Divorcing My Childhood Sweetheart, I Finally Saw the Truth

Back home, Tobias' cruel, heartless words kept echoing in my ears, playing over and over again.

I couldn’t figure out how we ended up here, in this situation.

We used to love each other so much.

Everyone—our relatives, our friends, even my parents—couldn't understand why I kept holding on to this marriage. Tobias had publicly cheated on me, flaunting his relationship with that woman in front of everyone, humiliating me. Yet, I refused to divorce him.

Because I couldn’t let go.

Tobias, the man who once loved me so deeply, how had he changed?

How did he fall for someone else?

He used to hold me in the palm of his hand, making me feel like the happiest woman in the world.

I had felt love so intensely, so deeply, that even now, I couldn’t pull myself out of it.

I was fooling myself, telling myself that Tobias was just momentarily distracted from our relationship.

I believed that one day, he would come back to me, to our family, and we’d fix what we once had.

That’s why I fought with everything I had to keep this marriage intact, refusing to let go.

Even if it tore me apart.

I feared that if I let go, we’d never find our way back.

In those painful times, I held on to the beautiful memories we shared.

The days when we were together were so sweet.

Tobias and I had been childhood neighbors, and he was a year older than me.

Back in kindergarten, he held my hand and promised to protect me.

In elementary school, everyone knew I was Tobias' little sister—the sister of the genius student.

He was a year ahead of me, and while he was in middle school, I was still in sixth grade.

But he never felt comfortable leaving me on my own.

Even though our families had a driver, he insisted on walking me to school every day.

Only when he saw me safely enter the school gates would he let the driver take him to his own middle school.

Our families were close, living next door to each other, often sharing meals together.

During those meals, Tobias always helped me with my food.

He knew exactly what I liked to eat and what I didn’t.

He’d patiently peel shrimp for me, help me with my homework, and remind me not to walk barefoot on the floor.

Tobias' parents often joked that he should marry me when we grew up.

My parents would laugh and say, “Kids get along well, but who knows what’ll happen when they’re older?”

Tobias would pout, his face serious, and reply, “I’ll always treat Fiona well.”

His earnestness as a child was so cute; his words always made the adults laugh.

By the time I was in my senior year of high school, Tobias had already been accepted into a prestigious university.

Every night, he would video call me and tutor me in my studies.

Sometimes, when I was tired and hadn’t done my homework properly, he would scold me, reminding me to focus.

I’d cry from the frustration.

He would apologize immediately, saying he shouldn’t have been so harsh.

“Fiona, I want you to get into my school. I’m worried—”

I understood. He was worried I might not do well on my college entrance exams, afraid I wouldn’t get into his university.

He cared more about my exam results than I did.

After all, his university was ranked among the top five in the country, and getting in without serious skill was nearly impossible.

I was worried too, and I also wanted to go to college with him.

But I refused to admit it.

“If I don’t get in, then so be it. There are plenty of other universities. I heard Brown University has a beautiful campus—”

I stopped mid-sentence.

Because I saw him on the screen, his eyes red.

The next day, right after school, as I was leaving the school gates, I saw Tobias standing by the road.

I ran over excitedly, “What are you doing here?”

Before I could react, he pulled me into his arms.

I stood frozen, silently feeling the warmth of his embrace.

After a long while, I finally spoke softly, “You’re squeezing me too tight.”

Only then did his arms loosen.