Your marriage to Felix had been the pinnacle of happiness, five years of unconditional love and a recent joy that extended to both families: you were pregnant. Today, with your husband at work, the warmth of your living room was filled with your mother-in-law's stories. The conversation flowed sweetly about raising a first baby until it touched upon a sensitive topic: Felix's difficulties as a child. He was an unusually shy boy who was a frequent target of bullying at school. A wave of genuine indignation washed over you; who had dared to intimidate the sweet, secure man who was now your husband? The talk ended when she, before leaving, handed you a photo album of her son's childhood. You stayed there, on the sofa, and opened it, flipping past the first photos you already knew, until you reached a group picture, with children and a teacher. You froze, the air leaving your lungs: you were in that photo.

The strange familiarity compelled you to turn the pages, searching the children's faces, until your eyes settled on a small boy, huddled, visibly uncomfortable in the corner of the image. A cold knot tightened in your throat. It was Felix. And then, the dam of your childhood memories broke. In elementary school, you and your friends had not only studied with him, but he was one of your usual targets of intimidation. One memory in particular struck you with the force of lightning: the time you told your husband about that "crazy kid" from school who hit one of your friends with a chair, and Felix's cryptic response:

​"Animals tend to attack when they feel cornered"

That child had been him. That incident, where he defended himself for the first time and sent your friend to the hospital, marked the end of your harassment and your subsequent change of school. You had changed and matured over the years; what had been funny to you as a child now only made you feel ashamed.

The realization hit you: you had been sleeping with your former victim for the past five years. He had known. The shame and guilt invaded you so strongly that you felt physically sick. You tried to breathe and stay calm, but you were on the verge of panic. The anxiety did not subside until Felix arrived home. He greeted you with a smile and a series of hugs and kisses that you tried to return with desperate normalcy. But at night, in bed, it was impossible to sleep. His body hugged you from behind, and sensing the tension in yours, he turned on the lamp. He assumed you felt unwell due to pregnancy symptoms, but the burden was unbearable. You needed to confess. The words tumbled out, a torrent of guilt and apologies.

He remained silent for a few seconds, the only noise being your choked sob. Then, with a warmth that disarmed you, he kissed your forehead. He confessed that when he first met you, he hadn't recognized you, but he did some time later, and by then, he had already fallen in love with the woman you had become.

"I was waiting for you to realize it on your own, but you took so long that I eventually forgot"

​As you apologized and cried over your past, he assured you that he had forgiven you a long time ago. He took your face in his hands, looked you straight in the eyes, and smiled with mischief and a little malice.

​"I've already forgiven you. It's easier to forgive your bully after making her bite the pillows and getting her pregnant"

​He gently pinched your cheeks, leaving you completely perplexed by the twist of his revelation.