteria.

We ate and talked, but then the fire alarm went off. We had to go outside to the soccer field in the freezing weather with no shoes because we weren’t allowed back in the building.

Firemen and policemen arrived, and I started to worry. We stood outside for at least an hour until our parents could pick us up. No one had any idea what happened, except me and my friends. We were confident it was our fault.

The school was closed for about a month and a half. My friends and I used to play and communicate through Xbox, so we decided in a chat room to never tell anyone about what we did.

All the students had to be moved to a nearby school because ours wasn’t big enough to accommodate everyone during the repairs. That new school experience was absolute hell.

3. A Secret Birthday Gift for My Mom

u/jessec760: When I was five, we were quite poor. It was my mom’s birthday, and she wanted to buy herself some jewelry. She took me with her to the jewelry store and browsed the items. After a while, she asked the jeweler about the price of a pair of earrings she really liked.

The jeweler took one out, showed it to her, and told her the price. She got a sad look on her face and said, “That’s okay, maybe some other day,” which was her way of saying she couldn’t afford them. The jeweler put the earrings back but left the glass case open.

Seeing her sadness, I felt terrible. When the jeweler turned around to talk to someone, I snatched the earrings from the display and stuck them in my pocket. He didn’t even notice.

When we got home, I secretly placed the earrings in her jewelry box next to her bed. A week later, she went to put on some jewelry, and I watched as she discovered the earrings. She looked puzzled and asked me how they got there. I lied, saying I had no idea. She wore those earrings for years afterward.

I’ve never told her the truth.

4. A Childhood Memory That Haunts Me

u/Basic4You: When I was seven years old, I witnessed a kid drowning and did nothing. Panicked and confused, I ran back to my family’s camp and acted as if everything was okay. I guess I thought that if I said something, I’d get in trouble. I’ll never forget the woman’s wails when they found him that evening on the shoreline.

Reply from u/Sufficient-Change-93: You were seven.

Think of it this way: if you had gone to help him, you wouldn’t have been able to do anything. You were too little. And if you had tried to help and inevitably failed, you would have eaten yourself up over it and gone down a terrible path. Additionally, the family might have blamed you.

Am I defending your position? Yeah, I am. You were seven. You made a mistake because you were seven. I can’t imagine the pain in your heart. Take it easy, man. DM me if you need some more guidance.

5. The Risks of a Fabricated Résumé

u/fxcnMike: I am 35, and the work and education history on my résumé is a complete lie. It states that I was at one company for over 15 years, but the truth is I’ve job-hopped my entire life, having had probably over 20 different jobs. It also claims I have a bachelor’s degree, though I never went to college.

I take a risk every time a potential employer could easily find out I am lying, but not one company has done any kind of background check. This has allowed me to secure higher positions recently, as I just started doing this in 2017. Phew. I feel like I’m jinxing myself by writing this out…

6. Living with a Lifelong Lie

u/StandingMannequin: I (21) lied about being colorblind. It started in elementary school when I told all my friends and began giving subtle hints to my parents.

I did extensive research on different types of colorblindness and chose the most common one, red-green colorblindness. I learned exactly how people with this condition see and even trained myself to visualize each shade through their perspective.

As I grew older, I realized that my lie wasn’t okay, but by then, everyone believed me. I was too deep into the lie to back out. Soon after, my family gifted me colorblind glasses.

Over the years, I found an amazing boyfriend, and we’ve been together for three years now, planning to marry soon. Both he and his family believe I am colorblind. Everyone in my life believes I am colorblind. I cannot tell a single soul. Nobody knows the truth.

7. The Hidden Cost of a Thoughtful Gift

u/Cleamsig: My mother comes from an old-money family and inherited precious family jewelry, although she rarely wears it. One day in primary school, I decided to give a birthday gift to my sweetheart at the time, Lucile.

I went to my mother’s bedroom, picked out a pair of beautiful gold and diamond earrings, and put them in a small camera film box. The next day at school, I gave them to Lucile. Since my mother almost never wears jewelry, it took her several months to notice. But when she did, she was very upset.

Not only did the earrings have sentimental value, but apparently, I had stolen the most expensive pair of all. She searched everywhere for months and asked my brother and me many times if we had seen them.

Eventually, my grandfather was informed, and he was furious too because those earrings had been passed down for many generations. It’s been over 20 years now, and I have never said anything. Sometimes the topic still comes up at family gatherings…

8. The Sacrifices I Made for My Children

u/Character_Car_1113: I had terrible parents and promised myself I would never walk out on my kid. When my first child was two years old, my wife cheated on me, and it crushed me.

She was the primary breadwinner at the time, so I had to move out of our upper-middle-class house into an apartment in a rough part of town. I was at my lowest point.

After about nine months, she “realized her mistake” and came begging for me to take her back. I love my kids so much and wanted to spend every day with them, so I “forgave” her, and we’ve been together ever since.

What she doesn’t know is that for the last 16 years, I haven’t loved her. I pretend to be happy to ensure someone else doesn’t raise my children.

9. A Childhood Mistake I Can’t Forget

u/SpoonFedGang: When I was about 14 years old, I stole my good and welcoming friend’s house keys so that I could go there when no one was home and steal all his video games and systems.

I was so jealous of the loving family that gave him affection and gifts. I wanted that love, affection, and those video games so badly that I stole from the one person who welcomed me into their home. I never admitted it to anyone, and I never told him.

Years later, I got a PS5 when they were hard to get, and I wanted so badly to give it to him as a gift and admit what I did, but I never did. We don’t talk anymore and haven’t really since about 11th or 12th grade.

I think about it all the time, how wrong it was, and how desperate I was. I’m sorry, Gene. I’m the worst person ever for stealing from someone so nice and welcoming to me.

So, dear readers, which of these confessions stunned you the most? Do you have any secrets of your own that you’d never reveal, no matter the circumstances? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Share your stories with us on Facebook.

Meanwhile, click here to read another exciting story: When Gloria discovers a mysterious hair elastic and a suspicious receipt at home, her quest to uncover their origins leads to unexpected revelations about trust and family bonds. Will her findings confirm her worst fears, or unveil a deeper act of love?