Yep. It can happen like that. I was superbly trained by a master manipulator (it was MY fault. When he committed a FELONY of serious assault it was just ala "see what YOU MADE ME DO?"
It wasn't until his lies did that first loop-de-loop that I went "huh?"
Ever since then I just asked God to show me the way. Now..........I'm sort of like Trapper, more than anyone else on this board. We are in a committment, maybe need to get committed ourselves (joke)....and think "wouldn't it be nice to have never encountered this?"