Modern Love: I Couldn’t Tell Him Why We Had to Break Up

Modern Love: I Couldn’t Tell Him Why We Had to Break Up

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The New York Times

Modern Love

June 5, 2026, 1:01 p.m. Eastern time

Every week, we’ll send you stories about relationships, feelings, betrayals and revelations. If you would like to share your own love story, consider submitting a Modern Love essay or a Tiny Love Story.

Brian Rea

I Couldn’t Tell Him Why We Had to Break Up

When my young cousin’s girlfriend cheated on him, I wrestled with ghosts of my own.

Tiny Love Stories: ‘As He Dressed, I Slipped Into His Closet’

Modern Love in miniature, featuring reader-submitted stories of no more than 100 words.

Modern Love

I Tried to Have a Kid With My Best Friend. It Got Complicated.

Two queer friends dreamed of raising a child together. They almost made it real.

46 MIN LISTEN

He Wanted to Kiss a Million Times. Could We Do It?

My optimistic, romantic husband never would have guessed what would happen to us.

See more stories

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