My best friend’s husband once showed interest in me, I accidentally fell in love and took the initiative to be his secret lover, he immediately texted me back 4 words that left me speechless
I am an introverted woman, not good at communicating and even less good at expressing my emotions. I am 32 years old, not married. Most of my friends of the same age in Manila have settled down, with children. I heard the urging, just laughed it off, but inside I still felt sad.

In the group of close friends, Maya is the closest. We have been close since college, considering each other as sisters. On Maya’s wedding day, I was a bridesmaid. Anton – Maya’s husband – at that time I only greeted him politely, without any other thoughts.

Then the changes came: work pressure made me stressed for a long time, my love life was difficult. On sad days, Maya often invited me to go to the condo in Ortigas to play. Thanks to that, I met Anton more often.

Surprisingly, Anton always paid attention to the little things. Seeing me thin, he reminded me to eat regularly; when I coughed, he gave me medicine; every time I came over, he asked me questions, picked up food, and showed me kindness that no man had ever shown me before. That delicacy made my heart flutter without me realizing it.

At first, I reminded myself: he was my best friend’s husband – an absolute boundary that must not be crossed. But it became harder and harder for me to control myself. Especially when Maya innocently said “my husband is dry and not romantic”, I felt… the opposite of what he showed me.

One night, after a few glasses of wine, I mustered up the courage to text Anton. My heart was pounding, my hands were shaking:

“I know I’m wrong, but I can’t hold back anymore. If you agree, let me be your secret lover. Just being with you is enough.”

I waited, both worried and… hopeful. The phone lit up. Just four words:

“Gising ka na, please.”

At that moment, I was stunned. The answer was like a bucket of cold water poured straight into my weak desire. I felt humiliated, ashamed, and did not dare to look up at myself.

I couldn’t sleep all night. I thought about Maya – our friendship of more than ten years – and about Anton’s kindness: it was not a hidden signal, nor an invitation; it was simply the kindness of a decent man. I had misunderstood, equating concern with love. The biggest mistake was that I had proactively crossed the line.

The next morning, I looked at myself in the mirror and felt… scared. I didn’t text Anton anymore, nor did I have the courage to meet Maya. I made excuses that I was busy, limited my visits to my friend’s house, and gradually kept my distance.

Sometimes I felt regretful, sometimes sad, but then I understood: luckily I received a clear answer from Anton. If he were weak-hearted and made the same mistake with me, the consequences would be irreversible. The four words “Gising ka na, please” were not just a rejection; they were a wake-up call that pulled me up before I could slip further.

Even now, whenever I think about it, I still feel ashamed. But I learned that love does not mean caring, and that kindness should not be mistaken for a signal of affection. In a true friendship, there are boundaries that should never be crossed.

I write this not to justify myself, but to say that in life, sometimes we are weak in the face of caring and forget the standards. I was wrong, but I stopped. And I will continue to live a kind life – not to let down my best friend who treated me like a brother, as well as not to let down myself.