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It all began at my office, where I continued to work while pursuing my degree.
A woman working in her office | Source: Midjourney
I always wanted to resume my higher studies, and the chaos of my personal life pushed me to make that dream a reality. One afternoon, I was working on a project when a colleague, Lisa, came over.
“Chelsea, did you hear about Peter and Jennifer?” she asked, her voice low.
I looked up, my interest piqued. “No, what happened?”
Lisa glanced around before leaning in. “They split up. Jennifer divorced him and took half of everything. But that’s not all. Turns out, Debbie had falsified those photos of you. She sent them to Peter to break you two up.”
Two women talking in a workplace | Source: Pexels
My heart skipped a beat. Could it be true? “How did you find out?”
“Word gets around, you know? Debbie bragged about it to a friend, and now everyone knows. Karma’s a real thing, Chelsea,” Lisa said, shaking her head.
I felt a wave of relief and anger wash over me. “I knew it! But why now? Why did it all come out now?”
Lisa shrugged, “Debbie got careless. And Jennifer… Well, she wasn’t the saint Debbie made her out to be. She took Peter for everything he had.”
A woman smiling triumphantly | Source: Midjourney
The news was a strange comfort. It didn’t erase the pain, but it validated my innocence. “Thanks for telling me, Lisa.”
I left the office that day with a sense of closure. As I walked home, I thought about how different my life had become. I was living in a small but cozy apartment, finishing my degree, and had a supportive circle of friends who stood by me through thick and thin.
A thoughtful woman looking out the window | Source: Pexels
One evening, I decided to visit a local bar with a few friends. As we were chatting and laughing, I noticed Peter walk in. He looked like a shadow of his former self. His eyes met mine, and for a moment, the world seemed to stand still. He walked over hesitantly.
“Chelsea, can we talk?” he asked, his voice filled with regret.
I nodded, and we stepped outside into the cool evening air. “What do you want, Peter?”
A man looking remorseful | Source: Midjourney
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I owe you an apology. I was wrong. I should have trusted you. I can’t believe I let my mom manipulate me like that.”
His words were a bitter reminder of the betrayal I felt. “You destroyed everything, Peter. All for what? Lies and manipulation.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I just wanted you to know that I realize now what a mistake I made,” he said, his voice cracking.
A silhouette of a woman walking away from a man during golden hour | Source: Unsplash
