I (24M) am an Indian guy who recently found out that my girlfriend (23F) of four years has been cheating on me for the past six months. We met in college and seemed like the perfect match – both of us from traditional Indian families, shared values, and dreams of a future together.

I supported her dream of pursuing a master's degree in the United States, and even moved cities to accommodate her studies while I pursued my career as a software engineer. After spending six months in Chicago for a contract, I relocated to Raleigh for a new opportunity, hoping to build a life together.

Everything changed when I stumbled upon messages on her phone one night. They were intimate exchanges with a coworker, someone she had assured me was just a friend. I felt like my whole world shattered in an instant. Confronting her was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. She broke down, confessed, and begged for forgiveness, promising it was a mistake and that she still loved me.

I was torn. On one hand, I loved her deeply and had envisioned a future with her. On the other hand, the betrayal cut me to the core. The fact that I had supported her education in the States added another layer of complexity – the sacrifices I made and the hope I had invested in our relationship felt wasted.

For weeks, I tried to forgive and forget, but the trust was irreparably damaged. I couldn't look at her without feeling a mix of anger and sadness. What hurt the most was thinking about how our families, who had embraced us as a couple and supported her education journey abroad, would react if they found out. The shame and disappointment I imagined seeing in their eyes haunted me.

Eventually, I made the decision to end things. I couldn't continue a relationship built on lies and deceit. But before doing so, I struggled with whether to expose her infidelity to our families. It felt like betraying her in return, but part of me wanted them to know the truth about the person they thought was their daughter-in-law-to-be.

In the end, I decided to tell them. The conversations were agonizing – seeing the hurt and disbelief in my parents' eyes broke my heart all over again. They were supportive but devastated. Her family was shocked and tried to defend her, but the evidence was undeniable.

Now, I'm grappling with guilt and doubt. Did I do the right thing by exposing her? Should I have kept it a secret to protect our families from this pain? Am I the asshole for breaking her trust and revealing her mistake? The emotional turmoil is overwhelming, and I can't shake the feeling that I've destroyed more than just a relationship.