I smiled, even though my heart felt heavy thinking about the goodbye that was soon to come. Uncle Jack was the only person who had always believed in me, who had always supported me, even when the world seemed against me.
“Are you going to go with Bobby?” he asked gently.
My smile faded, and I shook my head. Uncle Jack let out a heavy sigh, his expression one of quiet understanding. He had probably known this would happen.
He handed me an envelope. “This is the address of the Mitchell family. They’ve been waiting to hear about this. Remember, they once offered to arrange a match between you and their eldest son. But you chose to marry Bobby instead. Even so, they’re still willing to take you in while you start your studies there.”
I bit my lower lip, a wave of discomfort and guilt washing over me. “I don’t want to burden them, Uncle. I can stay in a dorm and find a part-time job.”
Uncle Jack shook his head, his expression firm. “At least for now, stay with them. You’ll need support as you begin your life in a big city like London.”
“Harry, their eldest son, is a professor at your university. He’ll help you.”
I was silent. The name Mitchell took me back to my childhood. They were my late parents’ friends. I remembered meeting Harry, their eldest son, years ago when they visited our home. He was older than me, and back then, he was a troublemaker who always made me cry.
I suppressed a small smile as I recalled how annoying Harry had been. Now, I heard he was a professor at the university I would be attending. The irony was astounding, considering I had once sworn I never wanted to see him again.
“All right, Uncle,” I finally said. “I’ll stay with them for now. But as soon as I’m independent, I’ll move out.”
Uncle Jack smiled in satisfaction and patted my shoulder. “That’s the Irish I know.”
---
That night, Bobby showed up at the restaurant. He stood at the door, wearing the smile that used to warm my heart. But this time, his smile felt like thorns.
“Irish, let’s go home. I’ve been waiting for you,” he said, as if nothing was wrong.
But he wasn’t alone. Grace stood beside him, wearing a tight red dress that hugged her figure perfectly. She smiled at me—a victorious smile.
I stared at them, my heart pounding. I knew what they had done. I knew.
But I said nothing. I just gave a faint smile, nodded, and followed them to the car.