"How many times do I have to repeat myself? I don't want to marry Darin, Mom!" My voice trembled with fury, the words scraping out of my throat like they had been held back for too long. I could feel my heart racing in my chest as I stared at the woman across from me—my mother, with her sharp eyes and short blonde hair. She was standing in the doorway, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

"What's wrong with Darin?" she asked, her tone cold yet somehow laced with concern. "He's educated, cultured, a skilled doctor... And he's your uncle's only heir." Her voice wavered slightly, but she was still pushing. My mother had taken on the role of both father and mother after Dad passed away, and she was fiercely protective. 

I slammed my hand on the table, the sound echoing in the silence between us. It had been the thirtieth time this month we'd argued about this damn marriage topic. 

'Marriage' The word alone made me feel like I was trapped in a maze I couldn't escape. It wasn't just the idea of marrying anyone; it was the idea that my life was being decided for me by someone else.

"For God's sake, Mom, who wants to get married at all? I just turned eighteen two months ago! You're throwing me into this maze of misery called marriage, and all I want is to breathe! I wanted to go to college mom. " My voice cracked as I grabbed my bag and glasses, desperately trying to shield myself from her unrelenting gaze. My mother didn't understand me. She never did.

She stepped closer, her sharp eyes narrowing. "Darin is a good match for you, Teal. He's not like other men. He will treat you well, he is a gentleman, don't listen to the rumours."

I let out a bitter laugh, my chest tightening. "Mom, Darin's a fool. He's drunk every night. And you know I can't stand that. I don't want a man who spends all his time in bars."

The silence between us felt like a storm, ready to break. I felt suffocated—by her expectations, by my own fear, by this relentless cycle of her trying to mold my life. I could feel the tears welling up, but I wasn't going to cry, I stronger. 

Without waiting for a response, I grabbed my coat, the fabric heavy with the weight of everything I couldn't say. As I turned to leave, my mother's voice cracked through the air like a whip.

"Wait, Teal! Where are you going? We're not done here!"

I couldn't bear it anymore. The endless conversations. The pushing. The decisions that weren't mine. I stormed out, slamming the door behind me, the sound reverberating in the silence. 

I pulled my phone from my pocket, praying for something, anything to take my mind off this nightmare. As if on cue, my heart skipped a beat when I saw Stephen's name on the screen. 

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. For a moment, I let the anger and frustration melt away. I could talk to him. He'd make me feel better. He always did. But before I could press the call button, the screen went black. 

A message from Stephen flashed on the screen: "We need to meet. It's urgent."

I swallowed, a feeling of unease settling in my stomach. We'd been together for over five years. Why would he suddenly need to meet me urgently? Something felt off, but I pushed it aside. I had an hour before work started, and I couldn't let this evening end like this.

---

I found him standing by the restaurant door, his usual confident stance replaced with something more rigid, like a man preparing for battle. He was wearing his jeans, a skull-shaped keychain hanging from his pocket, his hair styled to perfection. 

But something was different. His eyes, usually so full of warmth when he saw me, were now distant. Cold. 

I walked up to him, feeling a knot tighten in my chest. When I reached him, I threw my arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. It had been two days since we last saw each other, and I had missed him more than I could express. 

"I missed you..." I whispered into his chest, my heart pounding.

He didn't hug me back. Instead, he pulled away, a tension in the air I couldn't ignore. My mind raced as I searched his face for a clue, something—anything—that would tell me what was going on.

"What's going on, Stephen? Is this about your father again?" I asked, trying to steady my voice, but it cracked at the end. I hated myself for sounding so weak.

His lips pressed into a thin line. He glanced away, unable—or unwilling—to meet my eyes. 

"Let's break up, Teal," he said, his voice so sharp it felt like a slap.

I froze, the words hitting me like a punch to the gut. My chest constricted, and I couldn't breathe. "What? I—" I stammered, trying to form a sentence. Was this real? This couldn't be real. 

"We've been together for five years, Stephen," I finally managed to say, my voice shaking. "Why now? What happened?"

He looked down, his jaw clenched. "Your mom wants to marry you off to that failure. I can't deal with that, Teal. My dad's pushing me to study in France so I can take over his company. You're holding me back. I need to do this for me."

Tears burned the back of my eyes, but I wouldn't let them fall. Not here. Not now, I could deal with a broken heart. 

"I thought we were going to go to university together," I said, my words desperate, pleading. "You told me we'd work things out."

"I'm sorry, Teal. I need to be successful. I can't be tied down to you anymore look at yourself." His words stung like acid, no this was not him. He is joking.