“You’re Not My Wife,” My Boyfriend Said After 10 Years — He Never Expected Me to Agree

“Then the real estate videos. Then the music label. Then the wedding company. Then the short film.”

“Why are you listing every failure I’ve ever had?”

“I’m not.”

My voice cracked for the first time.

“I’m listing every finish line you told me to wait for.”

Marcus went silent.

“There was always one more thing,” I said. “One more project. One more client. One more year before we could talk about marriage or buying a house or having children.”

“Children?”

“Yes, Marcus.”

He rubbed both hands over his face.

“We said we’d talk about that when things were stable.”

“I’m thirty-four.”

“We still have time.”

“You have time.”

That stopped him.

My eyes filled with tears.

“I’ve built my entire adult life around your timeline.”

“Claire…”

“And last night you reminded me that after all of that, you still see the responsibilities of being my partner as something optional.”

He shook his head.

“I love you.”

“I believe you.”

He looked confused.

“Then why are you doing this?”

“Because love isn’t the problem.”

I looked around the apartment.

“The problem is that your version of love has always required me to carry more than you.”

Mr. Hernandez quietly excused himself.

Natalie picked up one of my boxes.

Marcus barely noticed either of them.

He was still looking at me.

“So that’s it?”