Heres the culturally adapted version of your story:
* * *
**”Heres the dress! Can you believe I threw it in there?”**
**”Heres my dress! Are you saying I put it there?”** Emily yanked open the bin, her face turning pale as a sheet.
Nearly every day, she asked herself the same questionone she still couldnt answerwhat on earth did she see in Martin?
At first glance, he was plain, the kind of “prince” even her friends were embarrassed to meet. To this day, they assumed she lived alone.
Only her sister knew the truththat she shared her flat with a manand kept it secret.
Martin wasnt exactly showering her with riches either. He worked as a welder in a metal factory.
Sometimes, while staring blankly at the telly, Emily caught herself thinking it was time to end things with Martin.
But just as she mustered the courage, hed bring home a bouquet or some small gift, and shed postpone the breakup indefinitely.
Before Emily, Martin had already been married. His first marriage lasted barely two months, yet his ex-wife walked away pregnant. Their daughter was twelve by the time he met Emily.
Emily had never made an effort to meet the girluntil now.
**”Emily,”** Martin said hesitantly, **”my ex is going away for work. She wants me to take my daughter for a while.”**
**”How long?”** Emily frowned, unimpressed with this “birthday gift.”
**”A month.”**
**”A whole month? Why so long?”** Her voice sharpened. **”I hope she realises children dont feed themselves?”**
**”She didnt send any money,”** Martin muttered.
**”You pay child support, dont you? So, she gets a free holiday while we foot the bill?”**
**”Not much of a holiday on my wages,”** he chuckled weakly.
**”How do you expect this to work?”** Emilys temper flared. **”Shell need school runs, meals, supervision. Why did you agree?”**
**”Im her father,”** Martin said, baffled. **”Should I have refused?”**
**”First, you dont live alone. Second, this is *my* flatyou shouldve asked. Third, its my birthday, and I wont have it ruined!”**
**”Why would my daughter ruin anything?”** he shot back defensively.
**”Trust me, it wont go well,”** Emily snapped, arms crossed.
But Martin insisted she was overreacting.
The next day, a round-faced girl with heavy makeup, looking closer to sixteen, waltzed in. She barely glanced at Emily before demanding, **”Wheres my room?”**
**”Youre sleeping in the kitchen,”** Martin joked weakly.
The girl rolled her eyes and locked herself in the loo, sobbing.
**”What was that?”** Emily hissed. **”A rude, spoiled brat. Good thing Im celebrating at a café. And youre not coming.”**
**”Why not?”** Martin frowned. **”I thought youd finally introduce me to your friends.”**
**”Youre staying with the kid,”** she said, relieved she wouldnt have to explain him to her mates, all of whom dated fit, handsome blokes.
**”Right,”** Martin muttered, falling silent.
The next morning, Emily smoothed out her cocktail dress, hanging it up for the evening.
Martin didnt speaknot even a birthday wish.
Pretending not to care, she got ready after workonly to find her dress missing.
**”Wheres my dress?”** Emily stormed into the kitchen, where Sophie lounged on the fold-out bed, scrolling her phone.
**”Well?”** Emily snatched the phone.
**”Give it back!”** Sophie shrieked.
Martin rushed in. **”Whats going on? Give her the phone!”**
**”Where. Is. My. Dress?”** Emilys nails dug into her palm.
**”Dunno. Shes mental,”** Sophie sneered.
**”Now!”** Martin growled.
**”Fine, shell *never* admit it!”** Emily hurled the phonecracking the screen.
Sophie wailed as Emily marched off to find another outfit.
At the café, she made her decisionshed dump Martin.
She returned at dawn.
**”Youre awake?”**
**”Playing the tough guy now? Too late. Were done. Youre out by morning,”** Emily said coldly.
**”You blame *me* after all this?”**
**”You broke Sophies phone”**
**”She *stole* my dress!”**
**”Shed never!”** Martins face reddened. **”I wont stand for this!”**
Emily scoffed, grabbing a half-finished wine bottle.
One sipshe spat it out. **”Shampoo? Did *I* pour this in?”**
She yanked the bin openand froze.
**”Heres the dress! Did *I* throw it in?”**
**”You just wanted an excuse to leave!”** Martin snapped. **”I knew youd do this!”**
Emilys brows shot up.
**”I bugged the room,”** he sneered. **”Heard everythingyour chats with your sister, your lies!”**
**”Oh, brilliant! No wonder you knew Id end it!”** She clutched her head, recalling every private call. **”Time to say goodbye.”**
This time, Martin said nothing. He knew it was over.
