I bit my lip in frustration. After all these years, I thought I’d only be met with a glaring red exclamation mark.
But unexpectedly, the phone rang almost instantly.
“Belle, what’s gotten into you? Did you lose a game of truth or dare?”
“I’ve been chasing after you since I was in open-crotch pants, and you never even glanced my way. What’s this supposed to mean now?”
Marcus Murphy, my childhood friend.
The first word he ever uttered wasn’t “Mama,” but “Belle.”
When I scraped my knee learning to walk, the one I ran to in tears wasn’t my father. It was Marcus.
Until I was sent overseas to study, and we lost all contact.
Suddenly, I realized how abrupt I had been and awkwardly mumbled, “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking. Just pretend you never saw the message…”
“Damn, not a chance.”
Marcus let out a low, sarcastic chuckle, his voice dropping.
“Since you’ve agreed to come to me, don’t even think about running again. I’ll pick you up myself in a week.”
“Oh, and stop sticking around that fake-smile loser. Come to me. I’ll give you a life ten thousand times better than what you’ve got now.”
.…
The next morning, I began packing my room, piece by piece.
In the closet were the gifts Miguel had given me, things I had once treasured for years.
Only now did I realize the watch had always been a size too small, the necklace was platinum, which I was allergic to, and even the matching pajamas were red, a color I had never liked?
My fingertips trembled, and my whole body felt like it had been plunged into ice.
So I had been this blind, this foolish, deceived for so many years without ever noticing.
The sudden chime of the doorbell snapped me out of my thoughts.
I opened the door to find Saoirse standing there, smiling like sunshine.
“Hi, sis. Miguel invited me over. You’re not going to say I’m unwelcome, are you?”
Before I could respond, she pushed her way in, eyes drifting toward the little garden outside.
“I don’t like these roses. Have them replaced with baby’s breath.”
Those dark red roses had once been flown in from Europe at great cost by Miguel during the height of our romance.
He once told me they symbolized his love for me. That as long as they bloomed, his love would never fade.
Instinctively, I tried to stop her, but a bodyguard stepped forward and coldly blocked me.
“Sorry, this is Mr. Atkinson’s order. Everything is to follow Miss Pearson’s preferences.”
“What…”
My mind went blank. I stumbled back a few steps, nearly collapsing.
The flowers were gone, and so was Miguel’s love.
Saoirse, increasingly smug, strolled freely around the villa like it already belonged to her.
“I don’t like this decor. Make it minimalist.”
The next second, the wall filled with a couple of photos of Miguel and me crashed to the floor, the frames scattering like fallen leaves.
I stood off to the side, clutching Harper, quietly watching it all.
More and more things were destroyed, and my heart felt as hollowed out as the house around me.
Eventually, Saoirse was tired of wandering. Her sharp gaze landed on the puppy in my arms.
Harper, Miguel’s third-anniversary gift to me.
A soft, warm replacement for his absence after fame swept him away.
A bad feeling crept into my chest, and sure enough, the next second, she spoke lightly.
“I’m allergic to dog hair. Get rid of it.”
“No!”
Seeing me refuse, the bodyguard reached out to snatch the dog. In the struggle, I was dragged to the ground.
The sharp gravel tore open the skin on my arm and lower back. Blood soaked into the yellow earth, bright, jarring, impossible to ignore.
“Belle!”
“Who gave you permission to lay a hand on her?!”
Miguel suddenly rushed in, pulling me into his arms. His voice shook as he asked, “Baby, are you okay?”
His embrace was warm, just like before.
The grievance I had buried for so long finally burst free.
“Miguel…”
“Ah!”
A shrill scream sliced through the air. Saoirse teetered dangerously at the edge of the steps.
In the next breath, Miguel let go and bolted toward her.
I was thrown to the ground again. The old stab wound in my chest felt like it had torn open. Warm blood spread across my shirt.
Saoirse stood trembling, looking innocent and pitiful. Her voice was soft, aggrieved.
“Brother-in-law, I’m terrified of dogs. Thank you for saving me.”
“I really don’t want to make things hard for Sister. I’ll just leave…”
I struggled to sit up, fingertips trembling from the pain, but it still paled in comparison to the ache in my heart.
Harper pressed against me, letting out soft whimpers, licking my hand as if trying to take the pain away.
Miguel glanced down at Saoirse’s frightened face in his arms, a twinge tightening in his chest.
Then he turned to me, his gaze filled with disapproval.
“Belle, don’t be childish. A dog isn’t more important than a person.”
“Get rid of it tomorrow.”
