Finally, this is the last chapter of us. Seeing things end this way is heartbreaking, but I’m ready to move forward. From the moment I saw you, I believed you were the one for me. I dreamed of moments we could share and the love we could build. But life had other plans. It’s sad I didn’t get to kiss you in my favourite room, the one we always talked about. I was sad I never got to bring all those fantasies to life.

Still, it’s time to let go now.

I never imagined it was possible to have relationship issues with someone you weren’t in a relationship with—until it happened to me. I don’t even know how or when it started. Everything happened so fast that I was already deep in the mess before I realised it. My sister called me crazy when I first told her about it.

Sometimes, I wonder: is it possible to love someone wrongly? Is there a right or wrong way to love? Can you love someone so much that you lose yourself, even your self-esteem?

These are questions I desperately needed answers to because I was in a situation where I couldn’t stop loving someone I wasn’t even in a relationship with. I knew his attitude toward me, indifference, and nonchalance were proof he didn’t love or want me in his life. Still, I couldn’t stop loving him. I chose him over men who genuinely cared for me, hoping he would someday change and treat me right.

I knew I needed to take a break from him. But how do you take a break from someone you’re obsessed with? How do you walk away from someone who determines your mood for days, weeks, or months? How do you stop loving someone you thought was your soulmate? I couldn’t understand how I became so invested, so attached, to the point where I couldn’t move on, even after being disrespected.

Looking back, I see how selfish I was to expect more from Vincent. He wasn’t my boyfriend; he didn’t owe me anything. He never promised me love or a relationship. We were friends, but I wanted more, and that’s where everything fell apart.

Vincent and I met at work and hit it off immediately. We were inseparable at the office, so much so that our colleagues thought we were dating. At first, I enjoyed the attention and laughed off their comments. But then, I started noticing how much his presence affected me. I wasn’t myself unless he was around. There was this spark, this energy he brought into my world. At the time, I thought it was normal—until one day, I realised I wasn’t just fond of him. I was in love, deeply and obsessively in love.

When I told Vincent how I felt, he admitted he liked me too but wasn’t ready for a relationship because he was going through some things. He didn’t ask me to wait for him, but I decided I would anyway. I thought waiting was the right thing to do.

But after that conversation, everything changed. He started pulling away, and the closeness we once shared disappeared. He stopped texting and calling like he used to, leaving me wondering what went wrong. Whenever I tried to talk to him about it, he would get defensive, telling me he was too busy.

I felt stuck, trapped in an undefined relationship. He wasn’t treating me like a friend, and he wasn’t acting like a prospective lover. I was in limbo, desperate for closure but unable to find it.

I remember how many times I told myself I would walk away, only to run back to him for a shred of attention. I couldn’t imagine him loving anyone else but me. I couldn’t imagine myself with anyone else but him. He was everything I wanted in a man, but he didn’t see me the same way.

One day, I finally understood. Love isn’t supposed to feel like this. It isn’t supposed to make you question your worth or rob you of your peace. Letting go of Vincent was the hardest thing I’ve ever done but also the most necessary.

It wasn’t the end of us that mattered. It was the beginning of me.

Dorcas Akintoye
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Dorcas Akintoye is a versatile writer with a passion for beauty, fashion, relationships, and culinary delight. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, she adds a touch of elegance to every topic she explores. She is a writer at THEWILL DOWNTOWN.