Falling in love with him felt like a dream, a whirlwind of passion and intensity I’d never known. But love can blind us, make us see green where we should see red, and I was caught in that haze. Looking back, I see the signs were all there—little lies, evasions, things I brushed off because I wanted to believe so badly in what we had. It wasn’t until I found out he was hiding a dark, violent past that my world shattered.

Now, as a single woman, I’ve learned that true love never asks us to silence our instincts or overlook the truth. In this season of my life, I’m focused on loving myself first, embracing my own journey, and holding out for something real. Because I’ve learned the hard way: love is only worth it when it lets us be fully seen and fully safe.

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