We quietly erased each other from our lives, kept our distance, and chose different paths.
Seven years later, he became a top financial strategist and proposed to his first love, Daniela, at a class reunion.
Seeing me still single, he couldn't help but mock me.
"Emeline, I know you couldn't let go of me across both lifetimes. After all, I'm quite the catch, but you don't have to hold onto me so tightly."
I didn't respond and simply took my daughter's hand.
Kody's face turned pale, and with eyes filled with anger, he questioned me.
"Didn't you say you'd love me for a lifetime and only want our child?"
...
Once again, I opened my eyes and found myself at a formal club gathering before I started dating Kody.
It was during this event that we first formed a subtle connection.
As I looked at the person across from me, who slowly raised his head to meet my gaze, I realized that we both had been reborn.
In our previous lives, Kody and I were married for ten years without children.
I struggled to maintain the marriage, and although he said he didn't like children, I bore all the family pressure alone because I loved him.
It was only later that I learned he never forgot his first love and that the person he wanted to start a family with was never me.
"Are you two already locking eyes? How's it going? When are you going to invite us to dinner together?"
The teasing voices of our classmates brought me back to reality.
"We're just good friends; don't misunderstand. I added Emeline on WeChat because I needed her help with something, " Kody quickly explained, looking both flustered and awkward. I found his reaction amusing.
"Come on, I remember the way you looked at Emeline before; your eyes were almost sparkling. Why deny it now?"
"Exactly, are you two hiding something from us?"
"That's not fair. You can't keep secrets from us."
I quietly watched the farce unfold. At that time, Kody's first love had just broken up with him and moved abroad.
The teasing continued, and Kody grew impatient.
"I could never see myself with Emeline. How could I possibly like her? Does she even measure up to me?"
His words left everyone in the club stunned.
No one expected him to say something like that, especially since Kody was known for being polite and good-natured.
Everyone turned their gaze to me, eager to see my reaction.
I glanced at them without saying a word and walked away.
Since Kody didn't want any ties with me, there was no need for me to cling to him, especially since I didn't need him in my life.
Our ten-year marriage had been like that, and I wouldn't try to hold on any longer.
Kody sent me a message.
[Since it's come to this, let's live our separate lives and not get entangled.]
We quietly erased each other from our lives and went our separate ways.
I would be lying if I said I wasn't heartbroken. After being with Kody for so many years, claiming I didn't love him would be false.
Back then, when we first got together, he was still shy and wouldn't dare look me in the eye during our dates.
I was the one who initiated our first hand-holding and our first kiss.
I thought he was just innocent and believed I had found an amazing boyfriend, so I married him without hesitation.
How did I eventually discover he hadn't forgotten his ex?
I found a cherished photo of Daniela in his study wallet-a meticulously framed photo of the two of them together.
On the back of the picture, he wrote a message: "The love of my life."
That's when I realized the happiness I thought I had was just a lie.
He probably thought that if it wasn't Daniela, it didn't matter who it was.
I had loved him for ten years, and he had deceived me all along.
After deleting his contact information, I even quit the club, not wanting to see him again.
During that time, we had no contact and never heard any news about each other from mutual friends.
After graduation, I chose to go abroad, and I stayed away for seven years.