If the ex somehow comes up in conversation, just say “we just weren’t compatible and broke things off amicably, and are both better people now” and leave it at that

Or my ax

I made this mistake (had a relationship for 8 years that started when I was 16) at the time, so I had zero dating experience. The girl I had a date with thought: “ok, then this’ll just be a one night stand, he’s not bad looking.”

More than 6 years later we’re married with a daughter, dog and cat.