MY HIDDEN IDENTITY OF BETRAYAL AND REVENGE

I used to believe love meant enduring. Staying. Shrinking myself so someone else could grow.

I told myself it was worth it-hiding who I was, working jobs I never had to work, pretending my life was smaller than it was. I loved him. I thought that was enough.

It wasn't.

He chose her.

My best friend looked me in the eyes and took everything I had built with him. And I remember standing there, wondering how I could feel so empty when my heart was still beating.

For a long time, I blamed myself. For trusting too much. For giving too much. For not being enough.