ALL BECAUSE OF YOU

Chapter 1: The heartbreak

"It's not you, it's me."

Those words reverberated through Kelly's mind, piercing her heart like a thousand tiny needles. Her once radiant smile faded, replaced by a bewildered expression of disbelief.

"What? Are you seriously breaking up with me? With some cheesy, generic line you probably found on the internet?" Kelly's frustration surged, her anger causing her hands to slam down on the table. The sting of tears threatened to escape her eyes, but she fought to hold them back.

"I'm sorry, Kelly," he murmured. "I just don't think that we can continue this relationship." The weight of his words hit her like a ton of bricks, shattering the hope that had been building inside her.

"And here I thought you were going to propose to me today." A mixture of sadness, anger, and disappointment welled up within her, and tears cascaded down her cheeks like a torrential downpour. With trembling hand, she reached up to wipe her tears, inadvertently smudging her carefully applied makeup.

"Propose to you? What are you talking about? You are such a mess, Kelly." he sneered, his disgust evident in his voice as Kelly reached out her trembling hand, damp with sweat, desperately grabbing his.

"If I've done anything wrong, I'm sorry. We can figure things out, Ethan, please don't break up with me!" Her voice quivered, filled with desperation.

"Kelly! I want a woman who is disciplined, intelligent, focused, confident, independent and above all, a woman who carries herself with grace and courtesy. I'm sorry Kelly, but you seem to lack all of those qualities."

With tears streaming down her face, Kelly took a deep breath, her voice quivering but filled with newfound determination, "Ethan, I hear your words, and I understand your disappointment. But I won't give up on us just yet. I will strive to become the woman you deserve, the woman I know I can be. Please, give me a chance to show you that I can change."

As Ethan was about to respond to her, his phone rang and he snatched his hand away from Kelly's grasp.With a hurried apology, he hastily excused himself, leaving Kelly standing there, her heart in tatters, feeling utterly abandoned.

The room seemed to spin around her as she struggled to comprehend what had just transpired. It was as if the ground beneath her had crumbled away, leaving her suspended in a sea of confusion and hurt. How could he simply end everything?

She reached for her phone, her trembling fingers fumbling to dial a number. With a mix of desperation and vulnerability, she pressed the buttons, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Hey, Gabe," she managed to choke between sobs, her voice cracking with raw anguish. "I... I need you. Can you come pick me up? I'm... I'm at Joe's restaurant."

She clutched her phone tightly, hoping that Gabe would come to her rescue in this moment of vulnerability. Of course, he would come they were bestfriends since high school, right?

After what felt like an eternity, fifteen minutes ticked by before Gabe's text finally came through saying he was outside of the restaurant. A mix of relief and anticipation flooded Kelly's heart as she read his message, her emotions swirling between joy and sadness. With a surge of determination, she hastily rose from her seat, the urgency evident in her every move.

As she hurried towards the exit of the restaurant, her eyes filled with unshed tears, fate seemed to conspire against her. In her haste, her beautiful dress became entangled with a nearby table, and a resounding rip echoed through the air. It was as if the universe wanted to add insult to injury, reminding her that this day couldn't possibly get any worse.

With a deep breath, Kelly gathered her composure, the torn fabric of her dress serving as a visual reminder of the challenges she had faced. She pushed through the door, stepping outside she noticed Gabe as he ran towards her with concern etched on his face.