Chapter 6
I spent time talking with homeless people on the streets, feeling the intersection of poverty and art. I interviewed couples who embodied romance, blending love and boundaries seamlessly. I admired the Eiffel Tower from the Seine River, watching its reflection ripple gently on the water.
In just two months, inspiration overflowed. The sketches I produced during this time. received high praise from my superiors. If I had just one more year, I could become a mature designer and let my work shine on an even bigger stage.
Sadly, life wasn’t as simple as I imagined.
One quiet night, I received a call from Keith. “Zoey, haven’t you caused enough trouble? You disappeared for two months over missing one cemetery visit? Do you know how many times I’ve called you? I’ve been losing my mind trying to find you! Do you even have a heart?”
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My tone was calm. “Is there something you need from me?”
My overly indifferent response seemed to hit his pride. His voice grew angrier. “Something I need? Something huge! Come back now. Weren’t you the one so desperate to marry me? You even used my grandma’s health to force me. Well, congratulations. You win. I agree to the marriage. Now, get back here. Immediately.”
“Grandma’s sick? What happened?”
He didn’t answer and hung up with a sharp click.
After hesitating for a long time, I decided to go back. Grandma had always been genuinely kind to me. If my leaving had caused her illness to worsen, I’d never forgive myself. Besides, there was something important I needed to settle.
It was Keith who came to pick me up at the airport, followed by Sadie. I looked at the couple in the front while sitting at the back
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seat and a sense of irony crept into my thoughts.
Weren’t they childhood sweethearts bound by an irresistible love? Shouldn’t my absence have made it easier for them to be together? Yet here he was, saying he’d marry me. Did Sadie know about this?
Seeing me lost in thought, Keith started scolding me as usual. The same tired complaints: leaving without notice, being immature, causing unnecessary drama. I stared out the window, ignoring him.
On the other hand, Sadie offered a few hypocritical words of comfort. “Zoey’s still young. It’s okay if she doesn’t understand your anxiety. Be patient with her.”
“Patient? Six years of patience isn’t enough? Some people’s consciences must’ve been eaten by dogs.”
I stayed silent, though I could feel his eyes occasionally glancing back at me.
When I saw Grandma again, guilt washed
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over me. She was hooked up to an IV, looking frail and thin, her labored breathing sharp in my ears.
Keith’s tone softened. “Grandma’s stomach has been acting up. She hasn’t been able to eat properly for two months. Spend some time with her.”
Grandma’s face lit up when she saw me. “Zoey, you’re finally back. I’m so happy and I have even better news! Keith told me himself that he likes you. He’s willing to marry you. Don’t leave again. Be my granddaughter–in–law, okay?”
I forced a faint smile and held Elizabeth’s hand, my voice calm. “Grandma, I came back this time for two reasons: to see you and to cancel the engagement. Whether Keith marries me or not doesn’t matter anymore—I don’t love him anymore.”
Grandma sighed bitterly. “I had a feeling. I just couldn’t give up on the thought of helping you two one last time, but I know you, Zoey. Once you’ve made up your mind,
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you won’t change it. Don’t worry, I respect your decision.”
With my care, Elizabeth’s health gradually improved. One evening, she gathered the entire Jordan Family, including extended relatives, in the grand hall. She was preparing to announce something big.
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