BF Laughs While Admitting GF Was A Sibling Rivalry Trophy, She Breaks Up And Cuts All Ties

Some relationships start with sparks, others with serendipity, and well, there are the ones that kick off because someone’s brother felt competitive and thought “dibs” was a legitimate reason to start a relationship.

No, I’m not kidding, because that was the reality of today’s Original Poster (OP) whose boyfriend casually admitted to her that he started dating her simply because he wanted to show his brother that he could get her. In fact, he called it his “mission”, and that left her reeling.

More info: Reddit

Finding out someone pursued you not out of genuine affection, but as part of a “mission” can feel like your world has been flipped upside down

Young couple posing by colorful graffiti wall, highlighting sibling rivalry trophy and relationship tension.

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The author was spending a week at her cousin’s place while normally living with her boyfriend of two years

Text excerpt about a boyfriend admitting his girlfriend was a sibling rivalry trophy, leading to a breakup and cutting all ties.

Text message conversation showing a boyfriend admitting his girlfriend was a sibling rivalry trophy before she breaks up and cuts ties.

Man laughing and admitting girlfriend was a sibling rivalry trophy while reminiscing about past crush from brother at the gym.

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A man laughing while talking to a woman at the gym, depicting a sibling rivalry trophy relationship moment.

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During the week, her boyfriend frequently FaceTimed and texted, expressing how much he missed her and couldn’t wait for her to return

Text excerpt showing boyfriend admitting girlfriend was a sibling rivalry trophy, leading to breakup and cutting all ties.

Text conversation excerpt showing a boyfriend admitting his sister was a sibling rivalry trophy, causing a breakup.

Alt text: text about feeling betrayed in a relationship after admitting sibling rivalry trophy causing break up and cutting ties

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Young woman looking upset while checking her phone, reflecting on sibling rivalry and broken relationships.

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On the call, he then admitted that he initially started dating her to one-up his brother, who had a crush on her, but claimed he fell in love along the way

Conversation screenshot of a boyfriend admitting his girlfriend was a sibling rivalry trophy, leading to a breakup and cut ties.

Text message conversation showing a boyfriend admitting sibling rivalry trophy feelings, causing the girlfriend to break up.

Text message exchange showing a boyfriend admitting his girlfriend was a sibling rivalry trophy before she breaks up and cuts ties.

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Two teenage boys outdoors near a fence, one laughing while showing something on a smartphone, capturing sibling rivalry tension.

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

He admitted that part of his motivation was to “bully” his brother and that he didn’t initially like her attitude, downplaying the deception as not a big deal

Text message screenshot showing a boyfriend admitting his girlfriend was a sibling rivalry trophy before she breaks up and cuts ties.

Text message showing a breakup reply where the girlfriend calls out being treated like a sibling rivalry trophy.

Text conversation showing BF laughing while admitting GF was a sibling rivalry trophy, leading to her breaking up and cutting all ties.

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Young boyfriend laughs while admitting girlfriend was a sibling rivalry trophy as she breaks up and cuts all ties.

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Shocked and angry, she ended the relationship, decided to move back to her sister’s place, and canceled her gym membership to avoid seeing him

Alt text: Text update about breaking up with boyfriend and cutting ties after sibling rivalry trophy admission.

Text message explaining discovery of sibling rivalry trophy scheme, leading to breakup and cutting all ties.

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She reached out to his brother to explain what happened, apologized for the hurt caused, and offered support if he wanted to talk

While staying with her cousin for the week, the OP FaceTimed her boyfriend of two years. After admitting to missing her, she laughed and reminded him it had only been a week, but that was when he paused and suddenly decided this was the perfect time to share that he originally dated her as a joke.

Confused, she asked him what he meant, and he revealed with a grin that he only pursued her because his brother had a crush on her, and then laughed about making it his “mission” to get her. For context, the OP met her boyfriend and his brother at the gym where he works as a personal trainer. However, the boyfriend admitted that he knew his brother had a crush on her.

The boyfriend, though, saw that as an opportunity to one-up him. He admitted he didn’t even like her attitude at first, but still viewed getting with her as a fun challenge to tease his brother about. The OP was petrified to hear that, and when she pointed out how weird it was, he told her to calm down and that it wasn’t “a big deal.”

After his dismissive responses, she was left feeling confused, manipulated, and deeply betrayed. Ultimately, she dumped him, made plans to move out, and even canceled her gym membership so she wouldn’t have to see him again. She also reached out to the brother to apologize for becoming part of a competition she never agreed to and to acknowledge the hurt he must’ve felt.

Two young men outdoors, one raising his arms, highlighting sibling rivalry and relationship tension.

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The situation described in the story reflects patterns psychologists have long studied regarding manipulative and deceptive relationship beginnings. Emotions Therapy Calgary notes that relationships that start through manipulation or involve breaches of trust can have profound psychological effects.

According to them, victims often begin doubting their own judgment and feelings, questioning past experiences, and re-evaluating their understanding of love. Such revelations don’t just damage trust in a partner; they can shake a person’s entire framework for relationships, leaving long-term emotional and relational consequences.

Building on this, psychologist Sandra Lee Dennis emphasizes that entering a relationship with hidden motives, like in the case of the OP’s boyfriend, is a serious form of deception. She explained that when a partner acts with ulterior motives, it can compromise the partner’s ability to feel secure in the relationship.

Finally, academic psychologist RJ Starr also highlights another layer relevant to this story, which is objectification. When a partner feels objectified, there’s already an erosion of trust and intimacy, and it becomes more difficult to then feel an authentic connection going forward in the relationship which is a foundational element.

Netizens overwhelmingly expressed disbelief and disgust at the boyfriend’s behavior, highlighting how manipulative and immature it seemed. They criticized his need to “one-up” his brother, and pointed out that brushing it off as “not as bad as it sounds” doesn’t excuse the manipulation.

What would you do if you were in the OP’s shoes? What would you do if you found out someone dated you just to “one-up” someone else? We would love to know your thoughts!

Netizens were united in insisting that the boyfriend’s actions were manipulative, immature, and downright unacceptable

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Screenshot of a comment discussing a boyfriend admitting his girlfriend was treated as a sibling rivalry trophy.

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Screenshot of a Reddit comment about a guy's picture humorously linked to the definition of sociopath in the dictionary.

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