Hey Pandas, Have You Ever Found Out Someone You Knew That Was Seemingly In A ‘Perfect’ Relationship Was Actually In An Abusive One?

Looks can be deceiving. It has happened to me twice. The seemingly perfect couples actually in an abusive situation.

I recently found my father who I always thought had a wonderful relationship with my step-mother is actually the victim of abuse. She controls his whole life and he even has no say in the clothes he wears or even the glasses he wears everyday. My Dad recently confided in me that he gets punished if I don't treat my step-mother a certain way, which is not at all fair because some of the time I don't even know it is an issue. I am completely unaware and then she gets mad I didn't read her mind. Most recently she was upset I didn't text her on a certain day and was very rude to me the next time I actually did text her. She punished my Dad because of it. She yells at him about how she could divorce him if she wanted to. It is very upsetting and he is still with her. It is also a lot of stress on me how if I don't jump when she says jump my Dad will suffer. He said if she is mad at me she will prevent him from having a relationship with me. It is all so upsetting. What is a situation you thought all was well but then were completely floored to what was actually happening behind the scenes?