My Bf Gave Me A 5-month Ultimatum To Lose Weight After My Dad Died. I Lost The Weight, But Rejected His Public Proposal In Front Of Everyone. Was I Wrong For Humiliating Him?”
“Justin, we need to talk about our future.”
He put down his fork.
“There is no future if you look like this.”
I froze.
“Excuse me?”
“I’m not marrying someone who doesn’t take care of herself. You’re not the woman I fell in love with. That woman was beautiful. That woman made me look good. This,”
he gestured at me,
“makes me look like I settled.”
“I’m the same person.”
“No, you’re twice the person,”
he laughed at his own joke.
“Look, lose the weight, then we’ll talk about marriage. But right now, I’m embarrassed to be seen with you. Do you know what people think when they see us together? They think I’m desperate. They wonder what’s wrong with me that I’m with someone who looks like you.”
Tears were falling.
“Someone who looks like me?”
“Fat, Amy. The word is fat. And I didn’t sign up for fat. I signed up for the hot girl who did yoga and counted calories and made my friends jealous. So either find her again, or I’ll find someone else who looks like her.”
I joined a gym the next day. 5:00 a.m. Mostly empty, except for serious athletes. That’s where I met Antonio, the trainer. 6’3, built like a sculpture, kind eyes.
First time he asked, I nodded, embarrassed in my tight workout clothes.
“We all start somewhere,”
he said.
“You showing up is already winning.”
He offered to train me. Two weeks in, he asked,
“What’s your goal?”
“To lose 40 lb.”
“Why?”
“My boyfriend won’t marry me until I do.”
Antonio stopped spotting my bench press.
“Your boyfriend sounds like trash. But hey, his loss will be someone else’s gain.”
Every morning, 5:00 a.m., Antonio and I trained. He taught me to deadlift, squat, bench. He introduced me to meal prep. Never shamed me when I struggled.
Just said,
“Tomorrow you’ll be better.”
4 months in, I’d lost 35 lbs. Justin suddenly got interested again. Started touching my waist, suggesting date nights, buying me clothes.
“Size six, getting there,”
he’d say.
“Keep going.”
He posted a photo of us with the caption “Proud of my girl’s journey.” His friends commented with fire emojis.
5 months in, I’d lost all 40 lbs, plus gained muscle. Size four again, but stronger.
Justin planned a surprise dinner at the steakhouse where we’d had our first date. Wore his best suit. Kept checking his pocket. I knew what was coming.
After appetizers, he stood up. The whole restaurant could see. Got down on one knee. Pulled out a Tiffany box. 2 karat diamond.
“Amy,”
he said loudly, making sure everyone heard.
“You’ve proven you can be the wife I deserve. You’ve shown dedication, discipline, and the ability to be the woman I fell in love with again. Will you marry me?”
The restaurant was silent. Phones out recording. I looked at the ring. At him.
“No.”
His smile froze. The restaurant stayed quiet for maybe 3 seconds. Then whispers started. Justin’s face went from confused to red. His jaw got tight. He was still down on one knee holding that ring box.
I could see phones everywhere. At least 12 people recording. Some lady at the table next to us had her phone up recording the whole thing. The waiter who’d been bringing our food stopped halfway across the room.
Justin stood up fast. The ring box snapped shut. He grabbed my wrist across the table. Not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough that I felt trapped.
I pulled my hand back and stood up. My chair scraped loud against the floor. Everyone was staring. I grabbed my purse from the back of my chair.
Justin started talking, but his voice came out weird and tight. He asked what I was doing. Told me to sit back down. Said we needed to talk about this.
I walked toward the exit. My legs felt shaky, but I kept moving. Justin followed me. His voice got louder. He said I was embarrassing him. Asked if I was serious right now. Demanded I come back to the table.
The restaurant manager appeared near the door. She was an older woman with gray hair pulled back. She stepped in front of me and asked if everything was okay. Her eyes looked concerned.
