Elin Nordegren admits she's 'been through hell' and wants time to heal

Elin Nordegren finally breaks her silence in an exclusive interview with People magazine.

We'd heard something big was coming on this week's cover. We thought maybe People was gonna break Angelina Jolie or Jennifer Aniston's pregnancy (hey, you never know) news.

But to score serious face time with the Greta Garbo of the modern celebrity universe is quite a coup.

"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," she says in the mag, out just days after her official divorce from Tiger Woods.

Elin, 30, is studying towards a college degree in psychology and says that despite her husband's betrayal, "I also feel stronger than I ever have. I have confidence in my beliefs, my decisions and myself."

"I've been through hell," she admits. "It's hard to think you have this life, and then all of a sudden - was it a lie? You're struggling because it wasn't real. But I survived. It was hard, but it didn't kill me."

Elin would not disclose the divorce settlement, but said, "money can't buy happiness or put my family back together. I'm so embarrassed that I never suspected - not a one. For the past 3.5 years, when all this was going on, I was home a lot more with pregnancies, then the children and my school.".

Her interview reportedly took place 19 hours during four visits to her Windermere, Fla., rental home.  Nordegren shares personal photographs and talked about her family's future.

"My immediate plan is for the kids and me to continue to adjust to our new situation. I am going to keep taking classes, but my main focus is to try to give myself time to heal," she says.

Will she ever forgive Tiger for all of his indiscretions? "Forgiveness takes time," Elin admits

She tells the magazine this is her first - and last - interview. From now on, she will be a private person. And -- we might add -- a very rich person.

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Photo credit: People