"I'll go apologize to them right now," he said. "I promise to arrange a grand wedding soon. That should be enough, right?"
He thought he was giving me an easy way out, and I should just accept it.
He was wrong.
Dead wrong.
I scoffed, "No need."
Every word from him made me sick.
Seeing him blocking the elevator, I turned and headed for the stairwell.
Behind me, Carrie called out, "Norma, stop right there. If you're really running away from home, I'll admire your guts. But you must leave Zackary's things behind. You've been eating his food, drinking his drinks, and using his things for years. If you have the guts, don't take anything and earn your own way."
She clung to Zackary's arm again, acting like the hostess of the house.
I shot back, "These are all my things. Not a single one belongs to Zackary."
"I don't believe you," Carrie sneered.
She turned to look at Zackary.
Zackary stared at me with a poker face.
At that moment, my heart felt like it was being stabbed.
"Zackary, you don't believe me either, do you?" I asked.
He didn't say a word.
His silence was like a slow torture, cutting through my heart. My world turned gray.
Carrie had insulted my parents, and he said nothing. Now she was accusing me of stealing his things, and he still said nothing.
It turned out that in his eyes, my family and I were so worthless.
I loved Zackary for ten years. They said time would tell everything, I thought he knew me well enough to know I wouldn't take his things.
My once-firm belief crumbled in an instant.
The whole world turned gray.
Seeing my pale face, Carrie thought she had hit the mark and gloated, "If you haven't taken Zackary's things, open your backpack and suitcase and show us. If you don't dare, it means you're guilty."
"Why should I?" I shot back.
I had lost my loved ones, and I was heartbroken. Why should I continue to let them bully me?
Carrie turned to Zackary and said, "See, she's guilty. Go inside and check if the bank card and valuable items are still there. If they're not, it must be Norma who took them."
Zackary gave me a look, signaling me to do as Carrie said.
It was ridiculous how a man could spoil a woman so shamelessly, without any sense of right or wrong.
I had been too compliant in the past, making Zackary think I was a pushover.
For Carrie's happiness, he disregarded my dignity.
Ten years of my youth were wasted.