Nija'd by the op.
Yes , a tough love/ cruel to be kind thing is possible, but not probable. Most humans act in the moment when dealing w each other. Even if we plan the rise of another or thier downfall, it almost always comes down to the moment of decision. Where you screw them , help them or just bow out.
And no, you can't know what's planned or not, even if they tell you. If they are phsycopathic then what they say could be very misleading.
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