Our Story

Betrayals

I Love You, But You Love My Mom - Cloe

The coffee in my mug had gone cold ten minutes ago, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. Across the table, Liam sat with his head in his hands, his shoulders slumped like he’d been carrying the world on his back. The café was noisy with chatter and clinking cups, but between us, there was only silence—heavy, suffocating, and impossible to break.

"I’m sorry, Chloe," he finally said, his voice barely a whisper. "I didn’t mean for this to happen."

I laughed, but it sounded hollow, like glass breaking. "Mean for what? For falling in love with my mom? For lying to me for six months while we were dating?"

His eyes shot up, red and glassy. "It wasn’t like that. At first, it was just… talking. She was there when my dad left, and I—"

"She’s my mom, Liam. She’s fifteen years older than you. She’s the woman who taught me how to tie my shoes and cried at my high school graduation." My hands were shaking so hard I had to set the mug down before I dropped it. "And you’re the man I thought I’d marry. The one who held my hand through my grandma’s funeral. How could you?"

He reached across the table, like he wanted to touch me, but pulled back when I flinched. "I know it’s wrong. I know it’s messed up. But I can’t help how I feel. When I’m with her… I feel like I can breathe. Like I’m finally where I’m supposed to be."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I’d spent so many nights planning our future—small apartment with a balcony, a dog named Max, Sunday mornings making pancakes. All while he was probably texting her, meeting her in secret, building a future that didn’t include me.

"Did she know? About us?" I asked, my voice tight with tears I refused to let fall.

He nodded, slowly. "She found out the day after our third date. She told me to end it. Said it was wrong, that she’d never hurt you. But we couldn’t… we tried, but we couldn’t stay away."

I stood up, my chair scraping against the floor. The noise of the café faded into a dull hum as I looked at him—this man I’d loved so much, who’d broken my heart in a way I never imagined possible. "So what now? You’re just going to tell me this and expect me to… what? Be happy for you? For both of you?"

"I don’t expect anything," he said, standing too. "I just couldn’t lie to you anymore. You deserve the truth."

"The truth?" I laughed again, this time louder. "The truth is that you’re leaving me for my mom. The truth is that I’ll never be able to look at either of you without feeling like I’m going to break. The truth is that you’ve ruined everything."

I turned and walked out, leaving him standing there in the middle of the café. The cold air hit my face, and finally, the tears came—hot, fast, and uncontrollable. I walked down the street, not knowing where I was going, just needing to get away from him, from this, from everything.

When my phone rang, I didn’t have to look to know who it was. Mom’s name flashed on the screen, and I felt a wave of anger mixed with sadness. I pressed decline and slipped the phone into my pocket. I wasn’t ready to talk to her. I didn’t know if I’d ever be ready.

I found myself sitting on a bench in the park, watching kids play on the swings. They looked so happy, so innocent—like they’d never known pain or betrayal. I wished I could go back to being that way, to a time when the worst thing that could happen was failing a test or losing a toy.

My phone rang again. This time, I answered.

"Chloe?" Mom’s voice was shaky, full of tears. "Please, baby, let me explain."

"There’s nothing to explain," I said, my voice flat. "Liam told me everything."

"I’m sorry," she sobbed. "I never meant to hurt you. I love you more than anything in the world. But I love him too. I know it’s wrong, but I can’t help it."

The words hung in the air, and for a moment, I didn’t know what to say. My mom—my hero, my rock, the person I’d always turned to—had fallen in love with the man I’d wanted to spend my life with. It was like a bad movie, the kind where you know what’s going to happen but still hope it doesn’t.

"I need time," I said finally. "A lot of time. Don’t call me, don’t text me. Just… leave me alone."

I hung up before she could say anything else. I sat there on the bench for a long time, watching the sun set over the park. The sky was painted in shades of orange and pink, beautiful and peaceful, and I wished I could feel that way too.

But I knew I couldn’t. Not yet. Maybe not ever. Because some things can’t be fixed. Some hurts can’t be healed. And some betrayals are too big to forgive.