4
I clenched the folder in my hand, suppressing
my anger, not wanting to argue with Ethan.
Because I knew he wouldn’t believe me no
matter what I said.
As I was about to leave, Sarah rushed over
and blocked the doorway, standing before
me, crying and pleading.
“Ashley, I just want to protect Jason, to give
him a complete home.”
“Even for Jason’s sake, please don’t let my
parents marry me off to… to someone like
that.
Ethan looked at the terrified Sarah and held
her in his arms to comfort her.
After Sarah’s emotions finally stabilized,
Ethan glared at me angrily and roared, “Apologize to Sarah!”
“Ashley, how could you say such vicious.
things? Is this how the Peterson family raised
you?!”
“So, based on her one–sided story, you
believe I said those things, right?” Even
though I was already disappointed in Ethan,
my heart still ached.
We’d known each other for over twenty years,
yet he didn’t trust me at all.
“Only you would say such things.” Ethan
sneered sarcastically.
–
<
“I didn’t say those things. I won’t apologize.”
With that, I bypassed him and Sarah, quickly leaving, not wanting to stay a moment longer.
Just as I was about to walk out the door,
Ethan’s warning came from behind.
“If you don’t apologize to Sarah today, you’ll
regret it!”
I ignored him and left directly.
But just as I reached the door of my
grandmother’s old house, several people
rushed out from the shadows and grabbed
- me.
“This girl is really pretty, just right for our
son.”
“And they said, no dowry needed!”
Among the crowd, I saw the family that had
beaten me to death in my past life.
At that moment, a car stopped. The window
slowly rolled down, and Ethan looked at me
coldly.
“I told you, you would regret not apologizing
to Sarah. Now it’s too late even if you want
- to. Since you insulted Sarah, let’s see how
clean you’ll be after marrying a simple man!”
“Ethan, are you crazy?!” My voice trembled
as I yelled at him.
Sarah leaned against Ethan, holding his hand
on her waist.
<
Sarah leaned against Ethan, holding his hand
on her waist.
“Ethan, isn’t this going too far?”
Ethan sneered, “She dared to hurt you, so she has to bear the consequences. Marrying a simple man is letting her off easy.”
“If she dares to insult you again in the future,
I’ll have her marry a madman, a beggar, until
she learns her lesson.”
Ethan’s words were like a bucket of ice
water, chilling my heart.
Facing this situation, I could only endure the
humiliation and ask him for help.
<
However, he ignored my panic and
helplessness and drove away. The moment
the window rolled up, I saw his lips meet
Sarah’s.
Seeing the simple man’s family take out ropes.
and sacks, wanting to take me away,
memories of being tortured to death flooded
back.
I forced myself to calm down, my mind
racing.
Suddenly, I had an idea. I said to the simple
man’s family, “Do you know why they don’t
want a dowry?”
The simple man’s family looked puzzled.
Seeing this, I continued, “Because I’m
infertile. It’s a congenital condition. I’ve seen
many doctors, but it’s no use. My fiancé
broke up with me because of this.”
Hearing this, disgust appeared on the simple
man’s family’s faces.
They wanted their son to marry so he could
have children and carry on the family line.
“Can’t have children, and we still have to
support her? No wonder they don’t want any
money!”
“A hen that can’t lay eggs still wants to enter
our family? Shameless!”
“Let’s go, let’s go back to the village and
hide, so that man can’t force this useless
waste on us.
The simple man’s family cursed and left. After
they disappeared, I collapsed on the ground
and crawled back to my grandmother’s house
with all my might, locking the door behind me.
That night, after resting, I packed my things
and left, heading to the Astronomy Research
Institute in Greenfield.
