I confronted her about it and she was apologetic, and I forgave her. However, unbeknownst to me, a part of myself died...

In the midst of my transition from boyhood to manhood, I had graduated mentally, eager to embrace the responsibilities my late father never had the chance to. Having recently ended a happy but casual relationship, I yearned for a more serious connection.

Soon after, fate brought a radiant and captivating young woman into my life. Her presence warmed my heart, and I was certain she was the one. We shared the same desire for commitment and a future together, which thrilled me, knowing that I was ready to leave behind my past immature ways and embark on a journey of building a family.

Our relationship escalated quickly, and we began living together, relishing the excitement of our newfound connection. However, in a sudden turn of events, my world shattered when I discovered a side of her I had not anticipated. One evening, I was coming from work and I bumped into her at the apartment along the stairways, "oh I wanted to wait for you" she said. How romantic right?? I know, I would think that too, but here it goes:

She then proposed a playful game, challenging me to race to our apartment using different routes (she was going to use stairs & I was going to use the lift). Little did I know that this innocent game was a deceitful ploy to give her an opportunity to meet another man outside the apartment. So she basically pretended to play the game, and as I got into the lift, she then came back from the stairways and went right back outside.

After waiting anxiously for her return, my worry grew, and when she finally reappeared almost after an hour with a weak excuse, my intuition told me something was amiss. Unable to contain my suspicions, I checked her phone later that night while she was bathing, and the revelations I stumbled upon were nothing short of soul-crushing.

The messages I found revealed that she had deceived me earlier, using our game as a cover to rendezvous with another man. It was evident that she had cunningly planned to get rid of me.

At that moment, a part of me died, and I emerged as a different person, forever changed by the betrayal and heartache I experienced. I couldn't help but feel like a fool for being blindsided by her deceit...

The shock and pain were unbearable. My world came crashing down around me. When confronted, she tearfully confessed to having gone outside to meet another guy, claiming that there was nothing going on between them and was just a friend she knows.

Devastated and feeling betrayed, I couldn't bear the pain of staying in the relationship. I went outside that night, struggling to hold back my tears as I walked away from the woman I had loved so deeply.

In the days that followed, I tried to cope with this heartbreak. But the pain was too overwhelming, and I found myself slipping into a dark and lonely place. To numb the ache in my heart, I sought solace in the company of others, hoping to find a distraction from the haunting memories of my girlfriend's betrayal.

As I threw myself into a string of casual relationships, I felt a brief respite from the pain. But with each new encounter, the hollowness inside me deepened. I knew I was using others to fill the void, but I couldn't find a way out of the cycle of heartbreak.

One night, while drowning my sorrows in a dimly lit bar, I met a woman named Lily. She had an air of sadness about her, and our souls seemed to recognize the shared pain in each other's eyes. We found comfort in the temporary companionship, both seeking an escape from our respective heartaches.

Lily had also suffered the betrayal of a past love, and together, we found solace in our mutual understanding. Our hearts yearned for healing, but we were caught in a web of hurt and deceit, unable to let go of our pasts completely.

As myself and Lily continued our tryst, we found comfort in each other's arms, but it was bittersweet. Our connection was built on the foundation of broken hearts, and we both knew that true healing couldn't come from seeking solace in the arms of others.

Time passed, and the pain gradually subsided, but I couldn't escape the truth. I had become what I despised—an unfaithful partner who had betrayed someone's trust. The guilt weighed heavily on me, and I knew I needed to break free from this destructive pattern...TO BE CONTINUED