A 21-year-old college student worked hard and saved diligently for months to buy herself a luxury perfume for her birthday. When she told her boyfriend about her plan, he insisted on buying it for her, repeatedly lying that he had already purchased and wrapped the expensive gift.
Trusting him, she spent her savings on a fun birthday celebration.
The resulting gift—a cheap bath bomb and body spray, was bad enough. But the boyfriend’s reaction, calling her a “spoiled brat” and siccing his mother on her, exposed the lie as a massive red flag.
Now, read the full story:
![He called me a spoiled brat and said I was expecting too much from him. I called him a piece of lying [crap] and left after that.](https://dailyhighlight.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/wp-editor-1762278004856-17.webp "He Promised Her a Perfume, Gave Her a Body Spray, and Blamed Her for the Lie")
This situation is not about the perfume; it is about the deliberate, calculated lie that cost the OP her savings and her trust.
The boyfriend didn’t just forget to buy a gift; he actively discouraged her from buying it for herself, repeatedly lied about the purchase, and then waited until the last possible moment to reveal his failure. This wasn’t a mistake; it was a character flaw.
His subsequent reaction, calling her a spoiled brat and deploying his “flying monkeys” (his friends and mother), is a massive red flag indicating emotional immaturity and a refusal to take accountability.
The boyfriend’s behavior is a classic example of lying to save face, which then spirals into gaslighting and deflection. He was likely too embarrassed to admit he couldn’t afford the gift, so he chose to lie instead.
However, when confronted, he immediately attacked the OP, calling her “spoiled” and “childish.” This is a common tactic used to shift blame back onto the victim.
According to Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a clinical psychologist specializing in narcissistic relationships, this type of behavior is highly destructive. She notes that, “When someone lies and then immediately attacks your character for pointing out the lie, they are prioritizing their ego over your feelings and the truth.”
The involvement of his mother is perhaps the most concerning detail. A partner who immediately runs to their parent to mediate or scold their girlfriend shows a complete lack of adult conflict resolution skills. This dynamic suggests the boyfriend is still financially and emotionally dependent on his mother, making him incapable of being a true partner.
A 2022 survey by Pew Research Center found that a growing number of young adults live at home, but this living arrangement does not excuse involving parents in relationship disputes.
Check out how the community responded:
The entire community was NTA, focusing on the boyfriend’s repeated lying and his subsequent gaslighting.
![[Reddit User] - NTA - he lied to you and promised something and then didn't follow through.](https://dailyhighlight.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/wp-editor-1762277912438-1.webp "He Promised Her a Perfume, Gave Her a Body Spray, and Blamed Her for the Lie")
Redditors strongly advised the OP to break up with him, citing the involvement of his mother and friends as a major red flag.
The community also praised the OP for standing up for herself and her financial choices.
The OP was right to call her boyfriend a liar. He didn’t just fail to deliver a gift; he manipulated her into spending her savings so he could avoid embarrassment. The fact that he immediately recruited his mother to defend him proves he is not ready for an adult relationship.
The consensus is clear: dump the liar, block the mother, and buy the perfume for yourself.
Do you think the boyfriend’s mother was right to intervene, or did she make the situation worse?
