Maybe I called this upon myself today by entertaining thoughts of the past because I don’t know how else to explain it. Perhaps it was fate that landed me where I am, I’m not sure. Here’s my tale, you be the judge.

The late afternoon sun filtered through the blinds, casting long shadows across my apartment. I sat at my desk, my eyes glazed over as I stared at the blinking cursor on my computer screen. I was in my own world, unaware of the work on the screen in front of me.

The warm glow of the day did little to lift the cloud of melancholy that had settled over me. Years had passed, but some wounds seemed to resist healing. It’s been five years since I broke up with David.

Five long years ago since I found out he was cheating on me. I had been a different person, full of hope, in love with David, and dreaming of a future together. The betrayal was like a knife to my heart. It felt like my world shattered into a million pieces on that fateful day.

I loved him. But I knew I couldn’t stay with someone who had hurt me so badly and torn my world apart. So I ended our relationship and walked away. Ever since, I’ve been trying to move on, but the scars remain.

Life had moved forward in the years since our breakup, and I thought I was over it. I graduated from college, secured a steady and decent job, and built a new circle of friends. Despite these accomplishments, there were still moments when the pain of the past resurfaced now and then.

It came from nowhere, unbidden and unwelcome. It felt like a sharp stab of sadness, like a ghost from the life I almost had with him. Today was one of those days. Lost in thought, I nearly jumped out of my chair when my phone rang!

I glanced at the screen and BAM, I felt my heart skip a beat! It was David! My fingers hovered over the answer button. A mix of curiosity and apprehension swirled within me as my heart started pounding. Why was he calling me now, after all this time?

Taking a deep breath, I did something I probably shouldn’t have… I answered the call. “Hello?” I whispered, barely holding it together. “Hi, Emma,” came the reply. His voice was both familiar and foreign with a tremor hinting at something significant.

He was CRYING I realized! “It’s David. I… I need to talk to you.” I was on edge as I felt a knot form in my stomach. “David? What’s going on?” There was a brief pause before he spoke the words that were almost my undoing.

“I’m getting married today,” he blurted out, sounding guilty. MY HEART DROPPED. His words hit me like a punch to the gut! “And I only have a few minutes before the ceremony starts, so PLEASE, please don’t hang up,” he pleaded.

“I’ve been keeping a huge secret about the end of our relationship.” Pausing a bit he continued, “I need to tell you the truth before going through with my marriage.” I was silent, trying to process what he was saying. “What truth?” I finally asked, my curiosity piqued despite my better judgment.

“Emma, I never cheated on you,” David confessed. “It was all a lie.” I felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me! “What do you mean it was a lie?” I demanded, my voice rising. “Your parents,” he continued, “they made me do it.”

“They told me to lie to you, to say I cheated. They wanted me out of your life because they thought it was best for you,” he confessed. “They didn’t want you distracted from your studies or getting too serious about a relationship.”

He sighed as he continued, “They thought you needed to focus on college and not get tied down with a family or… or get pregnant.” David explained further, “They threatened to cut ties with you if I didn’t go along with it, and I knew how much you valued your relationship with them.”

His words were a tidal wave, crashing over EVERYTHING I thought I knew. Anger, confusion, and sadness fought for dominance within me. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked, tears streaming down my face. “I thought I was doing the right thing,” he said, his voice choked with emotion.

“I didn’t want to ruin your future. But I’ve regretted it every single day since. I never stopped loving you, Emma.” My mind was REELING! The betrayal I felt five years ago had been a lie, orchestrated by the very people I trusted most!

And now, David was calling me from his wedding, confessing his love for me! “I can’t marry her, Emma,” he whispered. “Because I still love you. I wish it was you.” I took a deep breath, my heart pounding.

The anger I felt toward my parents for manipulating us, for tearing us apart, was overwhelming! But there was also a glimmer of hope, a chance to reclaim the love I thought I had lost forever. “Where are you?” I asked, determination rising within me.

David gave me the address of the church where the wedding was supposed to take place. Without another thought, I grabbed my keys and ran out the door! I didn’t know what the future held, but I knew I couldn’t let this moment slip away!

I pulled up to the church, my heart pounding in my chest. David was standing outside, his face pale and his eyes filled with a mix of anxiety and hope. The sight of him brought back a flood of memories, both good and bad!

When our eyes met, in that instant, everything fell into place! We ran to each other, embracing as tears streamed down our faces. “Emma,” he said, pulling back, his voice trembling. “I’m SO sorry.”

“David,” I replied, my voice breaking. “I don’t even know what to say.” I was riddled with emotions. “I can’t believe they did that to us,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “Please, listen,” he pleaded. “I know this is a lot to take in, but I needed you to know that I NEVER stopped loving you!”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions. “Why didn’t you fight for us, David? Why did you let them control our lives like that?” He looked down, his expression filled with regret.

“Your parents convinced me that I was a distraction,” he shared. “I also didn’t want to be the reason you lost your family.” I shook my head, tears streaming down my face.

“They had NO RIGHT to make that decision for us. We should have decided our future together.” “I know,” he said softly. “And I regret not fighting harder for us every single day. But I’m here now, Emma. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make things right.”

I looked into his eyes, seeing the sincerity and pain there. Despite everything, my heart still ached for him. “What about her? The woman you’re supposed to marry today?” David ran a hand through his hair, looking torn.

“She’s a good person, but I can’t marry her when my heart belongs to you. It wouldn’t be fair to her or myself.” We stood there in silence for a moment, the weight of the situation pressing down on us. Finally, I took a step closer to him.

“If we do this, David, it won’t be easy.” He nodded, his expression determined. “I know. I just can’t imagine my life without you anymore.” The sound of the church doors opening behind us broke the moment.

David’s fiancée stepped out, her face a mix of confusion and concern. “David, what’s going on?” He turned to her, his expression pained. “Jessica, I’m so sorry. I can’t go through with this. My heart belongs to someone else.”

The bride didn’t take the words well as she started crying. I touched David’s hand and signaled to him that I’d be waiting by my car. I watched their intense exchange, which ended with Jessica yanking her hand away from David and running back inside the church.

I felt guilty like it was my fault that she was suffering the pain I had been experiencing these past five years. I said a little prayer for her. I asked for her to be strengthened and find healing from this unfortunate situation.

David turned and walked toward me, his eyes filled with hope. “Emma, I know this wasn’t the best way for me to have handled this. But will you give us another chance?” I hesitated for a moment, my mind racing.

But then I thought about everything we had been through, the love we had shared, and the possibility of a future together. In that moment, I made an empowering decision. I couldn’t stay tied to people who would manipulate and control my life for their purposes.

I realized I needed to break free and live on my own terms. “Yes,” I said finally, my voice firm. “Let’s try to make this work.” His face lit up with a mixture of relief and joy. “Thank you, Emma! I promise I won’t let you down!”

“We have each other now,” David said, holding me close. “That’s all that matters.” We left together, abandoning the church and the lives we had been forced into. David and I got into my car and drove from the church, the setting sun casting a warm glow over the landscape.

We didn’t know where we were going, but it didn’t matter as long as we had each other. But, the pain of the past was still there, although it was overshadowed by what could be.

I knew we had a lot of work and healing to do, but for the first time in years, I felt truly hopeful about the future. In the end, it wasn’t the wedding that turned my life upside down. It was the truth and the chance to reclaim a love stolen from us.

As we sped down the open road on the highway, I felt a sense of liberation and hope I hadn’t felt in years. The sun I had admired before was now setting beautifully behind us. We were ready to rebuild our love, one mile at a time, and face whatever the future held together.