“I have small children. I think that’s a big problem for us,” she said.
“But I love you.”
“If you truly loved me, then you’d accept my kids.”
“I can give you everything. Can’t you see? I can give you the house of your dreams, all the jewelry you can ever dream of, beautiful clothes.”
“I had someone try to win me over with all of that, but it’s not who I am. I don’t care about all that stuff. You need to find a woman with no children.”
“But I want my own children.”
“Right. So you can send them off to boarding school. And that’s where we’re different. I love my kids. And I want to spend all my free time with them. I enjoy doing activities with them on the weekend. You want to send them off, and I want to be with them because, you see, my children are my world.”
“We don’t have to send your kids to boarding school,” he said. “You’ve won. They can stay with us. Are you happy, darling? You have me so wrapped around your finger that I’ll put up with your little brats.”
“You’re forcing it. I want somebody who wants to spend time with me and my kids. I want a real family. I want to make all those fun Christmas traditions, like making cookies, decorating the tree, and making Christmas crafts.”
“That’s seriously how you’d want to spend Christmas?”
“Yes. What other way is there?”
“Fly to the Caribbean and enjoy it on a yacht.”
“But isn’t half the fun watching the kids run down the stairs to open up their Christmas presents?”
“Not for me.”
“Max, it’s over. We don’t fit. I’ve realized that we are no longer moving in the same direction. We’ve grown close, shared many great times together that I will always cherish, but I think we’re better off as friends.”
“I can’t believe you’re saying this to me. Do you know how many women would love to date me? I have a list a mile long.”
“I’ll always have a special place in my heart for you. Our relationship felt like it was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I was so lonely, and you walked in and made me laugh. We went to dinners, watched movies, and saw plays. It was wonderful, but lately, everything has felt wrong. I can’t stay in a relationship with a man who doesn’t care about my kids, and it isn’t fair for you to be stuck in a relationship that’s a lie. I hope that you’re able to move on, and meet someone who will love you the way you deserve to be loved.”
“Why are you doing this? Giving up on us like this? I thought we had a real future together, and you’re throwing us away.”
“It’s not fair to you for me to pretend that this relationship is going to work when I know in my heart that my attention is elsewhere.”
“Your ex.”
“It’s why you deserve to be with someone who will love you, and only you.”
“I will, Bella. You have no idea what you’re throwing away. And when you realize what a mistake you’ve made, don’t come running back to me, because I won’t be there for you.”
Bella wanted to spare his feelings, she did. She tried to do it in the nicest way possible. How do you deal with guilt caused by initiating a breakup? Can a person really break up with someone and not hurt their feelings?
“I didn’t want this to end on a bitter note,” she said.
“You’re breaking up with me, leaving me in the dust, and you think I’d be okay with it?”
“I still wanted to be friends.”
“Not a chance in Hell. Get out of my house.”
His feelings were hurt, so she let the rude remarks go. The truth is, nobody likes a breakup. She put on her jacket and reached for her purse. He led her to the door and opened it.
“Goodbye, Max.”
“Don’t ever call me again.”