Elf Sternberg

Not having read anything other than your posts about the story, couldn't it just be a situational thing? Timing, mis-communication, bad hair day... There's millions of reasons why two people in the end just don't fit, it doesn't have to be anything either of them "deserves". Having someone "deserve" unhappiness seems less realistic to me and, I think, would negate what you're trying to do by having a non-happy ending in there.