How ironic and pathetic.
The first time Henry said he loved me was when I had appendicitis. He carried me in his arms all the way to the hospital, tears streaming down his face as he ran.
When I came out of surgery, his hands were still trembling. He stayed at my bedside day and night, looking after me with meticulous care. For my sake, he even learned how to cook.
He said my stomach was sensitive, so he would learn culinary skills for me. If one year wasn't enough, he'd take two. He promised he'd spend his whole life loving and caring for me.
At that time, he said the same words he does now: that in his heart, everyone else was unimportant compared to me.
I didn't cry, nor did I make a scene. Instead, I silently hung up the phone. After that I ordered some fever medicine online and waited for express delivery.
At that same time, I received a message from my father. He told me that the wedding with Jose Sanchez was set for three days from now.
The next day, the hospital hosted a dinner party. By the time I arrived, Henry and Willa were already seated.
He glanced at me briefly before pouring Willa a glass of hot water. The two of them leaned close, whispering to each other and Willa covered her mouth with a shy smile.
Beside that man was a seat a colleague had thoughtfully reserved for me.
Midway through the meal, my colleagues teased me, saying that Henry and I had been dating for years and were missing a proposal, urging him to propose now.
I thought Henry would refuse. But to my surprise, he smiled slightly, stood up and pulled an exquisite velvet box from his pocket. Soon after, he dropped to one knee.
"I've actually prepared this long ago. Since we have this opportunity today, I'll be bold for once. Suzanne William, will you marry me?"
I stood there, stunned, unable to react for a long time.
Under the puzzled gazes of everyone, Henry forcefully took my hand and slipped the ring onto my finger. He kissed the back of my hand with an expression of pure devotion while our colleagues clapped and offered their blessings.
All I could do now was stare at the ring on my finger in misery.
For the past five years, every moment with this ring would have been filled with happiness. Yet here I was, receiving it precisely when I felt most hopeless and filled with hatred toward him.
I didn't smile, nor did I feel the slightest bit of happiness. The small flame in my heart had long burned out.
The party was still going on, just in a different location. While I went to the restroom, I overheard my colleagues gossiping.
"Haven't Henry and Willa already met each other's parents? Why is he proposing to Suzanne now? This is so confusing."
I froze on the spot, unable to believe what I was hearing. I only stepped out after that couple had left.
In the hallway, I saw Henry looking around anxiously, searching for something.
"Where did you go? You've been out for so long and our colleagues are getting impatient waiting for you," he snapped at me.
I brushed his arm away and looked him in the eye, demanding, "Did you take Willa home to meet your parents?"
Henry glanced around before pulling me straight into an empty private room. "So what if I did? We're all colleagues and my parents like her. What's wrong with a little visit?"
I let out a self-mocking laugh, my voice trembling slightly. "Then what about me? All these years, whenever I said I wanted to meet your parents, you always said that before a proposal, your family didn't allow you to bring anyone home."
Henry was momentarily speechless, then clicked his tongue in irritation. "Didn't I just propose to you? If you want to meet them, I'll take you tomorrow, okay? Today is a colleagues' gathering, can you stop making a scene?"
My eyes turned red as I looked at his indifferent expression, my lips quivering. "Henry, do you really think I'm the one making a scene?"
In an instant, my heart sank to the bottom of the sea. It turned out that in Henry's eyes, I was never truly worthy of being family.
I pushed open the door and left the private room dejectedly, making an excuse about feeling unwell to leave the party early.
After walking for a while, I realized I had left my bag behind.
When I returned to the venue, I found Henry still inside the private room I had just left. The door was ajar and Willa was sitting on his lap, the two of them passionately kissing.
"Sweetheart, don't be sad. Just hold on a little longer. Your brother's eyes are showing severe rejection. I'll arrange for Suzanne to donate her corneas to him as soon as possible."
