Was he so eager to marry her?
After all these years, couldn’t he let go of the grudges from the past?
I couldn’t help but think back to when we were kids, just a wall separating us.
When my parents wouldn’t let me out, he’d climb over the wall to bring me treats and little toys.
He’d find me crying under a tree after a bad test, and every night he’d sneak over to tutor me.
Each moment was etched in my heart; my memories couldn’t lie—I loved him as a child.
And as I grew up, I loved him even more.
But I never expected that the girl he had a crush on in high school was Lila.
Maybe he’d always just seen me as a sister.
It was only me who had been holding onto unrequited love for ten long years.
Gene Wells, driving in silence, finally spoke coldly, “This is what you owe me.”
I closed my eyes, realizing he had always harbored hatred towards me.
Left abandoned at the villa’s doorstep, I was left choking on the fumes of his departing car.
Relying on my old memories, I fumbled for what felt like an eternity before finally managing to open the door.
My blurry vision dimmed further as dusk approached.
My stomach churned with acid; I couldn’t afford to dwell on it. From now on, I was forever out of sync with the sunset.
I remembered my mother’s words: “Three meals a day are the foundation of good health; eat on time.”
In the dark, I searched for the fridge and found a dry, stale piece of bread.
Tears, once again, filled my eyes.
I kept telling myself over and over again, the ten-year promise was almost up.
I owed no one anything anymore.
Everything would get better.
But tears flowed uncontrollably, a mix of bitterness and heartache.
And then Gene Wells came back with Lila.
The slam of the door yanked me from sleep.
My eyes were so swollen I couldn’t open them properly. I fumbled around until my hand found the nightstand.
I was disoriented—how did I end up in the bedroom? Last night, I’d crashed on the couch after finishing the bread.
“Oh, Jennifer, playing the poor little victim now?” Lila’s mocking voice cut through the room, sharp and clear.
I wrestled with the thin blanket, every movement sending jolts of pain through my eyes. I cursed myself for not following the doctor’s advice, for letting the tears flow, for being so careless.
“Lila, you’ve won.”
I spoke calmly, almost detached, but it only seemed to infuriate her more. Lila had always hated it when her cruelty seemed ineffective, like hitting a wall of cotton. It was the same tone she used when she and her friends tormented me at school.
Lila grabbed my collar, her perfume too strong, stinging my nose.
“I told you before, the person I hate the most is you. Your attitude—caring about nothing but Gene—is unbearable.”
Her mention of Gene made me grab her wrist, but before I could react, cold water splashed across me.
The pain in my eyes made me let go. Lila’s fingers pinched my cheeks as she sneered, her eyes glinting with malice. “You can’t change who you are. Let me help with that.”
“Why don’t you bark like a dog? Maybe then I’d feel sorry enough to give you some food.”
“You’re blind now. If a car hits you on the street, the driver won’t even be fully to blame.”
Cold sweat broke out on my forehead. If I didn’t clean it up in time, my eyes would likely become inflamed within a few days.
Just then, my stomach growled loudly.
I gritted my teeth, trying not to lash out at her.
A knock came at the door.
“Lila, is she still asleep? The food’s ready.”