Stephen shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to expect. "Ella, I've been doing a lot of thinking. I miss us, and I want us to give it another shot. I can change, I promise."
Ella raised an eyebrow, her gaze steady. "Stephen, it's over between us. It has been over for a very long time, and that was your decision even before it was mine. What we had wasn't love. It was comfort. I thought I loved you, but I've come to realize it was just familiarity, routine, a promise to be kept. I can't go back to that."
Stephen frowned, a mix of disbelief and frustration on his face. "But Ella, we were good together. We can work through this. Give me another chance."
Ella shook her head, her tone resolute. "No, Stephen. We both deserve more. I deserve more. What we had was based on routine, not genuine
