Larkin had spent most of her life being labeled “the big girl.” She tried to compensate by being kind, helpful, and loyal. She dated her boyfriend for years and trusted him completely, including trusting her best friend, who was always close to their relationship.
That trust shattered when she discovered her boyfriend was cheating with that same best friend. When confronted, he did not apologize. Instead, he blamed her weight and said she no longer “matched” him. The betrayal left her humiliated and heartbroken.
In the months that followed, Larkin focused on herself. She exercised, changed her habits, and slowly regained confidence. The physical change mattered less than the mental shift. She began to see how often she had accepted disrespect just to feel loved.
On the day her ex was supposed to marry her former best friend, the wedding collapsed. The bride was exposed as unfaithful, and the ceremony was canceled. In desperation, his mother called Larkin and suggested she step in as a replacement bride to save the family’s reputation.
Later that same day, her ex showed up at her door, suddenly interested again now that she looked different. Larkin refused. She realized she had never been the problem. She closed the door on him and on the belief that she had to change herself to deserve respect.