I Married the Man Who Bullied Me in High School Because He Swore He’d Changed – but on Our Wedding Night, He Said, “Finally… I’m Ready to Tell You the Truth”

So I laughed. And I joined in. I called you that name because I thought it would deflect attention from what I saw.

I thought that it would take over and he wouldn’t say anything or give you… another name.”

“That wasn’t deflection. That was betrayal, Ryan.”

We sat in silence.

I could hear the soft buzz of the bedside lamp and my pulse in my ears.

“I hate who I was,” he said finally.

I looked at him then, trying to understand if he really had changed or if he was the same child, just in adult form now.

“Then why didn’t you tell me all of this before now? Why wait for this moment?”

“You kept this secret for 15 years,” I said, my throat tightening.

“There’s more,” he said. “And I know I’m probably ruining everything right now, but I’d rather ruin it with the truth than keep living a lie.”

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