I turned to leave, but suddenly, Carrie rushed over and grabbed my backpack.
The strong force made me stumble and fall to the ground.
She said, "Still trying to run? Zackary is too nice, but I won't let you off. Zackary supports your whole family, and you still have the nerve to steal his things. Hand them over!"
Carrie was convinced that my backpack contained something suspicious and unzipped it.
I desperately tried to pry her hand away, not wanting her to disturb my family's peace.
She wrestled with me, cursing, "What's this bulging thing inside? Did you steal a lot of jewelry from Zackary? Are you planning to squander it with your parents? Zackary's money isn't easy to come by. You and your family are leeches."
I slapped her across the face.
The force was so strong that half of her face visibly twisted, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.
She froze for a moment, then burst into tears.
She said, "Zackary, did you see that? This bitch, hit me. She must have been caught red-handed, and she's so angry."
Carrie cried harder and harder, then started gasping for breath.
"Medicine... quick..." she mumbled incoherently.
Zackary quickly pulled out an asthma inhaler from his pocket and handed it to her.
Seeing how worried he was, I couldn't help but smile bitterly.
I had loved him for so many years, but even when I was very sick, I never saw him this worried.
The details revealed his true feelings.
"Norma, you're the first person to ever hit me. You hit me, and I'll make you pay," Carrie shouted.
She broke free from Zackary's embrace and rushed towards me like a madwoman.
I thought Zackary would stop her, but instead, he held me back.
He said, "Carrie is sick, don't provoke her."
I retorted, "So, you're saying I should let her hit me back?"
Zackary fell silent again.
His silence was deafening.
I thought I would be upset, but at that moment, I felt nothing.
Carrie kept hitting me.
I endured the stinging pain on my cheeks, staring blankly at the beautiful but twisted face in front of me. I remembered the moments I had spent with Zackary over the past ten years.
He said he loved me. He said he would marry me and would make me the happiest woman in the world.
But now, he was holding me down, letting another woman slap me.
My life had become a complete joke.
In the blink of an eye, my face swelled up, and blood trickled from the corners of my mouth.