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the hierarchy of trust—and why loyalty isn’t what you think | musing no. 8

the people closest to you are always the ones holding the sharpest knife.

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author — cuffed
Jun 19, 2025
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A silver-haired man stands alone in a high-rise hotel room, partially obscured by shadow, holding a glass of whiskey. His tuxedo jacket is draped across the bed in the reflection of a mirror. The mood is somber and introspective—symbolizing fractured trust, secrecy, and the complexity of loyalty. Visual for cuffed musing no. 8: “the hierarchy of trust—and why loyalty isn’t what you think.”

In the aftermath of discovering that my best friend and his partner were talking to my ex-wife behind my back, I’ve been thinking a lot about trust and loyalty—what they mean, how they’re earned, and…

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