After nine months, Elin Nordegren has broken her silence on the infidelity scandal that rocked her family and led to the dissolution of her marriage to golf star Tiger Woods.

In what she says will be a one-time-only discussion of her side of the story, Nordegren spoke with People magazine for 19 hours over four days. The revelations were sobering, and in some cases surprising.

The three key takeaways from Nordegren's story are:

• She says she is in no way a violent person, calling any speculation that she swung a golf club at Woods on Thanksgiving night "ridiculous."

• She was completely broadsided by the news of Woods' extramarital affairs, believing that she was the only woman in his life. In short, she was as surprised as most of the rest of the world that the persona Woods put forth – dedicated competitor, family man – was a carefully constructed sham. "I'm so embarassed that I never suspected [his affairs] – not a one," she said.

• In line with that, she said she believed fully that her relationship with Woods was a real marriage, not an act orchestrated for cameras and sponsors. "The word betrayal is just not strong enough," she told People. "I have been through the stages of disbelief and shock to anger and ultimately grief over the loss of the family I so badly wanted for my children."