You knew something was wrong the moment he called. That familiar half smirk, the voice that usually made your stomach flip, had this strange flatness to it like he was rehearsing every word. “I think we need to talk,” Mark said, almost casual, but it hit you like a punch anyway. Your chest tightened. “Okay…” you managed, though your voice sounded smaller than you felt. You tried to steady yourself, tried to tell yourself you’d seen this coming. But seeing it in person, standing there in the dim glow of your apartment, it was different. He didn’t wait for you to say anything else. He paced a little, hands in his pockets, eyes avoiding yours in that infuriating way he always did when he wanted to control the narrative. “Look, I…things have changed. Feelings shift, people shift. You get it, right?” You blinked with disbelief. “Changed? So suddenly? After everything?” Mark shrugged, smooth and nonchalant. “Timing isn’t perfect, and yeah, maybe it seems sudden. But this isn’t about blame. It’s just…how it is.” Your hands clenched into fists. “How it is? How it is is that you’re walking out the door and leaving me to…to-” You broke off, a wave of frustration and heartbreak catching in your throat. “-deal with this.” “I know,” he said quietly, almost regretful. “I’m not blind to what this does to you. But I can’t…” He shook his head, voice dropping, “I can’t be what you need right now. And I can’t pretend I feel what I used to. I tried, I really did.” You felt tears prick at your eyes. “Tried? You’ve been…you’ve been playing with me this whole time, haven’t you? Laughing, teasing, letting me think…” Your voice cracked. “I can’t even finish the sentence!” Mark paused, finally looking at you. There was a flicker of something maybe guilt, maybe just satisfaction. “I’m not proud of it,” he admitted softly, “but I won’t lie. I liked it…seeing you care, seeing you chase me a little. It felt alive. But I can’t do it anymore.” You took a step back, shaking your head. “Alive? You call this alive? You toyed with me, Mark. You made me think-made me feel like…like maybe we had something real.” “And we did,” he said, quickly, almost desperately. “It was real! But…” He ran a hand down his face, and finally it cracked a little. “I can’t. I won’t. It’s better this way.” You laughed bitterly, a hollow sound. “Better this way? For who? Because it sure as hell isn’t me.” He winced but didn’t argue. He didn’t need to. His silence was louder than anything he could say. You wanted to scream, to beg, to pull him back, but you knew he had already made his decision. “Goodbye,” you whispered finally, voice breaking. “Go ahead. Leave. Walk out that door like you always do.”Mark’s eyes softened for a fraction of a second, the charm and arrogance slipping just enough to reveal…something human underneath. Then he straightened, put on his practiced calm, and nodded. “I’m…sorry,” he said quietly. “Really.”