# I Ended My Engagement To My Fiancée After She Wanted A ＂Break＂ To Explore Her Ex...

An episode of [Reddit Stories](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1830891511), 1 Sep 2025, 23 min.

Audio: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/APO3747463493.mp3

I Ended My Engagement To My Fiancée After She Wanted A ＂Break＂ To Explore Her Ex...

## Transcript

[0:00] I ended my engagement to my fiance after she wanted a break
[0:03] to explore her ex. I sold our house and
[0:05] disappeared. Hello everyone, After what feels
[0:09] like an eternity, I 27,000,000 decided it was time to discuss
[0:13] what has been going on with me recently.
[0:15] Here's the thing, until lately I thought I was marrying the love
[0:19] of my life, Tessa 26 F. We've been together for four
[0:23] years and for the most part I thought we were solid.
[0:26] But now I'm sitting here wondering why I didn't see this
[0:28] coming sooner. Tessa and I met at a birthday
[0:31] celebration introduced by a mutual friend.
[0:34] She was humorous, confident and had a no nonsense approach that
[0:37] I enjoyed. I dated previously but no one
[0:40] connected with me as she did. We hit it off quickly and moved
[0:43] in together. After a year things felt
[0:45] natural, as if we were all on the same page about professions,
[0:49] marriage and eventually creating a family.
[0:51] She was a freelance graphic designer and I worked as a
[0:54] project manager for a technology business, so our schedules were
[0:57] very similar. Life wasn't glamorous, but it
[1:00] was enjoyable. We had been discussing getting
[1:02] married for a time, but it wasn't until last year that I
[1:05] proposed. Nothing fancy, just a simple
[1:08] supper at home for the two of us.
[1:10] Tessa seems thrilled. She cried, hugged me, and
[1:13] agreed. That night we began to envision
[1:16] our future. A fall wedding, a limited guest
[1:19] list, and this charming little sight by the lake.
[1:21] It seemed like everything was falling into place, or so I
[1:24] thought. The initial red flags were
[1:26] little in evident. They were little sneaky flaws
[1:29] that I ignored because I didn't want to overthink.
[1:32] For example, Tessa's enthusiasm for wedding preparation faded
[1:35] after a few months. She was all in at first, sending
[1:38] me Pinterest boards, searching through wedding outfits and
[1:41] asking about small details like whether I preferred tulips or
[1:44] roses for the centerpieces. But suddenly it simply stopped.
[1:48] I'd ask her questions like, Hey, have you chosen your bridesmaids
[1:51] yet? And she'd shrug it aside.
[1:53] Not yet. I'm still thinking about it, she
[1:56] said again. The same thing happened with her
[1:58] clothing, cake and music. Every decision we'd been so
[2:02] enthused about had become something she wanted to
[2:03] postpone. There's still time, she'd say.
[2:07] The wedding seemed like an afterthought at the time, I told
[2:10] myself. It was just stress.
[2:12] Wedding planning can be overwhelming, right?
[2:14] Plus, Tessa had a lot going on at work.
[2:17] I assumed she'd snap out of it eventually.
[2:19] What I didn't realize was that her lack of enthusiasm wasn't
[2:22] about the wedding, but about us. The true slap in the face
[2:26] happened one night while we were out with some friends.
[2:28] Someone brought up the dumb TikTok game which you've
[2:31] probably seen. It's the one where you have to
[2:33] answer personal questions while keeping a straight face and not
[2:36] passing judgement. Everything was going well until
[2:39] someone said if you could relive one relationship, which would it
[2:42] be? Without thinking, Tessa
[2:44] responded. Oh probably Dylan, just like
[2:47] that. Dylan, her college ex, the
[2:50] person who cheated on her. The moment she uttered that, the
[2:54] room became awkwardly quiet. She giggled awkwardly and
[2:57] attempted to backtrack, saying, I mean, not that I'd want to.
[3:01] It's just a significant element of my past.
[3:03] I wanted to confront her right there, but we were among
[3:06] friends, so I let it go. Later, when we were alone, I
[3:10] asked her about it. What was it about Dylan?
[3:12] Why would you choose to revisit that relationship?
[3:15] She simply shrugged it off as if it were no big thing.
[3:18] It was a stupid game, Liam, don't take it so seriously.
[3:21] She grinned and shifted the subject.
[3:23] I didn't press it because honestly, I didn't want to start
[3:26] a battle over something that could have been minor, but deep
[3:29] down it stayed with me. Following that, her behavior
[3:32] became more difficult to ignore. She was using her phone more
[3:36] frequently, going through her texts.
[3:37] With a cheeky little smile, she began creating vague
[3:40] explanations for why she couldn't hang out or why she
[3:43] would cancel plans at the last minute.
[3:45] Oh, sorry, I just have a lot of work to catch up on tonight.
[3:48] She'd typically remark. Or it may be I promised my mom
[3:52] I'd visit this weekend. The justifications were not
[3:55] particularly suspicious, but they were stacking up.
[3:58] It seemed like I had become less of a priority.
[4:01] Then came Friday night, which changed everything.
[4:04] I arrived home from work early, excited to spend the evening
[4:07] with Tessa. I was hoping we might order in
[4:09] and binge watch something. A quiet night.
[4:11] When I came in, however, the atmosphere seemed odd.
[4:15] She was seated on the couch, holding her laptop, but she
[4:18] wasn't working. She was staring at the screen,
[4:20] absolutely unfocused. Hey, I'm home, I'm murmured,
[4:24] hoping to relieve the tension. You're early, she said, as if it
[4:28] were a negative thing. I shrugged it off and went into
[4:31] the kitchen to begin preparing dinner.
[4:32] But the silence in the house was oppressive.
[4:35] Usually she'd ask how my day was, or tell me about her own.
[4:38] What about tonight? Nothing.
[4:41] Finally, I looked around and asked.
[4:43] Is everything OK? She shut her laptop and glanced
[4:47] at me. Actually, there's something I
[4:49] need to talk to you about. And my stomach sank.
[4:52] You know how you feel when you know something horrible is going
[4:55] to happen, but you can't stop it.
[4:56] That was me, standing there like an idiot with a spatula in one
[5:00] hand. I approached and sat across from
[5:02] her. All right, I said.
[5:04] What is going on? She paused, as if she were
[5:07] trying to find the proper words. She just came out with it.
[5:11] I've been thinking about us and about Dylan.
[5:14] I swear that I almost laughed. Dylan, are you serious?
[5:18] What about him? She bit her lip and avoided my
[5:21] gaze. I suppose I need some time to
[5:23] consider things through. I'd like to take a break and see
[5:26] whether there's still something there with him.
[5:28] I couldn't believe what I heard. Do you want to take a break and
[5:31] date your ex? Are you out of your mind?
[5:34] Tessa, we've got engaged. It's not like that.
[5:37] She responded hurriedly, as if she could smooth things up.
[5:40] I just want to know if I'm making the right choice with
[5:43] you, and if it doesn't work out, I pledge to come back.
[5:46] That's when I discovered how deep her chutzpah was.
[5:49] She assumed I would sit around and wait for her to decide
[5:52] whether I was good enough. Something inside me moved at
[5:54] that very instant. I did not yell or blow up.
[5:58] I just sat there staring at her, wondering how the hell I hadn't
[6:01] seen this coming. I wasn't sure how to answer at
[6:03] first. My fiance recently informed me
[6:06] that she wants to take a break to explore things with her ex,
[6:09] Dylan. What can you say to that?
[6:11] Finally? I asked.
[6:13] So what does this break mean to you?
[6:15] My voice came out more calmer than I felt.
[6:18] She straightened up slightly, as if she had been ready for this
[6:20] conversation. I believe we need some space to
[6:23] figure things out. I'll take some time to see if my
[6:26] feelings for Dylan are genuine. And you are welcome to ponder on
[6:29] us as well. I couldn't believe the audacity.
[6:32] Wait. I replied, leaning forward.
[6:35] You're saying you need to date your ex, but I need to reflect
[6:37] on us. What kind of backwards logic is
[6:40] that? Tess aside, as if I were the one
[6:42] acting unreasonable. It's not about you doing
[6:45] something wrong, Liam. This is about me figuring out
[6:48] what I need. She seemed to have practiced
[6:51] this, the way she spoke, the way she avoided eye contact.
[6:54] It was as if she had already decided this was going to happen
[6:57] and simply wanted me to accept it.
[6:59] You know this sounds insane, right?
[7:01] I muttered. You don't just put your fiance
[7:04] on hold while you go play What if with some guy who treats you
[7:06] like garbage? Her face tightened and for the
[7:09] first time I realized how stubborn she could be.
[7:12] I'm not asking for permission, Liam, I'm telling you what I
[7:15] need. That one landed differently.
[7:17] I wasn't just sad anymore, I was angry.
[7:20] I stood up and began pacing, hoping to calm myself down.
[7:24] So what, Tessa, you're just going to pack a bag and head
[7:27] over to Dylan's place? Is that your big plan?
[7:30] No, she insisted. It's not like that, I just, I
[7:34] don't know what it looks like yet, but I need clarity before
[7:36] we move forward. I owe it to myself to know I'm
[7:39] making the right decision. You owe it to yourself?
[7:42] I asked, laughing cruelly. And what about what you owe me?
[7:46] We're engaged, Tessa, we're supposed to be building a life
[7:50] together and now you're telling me you need to test drive your
[7:52] ex to make sure I'm good enough? I never said you weren't good
[7:56] enough. She replied, her voice rising.
[7:59] But if we're going to spend the rest of our lives together, I
[8:01] have to be certain. And right now, I'm not.
[8:04] That was it. She wasn't simply interested in
[8:07] exploring things with Dylan. She was also unsure about me.
[8:10] Even after four years together and all of our plans, she was
[8:13] still unsure. It struck me all at once.
[8:16] She hadn't realized how painful and stupid her plea was.
[8:20] She believed this was reasonable, that I'd just sit
[8:22] there while she figured out whatever foolishness was going
[8:24] through her head. I stopped pacing and glanced at
[8:27] her, really stared at her. You know what?
[8:30] Sure, I responded, my tone bland.
[8:33] Take your break. She blinked, surprised by how
[8:36] quickly I agreed. Liam, I'm not trying to hurt
[8:39] you, I just, I need space to figure things out.
[8:42] I nodded and kept my expression bland.
[8:45] All right, if that's what you need.
[8:48] She paused, as if she expected me to argue or fight for her.
[8:51] When I didn't, she stood up, took out her laptop, and
[8:54] murmured. I'll stay at my mom's for a bit.
[8:57] This isn't forever. We'll talk when I've had some
[8:59] time, OK? I replied simply.
[9:02] She looked at me, wondering how to answer, and then disappeared
[9:05] into the bedroom. I could hear her moving around
[9:08] and throwing items into a bag. I remained calm on the couch,
[9:11] but my mind was already turning. If she really wants a break,
[9:15] that's OK, let her have it. Several minutes later I heard
[9:19] the front door close. She was gone, perhaps believing
[9:22] she had abandoned me here to wait and worry.
[9:24] She had no idea I was not going to sit around and do nothing.
[9:28] She could have her fantasy, but I had other ideas.
[9:31] Now, I'll provide an update once I've set some things in motion.
[9:34] This is not going to end the way she expects it to.
[9:37] Update 1. Thank you for your feedback and
[9:39] suggestions on my Last Post. A lot has happened this week and
[9:43] I'd like to report how things are going.
[9:45] First and foremost, I want to thank everyone in this community
[9:48] for their wonderful support. Many of you mentioned that I
[9:51] don't just sit around waiting, and you were correct.
[9:54] I've been busy putting everything into motion.
[9:56] First, I called my pal Noah. He's been my best friend since
[10:00] college, and he's not the type of man to sugarcoat things.
[10:03] After hearing the full story, he brought over pizza and we spent
[10:06] the entire night scheming. Dude, you realize she's going to
[10:10] try to crawl back once things don't work out with Dylan,
[10:12] right? Noah reminded him.
[10:14] He was correct. Of course.
[10:16] The more we talked, the more obvious it became that I needed
[10:19] to be proactive. This was not about vengeance.
[10:22] It was about regaining control of my life.
[10:24] I began with the house. Tessa doesn't seem to recall
[10:27] that it's entirely in my name. She loves to act as if it's our
[10:31] home, always talking about the curtains and paint colors she
[10:34] chose. Yet I'm the one who pays the
[10:36] mortgage. I phoned a realtor first thing
[10:38] Monday morning. The realtor came by to see the
[10:40] property and we decided to list it right away.
[10:43] The market in our neighborhood is now hot and we already have
[10:46] several potential purchasers. Tessa has no idea.
[10:50] She probably believes I'm sitting here in our shared home
[10:52] waiting for her to sort out her feelings.
[10:55] The next step was to gradually remove her from my life.
[10:58] You remember the Live Laugh Love placards she insisted on putting
[11:01] up? Gone.
[11:02] Did she have to have those beautiful throw pillows?
[11:05] Donated her clothing and personal belongings that she
[11:08] left behind? I carefully packaged them all
[11:11] up. But this is where I became
[11:13] strategic. Instead of just dropping her
[11:15] belongings off at her mother's house or having her come fetch
[11:17] them, I hired a moving company. They took everything to her
[11:21] mother's house and left a short note.
[11:23] Here's your stuff. Good luck with Dylan.
[11:26] I know some of you may think this is petty, but I disagree.
[11:29] I'm not being vengeful, I'm being efficient.
[11:32] She wanted some room to think things through.
[11:34] Well, she's got it. Literally the most fascinating
[11:37] moment came when mutual friends began asking questions.
[11:40] Instead of playing the victim or slandering her, I simply stated
[11:43] the truth. Tessa decided she needed to
[11:45] explore things with her ex before committing to marriage.
[11:48] I decided I deserve better than being someone's backup plan.
[11:52] You should watch how people respond to that.
[11:54] No drama, no accusations, just facts.
[11:57] It's amazing how rapidly the story changes when you don't try
[12:00] to control it. I've also been making moves at
[12:02] work. I applied for a position at our
[12:05] West Coast office that I've been considering for a long time.
[12:08] If the house sells, which seems quite likely, and I get this
[12:11] job, I'll be starting over on the other side of the country.
[12:14] Tessa has attempted to contact me several times this week.
[12:17] First with light hearted text like hope you're doing OK and
[12:21] progressing to progressively concerned messages.
[12:23] When she learned I was actually making changes rather than
[12:25] simply waiting around. Yesterday she was in a panic
[12:29] when her mother informed her that the boxes had been
[12:31] delivered. What are you doing?
[12:33] Why are you acting like this is over?
[12:35] I kept my response simple because it is over Tessa, you
[12:39] made your choice and now I'm making mine.
[12:42] She began crying, claiming that she simply wanted time to figure
[12:45] things out, that I was being quick, and that this was not
[12:48] what she meant when she asked for a break.
[12:50] What did you expect? I questioned her.
[12:52] That I'd sit here like a faithful puppy while you test
[12:54] drove your ex? That's not how this works.
[12:57] But what if I realize you're the one I want?
[13:00] She was weeping. Then you'll have learned a
[13:02] valuable lesson about not taking people for granted.
[13:05] I said before hanging up the phone.
[13:07] The weird thing is that I'm no longer upset.
[13:10] Instead, I feel liberated. Every box I pack, every move I
[13:14] make feels like I'm reclaiming parts of myself that I didn't
[13:17] realize I'd given up. Noah came by again yesterday to
[13:20] assist me with packing the house.
[13:22] He also saw the change in me. You seem different, he observed.
[13:26] More focused. He's correct, I'm different.
[13:30] When Tessa first revealed her desire to pursue things with
[13:33] Dylan, I felt like my world was falling.
[13:35] Now I see it wasn't my world collapsing, but rather the false
[13:38] reality I've been living in, finally disintegrating.
[13:41] I have more things in the works, but I will hold them for the
[13:44] next update. For the time being, I'll simply
[13:47] say this. Sometimes the greatest way to
[13:49] respond to someone treating you as an option is to completely
[13:52] remove yourself from their list of options.
[13:54] Stay tuned. This narrative hasn't ended yet,
[13:57] and I have a feeling Tessa is finding that her break to
[14:00] straighten things out isn't going to go nearly as planned.
[14:03] Update 2. I appreciate all of the feedback
[14:05] on my recent update. Things have escalated
[14:08] significantly and I'd like to tell you how the situation has
[14:11] evolved. Remember how I mentioned
[14:13] applying for the West Coast position?
[14:15] OK, I got it. The timing could not be better.
[14:18] The house is under contract and the closing is slated for next
[14:21] month. But that's only the beginning.
[14:24] What's particularly interesting is how Tessa's Dillon
[14:26] exploration is unfolding. Through mutual connections, I
[14:30] discovered that their restored passion isn't quite the fairy
[14:32] tale she envisioned. Apparently, four years haven't
[14:35] changed him much. He's still the untrustworthy guy
[14:38] who cheated on her in college. But here's when it gets good.
[14:42] Tessa has attempted to control the narrative on social media.
[14:45] She has been sharing vague, inspiring phrases about finding
[14:48] yourself and following your heart.
[14:50] So I decided to play the same game, but with A twist.
[14:54] I created a single factual post update on my life.
[14:58] Excited to announce I've accepted a position in San
[15:00] Francisco. Sometimes when one door closes,
[15:04] better ones open. Looking forward to this new
[15:07] chapter. The comments and texts began
[15:09] pouring in. People congratulated me,
[15:12] inquired about the relocation, and of course, wondered about
[15:15] Tessa. I kept my answers basic and
[15:17] honest. We're no longer together.
[15:20] She wanted to explore other options, so I'm exploring mine
[15:23] too. This set off a fantastic chain
[15:25] reaction in our social circle. Remember those friends who
[15:28] weren't sure about the situation?
[15:30] Watching me handle this with grace as Tessa shares cryptic
[15:33] relationship quotations completely changed the
[15:35] atmosphere. Then came the professional
[15:37] consequences. Tessa's freelance design
[15:39] employment is primarily based on recommendations and networking.
[15:43] Sarah, 29, FA mutual contact in the computer field, who used to
[15:47] refer many clients to Tessa, contacted me.
[15:50] I need to know what happened, Sarah explained over coffee.
[15:53] Tessa's telling people you're having a temporary separation to
[15:56] grow individually, but something feels off.
[15:59] I shared Sarah Tessa's note about wanting to date Dylan.
[16:02] Sarah's looks at it all. She did not believe it.
[16:05] By the end of the week, numerous potential clients had pushed
[16:08] back their projects with Tessa. Not because I said anything
[16:11] nasty, but because honestly, who wants to work with someone who
[16:14] takes commitment so lightly? Tessa sense the shift.
[16:17] Her texts become more frequent and frantic.
[16:20] Why are you telling people about Dylan?
[16:22] You're ruining my reputation. This isn't fair.
[16:25] I just needed time to think. I answered to the last one.
[16:28] You got what you wanted. Time and space.
[16:30] How I spend mine is no longer your concern.
[16:33] Then came the turning point. Dylan, in his wonderful wisdom,
[16:37] shared a photo of them together at the restaurant where Tessa
[16:39] and I had our first date. It was evident she was
[16:42] attempting to recreate our history with him.
[16:44] It was both sad and funny. The post didn't last long, but
[16:48] the damage was done. Our friends witnessed it, and
[16:50] the remaining few individuals who supported Tessa's Finding
[16:54] Myself story lost respect for her.
[16:56] Even her own sister contacted me.
[16:58] I'm so sorry about how she's handling this.
[17:01] You deserve better. What is the most satisfying
[17:03] part? I didn't have to be vengeful.
[17:06] I simply lived my life freely and honestly, whereas Tessa
[17:09] attempted to play both sides. The truth has a way of emerging.
[17:12] She visited my office yesterday. Dylan seemed to have already
[17:16] revealed his true colors. Flirting with other women, being
[17:19] untrustworthy. A familiar story.
[17:21] She was crying. I made a huge mistake.
[17:24] She cried. I was scared of commitment.
[17:27] I thought I needed to know if there was something better out
[17:29] there, but I was wrong. You're the best thing that ever
[17:32] happened to me. I simply gazed at her calmly.
[17:35] No, Tessa, the best thing that ever happened to me was you
[17:38] showing your true colors before we got married.
[17:41] She attempted to argue, claiming that we could fix this, that she
[17:44] would go to counseling, and that she would prove she could be
[17:46] trusted again. I simply shook my head.
[17:49] You don't get it, do you? This isn't about Dylan anymore.
[17:53] This is about you thinking you could keep me as a backup while
[17:56] you explore your options. That's not love, that's
[17:59] convenience. She left my office distraught,
[18:02] but I felt better than ever. The house closes next week, the
[18:05] majority of my belongings are packed, and my new life in San
[18:08] Francisco begins in a month. The funny thing is that some
[18:11] folks think I'm being overly tough.
[18:13] Everyone makes mistakes, they explain.
[18:16] However, this was not a mistake. It was a choice.
[18:19] There are actually several options available.
[18:22] Each time she texted Dylan, every time she lied about where
[18:25] she was, she spent every second planning to put our romance on
[18:29] hold. These were all options.
[18:32] I'll provide another update once the move is complete.
[18:35] For the time being, I'll leave you with this.
[18:37] Sometimes the best revenge isn't getting even, but rather getting
[18:40] better. And this is exactly what I'm
[18:42] doing next update. Update 3.
[18:47] Thank you for following my journey.
[18:49] This will be my final update and I have some interesting
[18:52] developments to report. San Francisco is everything I
[18:55] imagined it would be. My new apartment has a stunning
[18:58] view of the Bay, and the tech scene here is fantastic.
[19:01] My new office team is fantastic. It's refreshing to be around
[19:04] people who prioritize growth and innovation over drama.
[19:07] But first, let me catch you up on how things ended back home.
[19:11] The closing went smoothly and the house actually sold for more
[19:13] than the asking price. It was interesting to see
[19:16] Tessa's reaction after finding out through mutual friends she
[19:19] didn't believe I'd sold the house until she drove by and saw
[19:22] the new owners move in. Here's where it got really
[19:25] interesting. Remember Dylan?
[19:27] He reached out to me, of all people.
[19:29] He sent me a long message about how he never meant to cause
[19:32] problems, and that Tessa had contacted him first, months
[19:35] before she requested the break. Tessa had been planning her
[19:38] little exploration for quite some time.
[19:40] She had been messaging Dylan for months, carefully laying the
[19:43] groundwork for her backup strategy.
[19:45] What's with the irony? Dylan ended their relationship
[19:48] because, as he put it, if she could do this to you, she could
[19:51] do it to anyone. Tessa's professional fallout has
[19:54] been significant. Remember all the clients she'd
[19:56] lined up? Most of them discovered other
[19:58] designers. Not because I said anything, but
[20:01] because word spreads in the industry.
[20:03] One of her largest clients really contacted me.
[20:05] We heard what happened with the engagement.
[20:07] They told us we're looking for someone who can commit to long
[20:11] term projects. Do you know any reliable
[20:13] designers? I recommended a talented
[20:15] acquaintance of mine and she received the contract karma.
[20:19] I suppose Tessa's social media meltdown has been something to
[20:22] see. Then came the sorrowful
[20:24] quotations about losing your sweetheart, followed by angry
[20:27] posts about toxic people who can't handle growth.
[20:30] Finally, she made urgent attempts to show everyone how
[20:33] delighted she was. The final one was quite
[20:35] interesting. She wrote about beginning her
[20:38] own design firm. Three days later, she began
[20:41] sending out job applications. Last week, her sister contacted
[20:44] me again. Tessa has apparently been
[20:47] staying with their parents, stating she needs time to heal
[20:49] from our separation. Her sister's exact words were
[20:53] she really thought you'd wait for her when you sold the house
[20:56] and moved. It broke her fantasy completely.
[20:58] The most reassuring moment occurred during a video call
[21:01] with our old friend group. They were telling me about local
[21:04] gossip and someone described seeing Tessa at a coffee shop,
[21:07] explaining to a potential customer why her portfolio
[21:09] website was down. Apparently she forgot that I was
[21:13] the one who set it up and maintained it.
[21:15] She couldn't figure out how to restore her hosting membership
[21:17] when it expired. Not my concern anymore.
[21:21] My new life here is coming together well.
[21:23] I've joined a local rock climbing club, begun taking
[21:26] Spanish lessons, and even adopted a dog from a local
[21:29] shelter. His name is Zeus and he's a
[21:31] greater companion than my ex fiance.
[21:33] The tech community here is really inviting.
[21:36] Last week I was invited to speak at a developer conference, which
[21:39] would not have happened if I had stayed at home.
[21:42] It's amazing what you can accomplish when you're not
[21:44] dragging dead weight. I had one last interaction with
[21:47] Tessa. She sent me an e-mail requesting
[21:50] some old images from our shared cloud storage.
[21:52] I had previously downloaded what I wanted and terminated the
[21:55] account several weeks ago, her e-mail stated.
[21:58] I know you're trying to erase me from your life, but you can't
[22:01] just delete our memories. Those four years meant
[22:03] something. My reply was simple.
[22:06] You're right, those years taught me what I don't want in a
[22:09] partner. Thanks for the lesson.
[22:11] Some mutual acquaintances believe I am being very harsh
[22:14] and should be more understanding of her moment of confusion.
[22:17] However, that wasn't a moment, it was a calculated decision to
[22:20] keep me as a safety net while she pursued what she believed to
[22:23] be a better option. What is the most important thing
[22:26] I've learned from all of this? Sometimes the worst things that
[22:29] happen to you result in the best outcomes.
[22:31] If Tessa hadn't shown her true colors, I could have married her
[22:34] only to learn her genuine personality years later,
[22:37] possibly with children in the mix.
[22:39] Instead, I'm in a lovely city with a wonderful job, making new
[22:42] friends, and feeling optimistic about the future.
[22:45] The anguish of betrayal has been replaced by thankfulness for the
[22:48] gunshot avoided. Thank you to everyone who has
[22:51] followed the story and offered advice.
[22:53] Your encouragement helped me remain strong when I might have
[22:56] faltered. And for anyone going through a
[22:58] similar situation, know this. When someone shows you who they
[23:02] are, believe them the first time.
[23:04] Don't wait around for them to alter their mind about you.
[23:07] Life is too short to be someone's backup plan.
[23:10] Sometimes the best thing you can do is walk away and make things
[23:12] better for yourself. That's it for now guys, this
[23:16] chapter of my life has officially ended and I couldn't
[23:19] be more excited for the next one to begin.
[23:21] Take care and thank you for everything.

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