The "Abrupt Departure" as a Myth-Maker

By leaving the startup without a goodbye, you unintentionally became a "mystery." Because he never got a "close" or a "rejection," his mind was free to fill in the blanks with Idealized Memories. You didn't "do" anything to make him find you perfect; your absence allowed his heart to keep you exactly as you were—untarnished by the friction of a daily relationship.