At dawn on a stormy night, I ran through the rain to deliver condoms to Gordon,
the man who kept me—only to discover he was ready to cast me aside for the woman he had never gotten over.
I had stayed by his side for five years. I fought my way up, earned my promotion with everything I had, only to watch his first love take my place.
Humiliated, betrayed, and left in danger, I watched him stand by with cold indifference.
So I walked away, quit my job, and returned to my hometown without looking back.
Only after I was gone did Gordon finally regret everything. He followed me, protected me in silence, and even took a knife meant for me.
But when I smiled and made peace with the past, I finally understood:
What I broke free from was never just a relationship.
It was the version of myself that had loved him so desperately, I had buried my own worth in the dust.
