After my divorce, my best friend Ava helped me through the darkest time of my life. Eight years later, I learned she had once slept with my ex-husband,
Mark—right after our split. I felt deeply betrayed, but I couldn’t ignore how much she had done for me since. We met at the park where our friendship began,
and I told her, “You hurt me… but you helped me survive.” I chose forgiveness—not because I forgot, but because our bond meant more than one moment of pain.