Chapter 7
She even called in reporters to take photos.
Keith leaned casually against a stone pillar, casting disdainful and confident glances my way from time to time. “Grandma, this isn’t such a big deal. A phone call would’ve been enough. Why make it so formal?”
Elizabeth’s cane struck the ground heavily, producing a loud thud. “Be quiet! This isn’t your place to speak!”
She then raised her voice, addressing everyone. “Today, I have an important announcement to make. My grandson Keith and Zoey are officially breaking off their engagement!”
The room erupted in whispers. Keith nearly stumbled in shock. “Grandma, are
you sure you didn’t make a mistake?” he demanded.
זיי
may be old, but I’m not senile!” she snapped.
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I helped Elizabeth upstairs and then left alone, only to be stopped by Keith. “Zoey, what are you doing? Are you playing hard to get? I’ve already agreed to marry you. What more do you want? Is this really necessary?”
I shook off his hand, baffled by his reaction. “Keith, haven’t you always wanted to break off this engagement? The debt of gratitude that has troubled you for six years should be paid off now, shouldn’t it?”
He froze, then quickly caught up to me. “Zoey, you overheard that? I was just joking! Why take it so seriously?”
“My parents‘ deaths are a joke to you? Keith, if you’re a man, can’t you own up to your actions for once? And after we cancel the engagement, you’ll finally be free to be with Sadie. No more sneaking around like a pair of secret lovers. Isn’t that what you’ve been waiting for?”
Under the moonlight, his eyes turned red. He grabbed my wrist tightly, refusing to let
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- go. “So, you’re jealous. You’re just using Sadie as an excuse to test me, to make me care more about you. Is this little game of yours really that interesting? Zoey, even if I fall for someone else, you’d still desperately want to marry me, wouldn’t you?”
I couldn’t understand Keith’s bizarre
confidence or his twisted logic. Pulling free from his grip, I hailed a taxi and left. I planned to stay in town for a while to handle my parent’s old house so that I couldn’t avoid the daily barrage of news about Keith and Sadie.
Yesterday, they walked the red carpet together, sparking rumors with their intimate gestures. Today, they gave a joint interview, their eyes filled with affection. Tomorrow, they’ll go on a seaside trip or a shopping spree and the day after, he’ll drop a fortune at an auction to make her smile.
Just now, Sadie’s little essay arrived as scheduled. “Zoey, Keith told me I’ve always been the one he truly loves. He didn’t
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marry you in six years because he was waiting for me. We’re a perfect match–our families, our childhood, everything. You’ve clung to him for six years and now he can’t stand even the sight of you. If you have any sense, you’ll disappear from our lives for good.‘
I turned off my phone and went back to sorting through the old house. Time flew as I worked. When I finally decided to return to the hotel, I opened the door to find Keith slumped drunkenly on the ground.
He struggled to his feet, reeking of alcohol as he stumbled towards me. “Zoey, why are you so indifferent this time? Not even one call? This game isn’t fun anymore. Can we stop? I already said I’d marry you. What else do you want from me?”
He rambled on, slurring his words. “Nothing is going on with Sadie. She just came back and we’ve known each other for so long. I was only trying to help her. You understand me, right? Don’t be mad, okay?
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Can’t we go back to how things were?”
I stepped back, locking the door between us. “Keith, you’ve misunderstood. I ended the engagement because I don’t love you anymore. This has nothing to do with anyone else. Please don’t come looking for me again.”
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