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DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Chapter One: Confused

"Miles, I know you're just kidding. Stop this bullshit. It's not funny," Karlee said softly to Liam.

"I'm not joking, okay? I'm breaking up with you. I'm sorry." After saying that, he took off his jacket and was ready to walk away but Karlee stopped him by pulling his arm, causing him to face her.

"What did I do wrong to make you break up with me all of a sudden?!" She could no longer hold back the tears in her eyes.

"Please, don't ask me anymore. I said I don't want to be with you anymore, so I think we need to stop already." He replied with his voice that had risen slightly.

"You can't just do this to me. What did I do?! You're going to come here to my place and then you say you're going to break up with me just like that?!" Karlee screamed and continued to sob in tears.

"There's nothing you can do if I break up with you. I don't wanna be with you anymore. I'm leaving." Miles opened the door but Karlee closed it and went in front of him.

"Please, Liam! Don't leave me." She hugged him. "Whatever I've done, I'm sorry." She replied as her head rested on Miles's chest.

"Let go of me, Karlee." He slowly removes her arms that are wrapped around him.

"No, Liam. I won't." She tightened her grip on him while crying.

When Karlee didn't let go, he forced her to remove her arms from him and held her tightly on both shoulders. "I really don't want to! I don't love you anymore! Can't you understand that?! Don't force me to stay because you can never turn me around!"

More tears flowed down her cheeks. "Yes! I can't understand you! I can't understand why in the five years we've been together, it's so easy for you to say that you don't love me anymore. Didn't you even think about how I would feel?!" In anger, she pushed Miles away.

"I'm sorry, Karlee." Miles quickly walked out of the condo and finally left the woman he had loved for five years.

Karlee collapsed in front of the door while still crying loudly. She put her hands on her head, not knowing how to react anymore. She didn't know why he left her suddenly.

A few minutes later Karlee forced herself to settle down and she went to her bed. She picked up her cellphone because someone was calling.

"Hello? Hazel?" She wiped the tear from her cheek.

"Hey Karlee! Where are you? There are already a lot of people here." Her friend asked. It's Hazel's older brother's birthday and she was invited.

"I-I'm sorry, Hazel. I feel bad. I can't go anymore." She answered while trying to stop crying.

"Wait, are you crying?" When she asked then Karlee's tears continued so she could not answer. "Karlee, I know there's something up. What's going on?"

"He left me, Hazel." Karlee didn't expect those words to come from her lips.

"What?!" Karlee closed her eyes as her tears flowed again. "Wait for me."

She's so lucky that she has a best friend who can give her time whenever she needs it. Karlee put down the cellphone. She lay down and hugged the pillow while crying.

"What did I do?"

"Just yesterday we were happy because it was our anniversary."

"Doesn't he really love me anymore?"

"Why did he hurt me?"

"Why did he leave me?"

Her mind was full of questions. She is having a hard time because Liam did it all of a sudden. She could not accept that Liam had told him those words. A year ago, she told her parents that Liam was the person she would love for life. This is the worst ending ever in her entire life.

As grief engulfed her, her friend, Hazel, arrived.

///

Liam punched the steering wheel as tears streamed down his cheeks. "I'm sorry, Karlee. I'm so sorry."

As he was crying inside his car, he called his friend, Nikolai.

"Bro, what's up?" Nikolai asked on the phone.

"I broke up with her. And I can't believe I did it?" Another tear dropped from his eyes after.

"Oh, you did it. I can't believe she left you no choice," Nikolai replied on the phone.

"Can I come over?" he asked him and he said yes.

///

"I couldn't imagine how stupid, dumb and cruel I was to her. I hurt her so much. It was our anniversary yesterday and then I suddenly left her just like that." Liam's heart aches every time he remembers leaving Karlee.

"You did it for her. You wouldn't even forgive yourself if something happens to her. " Nikolai sighed. "I'm sorry, Liam. There's nothing I can do to stop Diana. I feel so stupid too as a friend."

"It's not your fault. She's just your cousin." Liam said. "I can't do anything either. I have to protect her. I don't want Diana's hand to fall on her again. She'd be dead if she does that."

"About Karlee, are you ready for her parents to know about what you did? I mean, they love you for their daughter." Nikolai asked. He leaned back in his seat. "It's not easy for them to see their daughter crying."

"I guess I just have to accept it. I can't escape that." Liam said.

"You really love her, don't you?" Nikolai asked his friend.

"I do. That's why I'm doing this. This is the only way to protect her." Liam replied to Nikolai.

While they were talking, Liam's phone suddenly rang. He looked at Nikolai when he saw who was calling him.

"It's her, isn't it?" Nikolai asked and Miles nodded with mixed trepidation because it's the girl who's always putting Karlee's life as a joke.