Shutterstock

Constant family comparisons can turn an old secret into tempting ammunition.

Would revealing the truth bring relief, or simply redirect years of resentment toward the wrong person?

After two decades in her sister’s shadow, this woman is considering breaking a promise made in high school.

Some family history refuses to stay buried.

AITA if I tell my parents that my sister never graduated college 20 years ago?

WIBTA, Let me start out this post as Im a (40)that has returned to college to finish my degree.

My sister (47)lied to our parents over 20 years ago that she graduated college.

The reason why I know it was a lie she came to me when I was a senior in high school and told me that she had dropped out of college the year prior. She was upset and she didn’t know what to do.

And I told her everything would be OK and that I wouldn’t tell mom and dad.

Her sister seems pretty good at lying.

My parents pressed for a while to see her grades and to see her diploma, but she always was able to make up excuses or avoid answering questions.

Eventually, they just quit asking.

They were so excited she had graduated and would tell everyone.

Through the years , she’s had other issues and lied to my parents about those and me being the only one that knew the actual truth about them.

The lies didn’t bother her for a long time.

For many years, it didn’t bother me that she lied to my parents about it, especially since the last two years she was supposedly on scholarship.

I also know that my parents were pushing her into a degree she did not want.

But I guess 20+ years of living in my sister shadow and always being told how great her degree is and how great she is. It’s finally just getting to me.

But now, the lies are really getting to her.

My parents have made me feel like what I have accomplished in life is never good enough even now returning to college they make comments that my degree isn’t going to be as valuable as hers, even though she’s never worked in her “degree field”.

I’ve been contemplating for a while just letting the truth come out, but I think I would actually feel worse.

I guess I’m just looking to see what other people’s opinion are on the situation if I would be a jerk if I told my parents the whole truth.

She never should’ve agreed to go along with her sister’s lies all those years ago, but considering it’s been 20 years, should she continue to keep the secret or tell the truth?

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

Another approach might be a better idea.

This person has a question.

The parents are the problem.

Tattling would not help her gain her parents’ respect.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who moved her mom in after her dad passed, but doesn’t want to fill the role of a spouse.

It wouldn’t play out the way she thinks.

This woman can resent her parents’ comparisons, but exposing her sister’s secret for revenge would target the wrong person.

Addressing their hurtful remarks directly would confront the real problem without weaponizing something her distressed sister revealed in confidence.

That diploma may be imaginary, but the family resentment is fully accredited.