Life went on

The moment Eli left, I started breaking things—ripping clothes, kicking furniture, smashing plates. Anything I didn't care about became a target for my rage.

My phone rang, and I nearly slammed it out the window, but I held back.

It was my agent. The offer she'd mentioned was originally a three-month stint abroad, but now it came with the possibility of turning into a permanent position—if I performed well enough.

She'd never approved of our relationship, always insisting I put my career first. So of course she was the one who told Eli about the offer—and she must've phrased it just vaguely enough to make him think I'd been considering the permanent contract from the start.

Realizing this, I hung up and went right back to tearing the place apart.

When it was over, the feeling of satisfaction lasted less than a second—then all that remained was the wreckage of my tantrum.

Scattered fabric, broken glass, knocked-over chairs. So much for not having a hair out of place.

What's the point of chasing peak beauty when all it leads to is this?

…

I collapsed onto the couch, tears and snot smearing the cushions.

The weight in my gut sank so deep it stole the air from my lungs.

Then I glanced at the phone again—the background photo of us staring back. Wrestling with myself, my finger hovered over the call button.

"Eli will forgive me."

"He always does."

"He's the most beautiful, perfect, kind…"

…

"Dahlia, let's break up," he said the moment the call connected.

I didn't respond.

Was unable to.

He continued.

"The time we spent together was lovely, but it must come to an end."

"N-no…"

"Goodbye."

"No! Wait!"

He hung up.

I immediately called again.

No response.

Again.

No response.

Again…

"The number you're trying to reach is not—"

I hung up.

Elian had blocked me.

"Why?"

"Why? Why? Why? WHY!?"

Eli couldn't go a day without calling me. Why would he ever choose to end our relationship? He loved me like crazy.

"So why would you do this!"

…

In hindsight, the answer was clear: it was because he loved me too much.

◦∘♡————————∘◦❀◦∘————————♡∘◦

I ruined everything—I know. My possessiveness hurt Dahlia, the love of my life, because I couldn't give her the space she deserved.

After that, I was determined to do the right thing, for once.

I stayed away for her own good. Though a part of me hoped she'd reject the offer and choose me instead, I knew it wasn't the right choice.

I wasn't the right choice.

"When did I become so twisted?" I wondered—then remembered the day she confessed.

She said she saw in me the truest form of beauty, that my bottomless well of love was my greatest gift.

Yeah, it was cheesy—but at the time, it hit me straight in the heart.

I'd always wanted someone willing to take all the feelings I had to give.

And for a while, Dahlia was that someone.

But it just wasn't compatible with her career.

The more I pressured her to choose me over her dreams, the wider the gap between us grew.

…

She deserved better than a possessive brat like me.

She needed someone who could truly match her beauty.

◦∘♡————————∘◦❀◦∘————————♡∘◦

Eli possessed the most perfect beauty I had ever seen. Naturally, I wasn't referring to his looks—that was merely a manifestation of what he held inside.

He had the purest, kindest heart. What made him happiest was seeing others happy and sharing his love with everyone, always putting their needs above his own.

I wanted that kind of beauty for myself.

I wanted to make it even more beautiful—as if perfection could be improved.

No, it wasn't possible.

That's how I ended up corrupting it.

It was my fault he became like this. I told him to give me all his love, but midway through I stopped being open to it. I cared more about my job and pushed him to focus on himself instead.

His frustration, his clinginess, his lonelines… it was all my fault.

So, this time, I had to do the right thing.

To put Eli's needs above my own.

And let him go—for his own good.

He had to find someone better than a narcissist like me, someone who would truly appreciate him.

◦∘♡————————∘◦❀◦∘————————♡∘◦

Life went on. Days turned into weeks. As my departure neared, Eli and I drifted farther and farther apart.

You might expect something to have happened during those last few weeks—like one of us suddenly reaching out to make amends.

…

Sorry to disappoint.

The day arrived, and we hadn't exchanged a single word. Dressed in clothes as expensive as they were soulless, I walked through the airport. Several times, I glanced back, imagining an impossible moment when I'd see him nearby.

No such miracle occurred.

I boarded the plane and left the country—as well as the man I once believed to be my soulmate.