The story finally took a turn.
Thaddeus left, taking with him the people he had stationed around me.
The Labrador ran over, its wet tongue licking my palm, its round eyes full of concern.
I hugged its head. "Baby, it will just be the two of us from now on." It wagged its tail energetically.
The next three years passed quietly for me.
Work, meals, and whenever I was bored, I would call Xavier or new friends to watch movies. Thaddeus's figure always appeared in financial news.
Dressed in a suit, with a detached expression on his face, he was ranked as the top bachelor in the country, driving countless girls wild.
Once, during an interview show, the host jokingly asked him, "Is there someone you like now?"
"Yes."
His eyebrows softened slightly.
The audience's hearts shattered.
I sat in front of the computer, staring blankly, thinking: He must have met someone else.
That's good, I thought.
We had to move on from that painful past, whether it was me or Thaddeus.
---
On my twenty-sixth birthday in the fourth year, my friends threw me a birthday party.
With colorful ribbons scattered throughout the room, I clasped my hands together and, amidst their teasing, closed my eyes and made a wish. I drank a bit of wine and, surrounded by my friends, stumbled out.
We stopped in the open space outside the bar, looking up at the bright moon in the sky. It was hazy, almost like my mother's eyes.
Dad, Mom, can you see me? I silently told them:
Your daughter is doing well now, meeting many friends, many good people.
I wrapped my shawl around me and turned around. Just as I turned my head, I saw Thaddeus. I paused for a moment.
It had been four years since I last saw him. His hair was shorter, his gaze sharper, and there was a certain coldness about him now.
He was talking to someone else when he saw me, gave a slight nod, and turned his head away without saying another word. I didn't care either.
One night, I was abruptly awakened by a hurried phone call.
It was from my uncles back home, insisting that I repay the money my father owed them. I was stunned awake, splashing my face with cold water, feeling confused.
My uncles had always been kind to me, and nothing like this had happened in my past life.
It had been almost five years, and now they were asking for money... Is there really no other reason?
When my uncles called again, I asked them about it, and they hesitated, eventually saying helplessly:
"Irene, the Sinclair family's ambition is too great, we can't hold on any longer, we need money... All these years, Mr. Sinclair has been very considerate of your past relationship. What happened back then wasn't entirely his fault. He's actually a good choice, isn't he?"
I understood. "Thaddeus is forcing you to pressure me?" He fell silent, not responding.
I hung up the phone, feeling both angry and confused. What was Thaddeus trying to do?
