STORY: THE HIDDEN TRUTH Chapter 1: How It All Began I am Eve, 21 years old, A College Student and this is my story. One day, I found myself in a situation I never planned for – I became the third party in a relationship. At first, I had no idea that Jun was already married to his wife, Elly. We started talking on Facebook. We shared so many things together and grew very close, building a strong sense of connection. He would get jealous whenever I spent time with other boys, just like couples do – but the truth was, we were never officially together. We were just in the early stages of getting to know each other, with no labels attached. Before I started talking and flirting with him, I made sure to ask if he had a girlfriend or a wife, especially since he is Muslim. He told me he did not. I shared our conversations and how we were getting along with my cousin Lloyd and my friend Sandara. They later told me that Jun was actually married and already had a child. When I heard this, I felt curious and hurt. By that time, I had started to develop feelings for him – I was beginning to like him and care for him, because he showed me the kind of attention and feelings I had always wanted to receive.Chapter 2: The Truth Comes Out One day, I asked him again directly: “Do you have a wife?” At first, he said no. But when I kept asking questions and pressing him for answers, he finally admitted that yes, he was married. My heart felt heavy and weak, and tears started to form in my eyes. I confronted him about what I had heard and how much he had hurt me. He explained that he and Elly had already separated, and that she had moved to another city. Later, I asked him who else knew about us, since we had kept our relationship a secret. He told me that only his friend Josh knew. I was shocked and felt confused – how could someone else know about this and I had no idea? Chapter 3: New Year’s Eve Meeting It was New Year’s Eve, and Jun begged me to meet him because he said he missed me. I was afraid to go alone, so I asked my cousin Shel to come with me. Our parents did not know we had gone out – they were too busy preparing for the celebrations. We rode on his motorcycle and went to a quiet place to wait. Something funny happened on our way home: when we were moving backwards, I told them to stop because my chest felt sore. All three of us laughed, but I said it only because I felt uncomfortable sitting on the motorcycle. After New Year’s, we stopped talking. In fact, he started ignoring me completely. One day, when I was at school, someone asked me if Jun and I were in a relationship. I said no, I barely knew him. But I started to feel nervous – I was worried that Elly might come back, and that was probably why Jun was acting distant. Many negative thoughts and fears started to fill my mind. Chapter 4: Gossip And Last Meeting Then I heard rumors that Elly was causing trouble. People said she would go out late at night and shout that her husband Jun was a cheater, and that she mentioned my name in what she said. Late one night, Jun called me. He said he wanted to meet me for the last time, because he was going back to another city to continue his studies. I went to our usual meeting place, but when I arrived, he said: “Sorry, I’m still at home. There’s an emergency, I’ll be right back – I just need to fix my father’s phone.” While I waited for him, I realized the truth. That “emergency” was not about his father’s phone – it was about his wife. I waited for him for a long time, but he never came back. Those moments felt like the most painful time of my life. Chapter 5: Moving Forward In that moment, I understood everything. I realized that I had become the other woman – I was the one who had caused problems in their life. I was the reason things were difficult for them. Because I understood this, I decided to cut all connections with him. I ended everything and chose to move on with my life. Now, Jun and Elly have grown closer again, and their relationship has become stronger. As for me, I live with the memories and the regrets of what happened – lessons that I will carry with me forever.