The room feels impossibly heavy as Mattheo stands in front of you. The usual confidence that clings to him is gone, replaced by something that is beyond help.

“You can’t go,” you whisper, your voice barely holding steady as you step closer to him. “Please, Mattheo, stay.”

He shakes his head, his dark curls falling into his eyes. The sadness in his expression stings more than any fight the two of you have ever had. “I have to,” he says quietly, avoiding your gaze as though looking at you hurts.

“No,” you plead, reaching for his hand. “You don’t have to go. We can work this out—whatever it is, we can fix it.” Your voice cracks.

Mattheo finally meets your eyes, and in them, you see the heartbreak he’s trying so hard to bury. “I have to go because you broke my heart.”

You open your mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. The lump in your throat makes it hard to breathe, and the look on Mattheo’s face tells you he’s been carrying this pain longer than you realized.

“Mattheo, I—” you start, but he shakes his head, cutting you off.

“Don’t,” he says softly, his voice cracking just slightly. “I gave you everything, and it wasn’t enough.”

Your vision blurs with tears, and you try again, doing whatever you can to make him stay. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I love you.”

He laughs, but it’s bitter. “Sometimes love isn’t enough,” he whispers.

You step closer, but he backs away, the distance between you growing with every second. “I wanted it to be you. I wanted us,” he admits, his voice barely audible.

He takes a breath, and when he looks at you again, you can see your future with him slipping away. “But I can’t stay. Not like this.”