The earthquake danger had passed by the time my parents rushed over.
The news confirmed it wasn't a big one.
I managed to calm my anxious parents down.
Rob came back.
My parents' dog immediately took a hostile stance towards him.
Strangely, my dog had never liked Rob, and I had to leave it in my parents' care.
Rob looked shifty when he saw us.
I could see the disappointment in his eyes.
"You were at home? I was looking all over for you downstairs," he lied poorly.
My mom slapped him.
"Why did you lock our daughter in?" she demanded.
Rob whined, "I didn't! I thought she'd gone out."
I almost believed him, if not for his earlier nasty look and the insurance papers in his hand.
My dad snatched the papers. "What's this? You had time to grab useless stuff but not save my daughter?"
He tore them up. Rob's fake crying turned real.
That was a million dollars. He forgot he could get replacements.
My parents took turns berating Rob. They wanted me to divorce him or even press charges for attempted murder.
Rob pleaded, with tears and snots on his face, "I didn't mean to lock the door. I thought she had gone out. I'm so sorry. I swear I will protect her well and never let her face danger alone again."
To save his own ass, he pleaded and even made promises.
Rob wore only a pair of pants. One of his slippers was missing.
His hair was messy, and his belly was potted. This kind of image would not be liked by any girl.
I sent my parents home. I couldn't divorce him yet.
I wanted to see him with that girl first.
Rob thought I'd forgiven him.
He bragged to the girl. [Close call, but she's too dumb to realize I locked her in. I'll try again next time.]
I laughed at his stupidity.
He laughed too, muttering about buying me cosmetics to make up for it. But I knew he was broke.
We worked at the same company.
His salary wasn't bad, but he always complained about being underpaid as the first college grad from his village.
He was jealous of new hires becoming his bosses, and he dreamed of getting promotions.
Then he started playing the stock market. At first, he made a little money and boasted I'd be a rich man's wife soon.
Then he lost more and more, even his parents' savings.
I tried to stop him, but he always said it was the last time. He even took 200 thousand dollars from me.
When he asked for more, I refused. I was already talking to lawyers about minimizing my losses in a divorce.