She will never forget Chinese New Year of 2024, when her world came crashing down. 

Her boyfriend, who had a history of substance addiction, died unexpectedly — leaving her to pick up the pieces and face the trauma of losing the love of her life.

Speaking to AsiaOne, the 33-year-old, who wished to be known only as Nelly, reflected on how an ordinary meeting with him turned out to be the last.

According to Nelly, her late boyfriend, Jeremiah (not his real name), 30, was under immense stress as he tried to recover from substance abuse while also struggling to find a job after several failed attempts.

"I knew he was under a lot of stress trying to find a job while working through his recovery. I felt really overwhelmed at times, but I still tried to be there for him whenever I finished work," she said, sharing that she is still coming to terms with losing someone she loved in an instant due to substance abuse. 

"He was experiencing depression due to the pressures of finding a job and other challenges in his life. I was really worried he would return to using drugs as a way to cope with the emotional strain," she added.

During that period, Jeremiah was staying with his grandmother, as his relationship with his parents had grown distant due to his substance abuse issues.

"His relationship with his parents was tense, but they still kept in regular contact with him," Nelly added.  

'Most heartbreaking and difficult experience'

Recounting the fateful day, Nelly said it was the "most heartbreaking and difficult experience" she has ever gone through, and she still thinks about him often.

"It happened on the last day of Chinese New Year in 2024, in the evening. I was at home when I received a distress call from him," she recalled.  

She went to meet him, thinking it would be just like the other calls she'd received from him in the past.

"When I arrived, everything seemed alright before the situation escalated, eventually involving the police. I didn't expect him to act so rashly, and seeing him take his own life just broke my heart.

"I hope he knows that his actions have deeply affected the people who loved him the most," said Nelly.

After the incident, Nelly found it extremely difficult to inform Jeremiah's parents, unsure of how to break the devastating news. But after doing so, they were understanding towards her.

"My world came crashing down the moment he left. There were many times when I wondered,...