Her Love Is Traumatic

Not Her Fault

Alex stood there, watching Christine's world crumble in front of him. As she stepped back from their embrace, he could see the hesitation in her eyes, the walls she’d been building for years. His heart ached seeing her like this — the confident, bright girl he once knew, now shadowed by doubt and insecurity.

He had dreamt of this moment, of holding her again, of telling her how much he loved her, but now, standing so close to her, he could feel how fragile she had become. He could sense there was a lot she hadn’t told him, a heavy burden she carried.

“Chris,” he said softly, his voice gentle but filled with concern. She didn’t meet his gaze, her hands nervously twisting the fabric of her shirt. Her hair, still slightly messy from the night before, only made her look more vulnerable.

Alex took a deep breath and moved closer, keeping his voice steady, "You don’t have to push me away. I’m here for you."

Christine looked up briefly, her eyes swimming with uncertainty. She took a shaky breath but stayed silent. He could see the fear in her — the fear of opening up, the fear of being hurt again. He remembered the girl who used to laugh freely, whose eyes sparkled whenever they talked. Where had that Christine gone?

He needed to break through the barrier she had built. Gently, he reached out and took her hand, guiding her back to the couch. She sat down quietly, her head lowered, avoiding his gaze.

“I’m not going anywhere this time, Chris,” Alex said, sitting next to her. His voice was soft, but his words carried weight. “I promise you, whatever it is, we’ll face it together. You don’t have to be alone anymore.”

Christine swallowed hard. She had never spoken about Lara to anyone, not even to Robert in detail. It was something she’d buried deep within her, trying to forget, but always feeling the scars. Her hands trembled in her lap, and for a moment, Alex thought she wouldn’t speak at all. But then, after what felt like an eternity, she took a deep breath.

“I’ve changed, Alex,” she whispered, her voice almost breaking. “I’m not the same person you knew back then. So many things happened…things I couldn’t control. Things I should have handled better, but.................. it's okay. I am fine. I'll be fine." she tried to address firmly pretending to be strong.

He listened patiently, not pushing, just waiting for her to find the words. But Christine was not able to say anything after this, it seemed like something was holding her back, not letting her express her emotions. She stood there in front of him expressionless.

Alex walked forward and hugged her gently. "I know you won't be comfortable telling your sufferings to anyone. I know you can deal with it all by yourself. You know Chris, you are the strongest person I know, but don't let your strength be your weakness. You have suffered a lot, Chris. You can be weak sometimes. Please don't hold anything inside, allow your tears to fall. I'll hold you tight Chris, you can cry your heart out." he softly whispered to her ears.

It felt like a big obstacle was removed and Christine's tears fell down drop by drop as she hid her face on his shoulder while he gently tapped her back offering comfort.

After a while Christine seemed to calm down.
“It’s about Lara, isn’t it?” he asked gently.

Christine’s shoulders tensed, and she looked away. The name alone seemed to reopen old wounds. But she knew Alex deserved to know the truth.

“She... she destroyed me, Alex,” Christine admitted, her voice shaking. “Lara wasn’t just a friend. She... she became something I couldn’t escape. She controlled me, manipulated me, made me feel worthless.”

Alex’s hand instinctively squeezed hers. He could feel the pain radiating off her in waves.

“I thought I could help her, that I could fix whatever was wrong between us. But she twisted everything — made me believe I didn’t deserve love, that no one could ever care for me. She said I was incapable of loving anyone, that I was broken. And... I believed her.”

Her voice cracked, and Alex could hear the years of pent-up pain in every word. He had never imagined this — never thought that someone could have such a hold on her. His Christine, who had always been so full of life, so strong and independent, had been shattered by someone she trusted..

Alex was patiently listening to the entire episode of Lara's obsession and manipulations, how she followed her to Michigan, emotionally blackmailed her and tried to control her life. His blood boiled listening about all this, but he tried to stay calm for her, for Christine, she needed him.

“I don’t know why I’m telling you this,” she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. “But... it’s been eating me alive. I’ve been carrying this... guilt. Like it was my fault, like I should have done something to stop it. And now, I’m scared, Alex. I’m scared that I’m not capable of being loved, of being enough.”

Alex’s heart broke at her confession. He had always known there was something wrong between Lara and her, but hearing it now, so raw and exposed, he felt an overwhelming need to protect her.

Without thinking, he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her in a firm embrace. “It’s not your fault, Chris,” he said softly, his voice steady and full of certainty. “None of this was your fault.”

Christine froze at his words. She had been waiting so long to hear that, for someone to tell her that what happened wasn’t because of her. And in that moment, everything seemed to crack open. The walls she had built around her heart, the weight of Lara’s manipulations, the years of guilt and self-loathing — they all began to fall apart.

Tears poured down her face as the trauma she had bottled up for so long came rushing out in a flood of emotions. Her body trembled in Alex’s arms, but for the first time in years, she didn’t try to stop it. She let herself cry, let herself feel everything she had been suppressing.

Alex held her tightly, his hand stroking her hair, whispering words of comfort. “You’re not broken, Chris. You’re not alone anymore. I’m here, and I’m not leaving. You’re stronger than you think.”

Christine buried her face in his chest, her sobs quieting down as she clung to him. For the first time, she felt safe. She had carried so much pain for so long, and now, in Alex’s arms, it was finally being released.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered between tears. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be the person you wanted.”

“Chris,” Alex said, his voice soft but firm, “you don’t have to apologize for anything. You’ve been through so much, and you’ve survived. That’s all that matters. And you are more than enough for me. You always were.”

His words felt like a balm on her soul. The guilt, the shame, the fear — all of it began to fade in the warmth of his presence. She felt lighter, like a weight she had been carrying for years was finally being lifted off her shoulders.

As she rested in his arms, her tears gradually slowed. She hadn’t realized how much she needed to hear those words, how much she needed to know that it wasn’t her fault. And now, with Alex by her side, she felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time — hope.

For the first time in years, Christine allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, she could be happy again. With Alex. Without the ghosts of her past haunting her every step.

She looked up at him, her eyes still wet but filled with a glimmer of something new. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying.

Alex smiled down at her, brushing a stray tear from her cheek. “You don’t have to thank me, Chris. I’m just glad you’re letting me in. I’ve always been here for you.”

In that moment, Christine knew — she wasn’t alone anymore. And with Alex by her side, she finally felt like she could face whatever was ahead. Together.