“When I was young, people always told me I would be a heartbreaker. I don’t think this is what they meant.” Ella pauses on the stage as the crowd chuckles lightly. “But isn’t it our fear of heartbreak that holds us back? Stops us from living life as who we were meant to be, and stopping us from finding who we were meant to find. I founded this company on the basis that heartbreak can be a beginning, not an end. So, won’t you let me break your heart?”

The crowd applauds, with a few of its members standing. Ella basks in the moment, letting herself become swept up in the sound of those that cheer for her, her words; her work. When she comes back to reality she looks offstage at Michael, who glares back.

Their ride home from the event is quiet, a heaviness sits in the space between them in the backseat, neither Michael nor Ella wanting to speak. The blind themselves with their phones, and drown each other out with thoughts of their own.

As the car comes to a stop and Michael gets out, Ella remains seated.

“Again?” He asks with a heavy sigh.

“It’s better if I stay there, we both know that.”

“Better for who? Not for your image that’s for sure.”

“Can we not do this right now?”

“Fine. Schedule me in your fucking calendar.” Michael slams the car door.

Ella knew it couldn’t be any other way. She had never been happy with Michael, but she was always happy enough. It had only been recently when she discovered the part of her she could not accept, was her biggest strength.

Heartbreak happened at a young age for Ella, and she came to realize it would only happen continuously throughout her life. She became transfixed on finding a solution. To allow yourself to break your own heart, and heal. Truly heal where you will never feel the pain of heartbreak again.

Decades and trials later, here she stands. Successful, but at what cost? She couldn’t say the downfall of her relationship with Michael was affecting her in the slightest, in fact, she never felt better.