Chapter 4 4

When we returned to Florida, I thought we were starting a new chapter in our relationship and would be planning our wedding. But little did I know, a mysterious force was lurking in the shadows, waiting to disrupt my happiness.

It started with an anonymous call. I answered the phone, expecting it to be a friend or family member, but instead, I heard a distorted voice on the other end. "You don't know Nic like you think you do," the voice said.

"He's been hiding secrets from you, secrets that could destroy your relationship."

At first, I dismissed the call as a prank, but the words lingered in my mind. I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. And then, I started to notice strange behavior from Nic.

He would receive mysterious texts and quickly delete them, or take calls in private. I felt like he was hiding something from me, but I kept calm. It wasn't until I stumbled upon an old friend of Nic's in Florida that the truth began to unravel. We met for coffee, and she seemed nervous, glancing over her shoulder as if she feared being watched.

'What's going on?' I asked her.

'The last time we met you told me there were things I had to know, before proceeding with the marriage with Nic.' I said.

She hesitated, then leaned in close. "Nic's secret flings," she whispered. "He's been seeing other women behind your back and everyone knows about it including his family." "Nic might have spoken to his family and planned things out with his friends before you both arrived in Arizona." she said. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. After all the memories of our time in Arizona, all the laughter and adventures. I couldn't believe that Nic would deceive me like this.

I couldn't shake off the feeling of betrayal and confusion. So I said nothing else because I was in shock, So I thanked her and left the coffee shop. I needed to know if what the lady said was true. I started digging deeper, asking questions, and seeking answers. I began by questioning Nic's friends in Florida, trying to see if they knew anything about his secret flings. At first, they seemed hesitant to talk, but as I pressed for answers, they slowly started to open up. One of his friends, named Alex, told me that Nic had a reputation for being reckless with women. 'He's always been a bit of a player,' Alex said. He is smart so you never find out. Another friend, named Mia, Nic once introduced as a friend told me Nic wasn't her friend but a sex mate and they met twice a week for sex. Mia said, tears in her eyes. I knew you were a good woman, 'I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I didn't want to break your heart.' With each new revelation, my heart sank deeper. I felt like I was living in a nightmare like everything I thought I knew about Nic was a lie. I decided to confront Nic, to ask him directly if the allegations were true. But as I approached him, I could see the guilt written all over his face.

'Is it true?' I asked, my voice shaking with emotion. Nic hesitated, then nodded slowly. 'I'm so sorry,' he said. "I was weak, and I made mistakes." I felt like my world had come crashing down. I didn't know if I could ever trust Nic again, or if our relationship could ever be salvaged.

I was devastated, but I needed to understand why Nic could do this to me. 'Why?' I asked him, my voice barely above a whisper. 'Why would you throw away our relationship like this? 'After everything, why Nic ?' I asked him again.

Nic looked down, shamefaced. "I don't know," he said. "I was weak, and I made mistakes. I wasn't thinking about you or our relationship." Just then, my phone rang. It was one of Nic's sisters, Emily. 'I'm so sorry,' she said, her voice trembling. "I couldn't keep quiet anymore. I had to tell you the truth."

My heart sank further. 'What truth?' I asked, already knowing the answer.

'Nic's infidelity,' Emily said. 'They've been going on for years. We've all known about them, but we didn't want to hurt you. I wanted to tell you when you came visiting but Nic warned me not to say a word. She then concluded she made the anonymous call to me weeks after we left Arizona.

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut again. I asked Nic, Was anything you told me true? All the good things your family and friends said about you, was it all a lie?' Nic hesitated, then shook his head. 'No not all was a lie,' he said. My family and friends do care about me, and they want you to see the good in me. But they also knew about my flaws, and they should have told you. I was torn between anger and sadness, I didn't know what to believe anymore or who to trust. I felt like my whole relationship with Nic had been a facade, a carefully constructed lie.

Nic took my hand, his eyes pleading for forgiveness. 'I truly love you,' he said. 'Those flings meant nothing to me. I was weak, but my love for you is real.'

I looked at him, searching for sincerity. 'Why didn't you tell me?' I asked. 'Why did you keep it a secret?'. 'You can't just tell me the fling meant nothing to you, you were cheating on me,' I shouted.

Nic sighed. 'Am sorry, I wanted to tell you everything, but I was afraid of losing you. You were in love with me, and I didn't want to hurt you. I thought I could change, that I could be the man you deserved.'

I shook my head, feeling a mix of emotions. 'You should have told me,' I said. 'You destroyed everything when you chose to come into my life with lies. I trusted you, and you broke that trust.'

Nic nodded, tears in his eyes. 'I know,' he said. 'I don't expect you to forgive me, but I hope you can see that my love for you is real.'

I took a deep breath, trying to process everything. 'I trusted you, and some things that happened in the past wouldn't break our relationship,' I said. 'But the present things you still got yourself involved in, can't be forgiven.' I said.

'I need to call your family,' I said. 'I need to know why they kept this from me.' He nodded.

I took a deep breath and dialed the number, my heart racing with anticipation. Nic's mother answered, her voice hesitant.

"Hello?" she said.

"It's me," I said, my voice firm. "I know everything. I know about Nic's infidelities, and I know you all knew about them too."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "I...I don't know what to say," she stammered.

"You should have told me the truth," I said, my voice shaking with emotion. "You should have warned me about Nic's behavior."

"We were trying to protect him," she said, her voice weak. "We didn't want to see him hurt."

"But you hurt me instead," I said, my voice firm. "You hurt me by lying to me, by covering up his secrets."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "I just wanted to know why," I said. "I wanted to know why you would do that to me."

There was another pause, and then Nic's mother spoke up. "We were wrong," she said. "We were wrong to lie to you, and we were wrong to cover up Nic's behavior. Can you ever forgive us?" I thought for a moment before responding. "I can forgive you," I said. "But I will never forget what you did. And I will never go back to Nic."

I hung up the phone, feeling a sense of closure.

I stood up, my mind made up, 'I'll go with you,' he said.

But I shook my head. 'No, I need to be alone.'

I walked away, I needed to see my mother. She would know what to do, how to guide me through this mess. I drove to my mother's house, my mind racing with thoughts and emotions. When I arrived, she greeted me with a warm hug and a concerned expression.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" she asked, leading me to the couch..I took a deep breath and told her everything - Nic's infidelities, his lies, and his excuses. My mother listened attentively, her face growing more and more concerned."Oh, baby," she said when I finished. "I'm so sorry you're going through this. But you deserve so much better than someone who would treat you like this." I nodded, feeling a sense of validation. "I know, Mom. But I loved him. I thought he was the one."

My mother took my hand. "Love doesn't mean tolerating someone's bad behavior," she said. "You deserve someone who will love and respect you fully, no exceptions."I nodded, feeling a sense of resolve. "You're right, Mom. I'm done with Nic, I deserve better. My mother hugged me tightly, "I'm so proud of you, sweetie. You're strong and capable, and you will get through this.

As we hugged, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. I knew I still had a long way to go, but with my mother's support, I felt like I could face anything.

With my mother's support, I started to rebuild my life. I cut ties with Nic and his family, and I focused on healing and moving forward. It wasn't easy, but I knew it was necessary.

I was broken, shattered into a million pieces. Life had dealt me another blow, and I was struggling to pick up the pieces. But as I looked around at my family, I knew I wasn't alone. They had been my rock, my support system, throughout this entire ordeal. My mother, with her unwavering guidance and encouragement. My brother had been there for me too, and I was grateful.

As I thought about Nic, I knew I had to say some final words to him. Not for his sake, but for mine. I needed closure, he was calling me non-stop and I needed to let him know that I was moving on. I called him 'Nic,' I said, my voice firm and resolute. 'I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive yourself for what you did to me. I hope you can learn from your mistakes and become a better person. But for me, it's over. I deserve better, and I'm going to find it.' I took a deep breath, feeling a sense of liberation wash over me. I was done with Nic, done with the heartache and the pain. I was ready to start anew, to find happiness and love with someone who truly deserved me.

As I looked ahead, I knew that I would always carry the lessons of this relationship with me. I will always remember the red flags, the warning signs, and the pain. But I would also remember the strength I found within myself, the resilience I discovered, and the love I received from my family.

I was broken, but I was not defeated. I was shattered, but I was not destroyed. I was hurt, but I was not helpless. I was me, and I was enough.