After My Betrayer Found My Heart

After my private photos were leaked by my then-boyfriend, Major General Ezra, I secretly processed my discharge papers and applied for a position in overseas humanitarian work. The next time I saw Ezra was at a reunion with my fellow comrades, ten years later.

All my friends had married and started families. Ezra was the only one who, like me, remained unattached after our breakup.

"Keira, Ezra must have been waiting for you! He hasn’t dated anyone or tied the knot all these years."

As they finished talking, Ezra entered the room. His uniform was spotless, and his presence immediately commanded everyone's attention.

Ten years had passed, and Ezra was still strikingly handsome, though the sharpness of youth had transformed into a more seasoned and commanding aura. Understanding our past, they had arranged for us to sit next to each other.

He looked at me for a long while, as though he had many things to say, but it all turned into a gentle greeting: "Keira, it's been ages."

"Yes, it’s been a long time," I replied calmly, my face betraying none of the emotions stirred by the reunion. My thoughts drifted back to the eve of the Special Forces selection when my private photos suddenly became a viral spectacle.

In one night, my reputation was shattered, and my chance at selection was stripped away. Those were the photos Ezra had coaxed me into taking.

I had gone to confront him, only to overhear a devastating conversation as I approached the room:

“Ezra, that move was brilliant! Once those photos are released, Keira Castro's reputation is ruined, and she loses her selection eligibility. Let’s see if she dares compete with Gemma for anything now!”

Another voice chimed in, "That's nothing! If she knew Ezra never had feelings for her during the three years they dated, that he couldn’t bring himself to be intimate with her and let his twin brother take his place, she’d be truly crushed. Haha!"

Those words hit me like a thunderbolt. The speaker laughed and nudged a young man next to Ezra: "Hey, Jireh, how did it feel sneaking around with your brother’s girlfriend for three years?"

The young man, a dead ringer for Ezra, picked up his glass, a smug grin on his face: "Pretty incredible. Fair skin, slim waist, and she's quite the firecracker."

"I'm transferring to the London Military District, just to make it easier to pursue her."

Ezra finally spoke, each word piercing through me like a well-aimed shot: "Make the most of these days. Once Gemma gets the selection spot, I’ll break up with her officially to pursue Gemma."

His friends immediately cheered: "Ezra, you should have done this ages ago! We all knew how much you cared for Gemma. You’ve protected her like a gem since childhood, even dating Keira to clear the path for Gemma’s selection. It’s time you make her yours!"

Every word was a heavy blow to my heart. I felt frozen, as if the blood in my veins had turned to ice.

All the affection was a charade; the truth was unbearably cruel. I turned abruptly and fled in humiliation.

Just then, my phone rang. On the other end, my father’s voice was filled with fury:

"Keira Castro! What are those photos doing online? The commissioner has been bombarding us with calls! You’ve brought disgrace upon our family! I’ve arranged for an overseas assignment for you. Get out of the country immediately! Don’t come back until this blows over!"

My heart sank, and I numbly replied, "Alright, I’ll leave, but I’ll never come back again."