Mark's eyes hardened, a defensive wall rising within him. "I can't help it if I have big dreams, Olivia. I'm ambitious and driven. Why can't you understand that?"
Olivia's eyes brimmed with tears, her voice strained with desperation. "I do understand, Mark. But what about my dreams? What about my aspirations? It feels like they don't matter to you anymore."
Mark's impatience surfaced, his voice tinged with frustration. "You know I support you, Olivia, but right now, I need to focus on my career. I can't be held back by distractions."
Olivia's heart sank, her voice barely a whisper. "Am I just a distraction to you, Mark? Is our relationship nothing more than a burden on your path to success?"
Mark's silence hung heavy in the air, the answer resonating louder than words. Olivia's tears flowed freely now, her pain etching deep lines across her face. She gathered her strength, a flicker of determination sparking in her eyes.
"I can't continue like this, Mark," she choked out. "I deserve someone who sees me as an equal partner, who values my dreams and supports me just as I support them. I can't stay in a relationship where my own happiness is overshadowed by your selfishness."
Mark scoffed, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Oh, please, Olivia. Equal partner? Supporting your dreams? Don't make me laugh. You've always been so dramatic. It's always about you and what you want. I'm tired of catering to your every whim. You're the selfish one here, not me."
His words pierced through Olivia's already wounded heart, leaving her stunned and hurt by his callous response. Her eyes welled up with tears, hurt and disappointment etched across her face. She took a deep breath, gathering her shattered resolve. "If standing up for my own happiness and dreams is considered selfish, then maybe you're right, Mark. Maybe we're just not meant to be together. I can't continue in a relationship where my needs are dismissed, and my dreams are belittled. I deserve