All Chapters of Bittersweet: Chapter 11 - Chapter 17

Ethan could not come in, but he sent me a plethora of things every day.The healthy meals he made himself, all sorts of supplements, the aromatherapy kit I was used to… He sent me everything he could think of. I was deeply annoyed and told him not to send me anything that was not the divorce papers. Only then did he stop.Once my wounds healed, I found a job. Although I had not worked for a few years, I often studied the company's business deals, so it was not difficult for me to get back into the groove.One day, I heard my colleagues gossiping about me in the pantry.“Why is that newcomer Jasmine still an entry-level employee at her age? I thought the company only accepted graduates under 25.”“Sigh, the boss made an exception for her. You know, she's one of ‘them’.”“No wonder the manager doesn't dare to criticize her. How lucky…”I bit my lip. I was certain that I did not know the boss of this company, so it had to be Ethan's doing. I felt a rush of annoyance in my chest

After leaving the hospital, I sat on a stone bench to catch my breath. Ethan stood beside me and watched me red-eyed for a long time. “Can you move back in with me, Jasmine? I swear I won't mess up again. We can live happily together.”I looked at him. “You're getting more despicable by the day, Ethan. How could you make Aunt Zoey worry when she's in such a state?”He paused and spoke quietly. “Jasmine… I'm really scared. I'm going to lose my mother soon too.”He crouched down and looked up at me with tears glistening in his eyes. “What should I do? You're all leaving me. But I can't live without you!“I shudder at the thought of life without you. “Jasmine, I was by your side when you lost your family. “Can you take pity on me too? Please don't leave me alone.”My heart twisted into a painful, bitter knot.He slowly reached out to hug me. “Jasmine, the rest of our lives is a very long time. Everything will pass…“It'll pass…”I did not say anything, but I knew.I could n

Aunt Zoey died one week after that. Before she passed away, she suddenly regained her vigor and asked me to bring her somewhere she could get some sun.I knew what was happening, so I bit back the bitterness and pushed her downstairs in a wheelchair.Under the sunlight, she seemed like she was covered in a layer of gold. “I'm sorry, Jasmine. I shouldn't have asked you to accept Ethan.“There are all sorts of ways to survive in this world. Who could say which way is better?“Jasmine, no matter what you decide, I'll support you.”Her voice was so gentle. I could not stop the tears from flowing.“Don't be scared, Jasmine. You're a good child. Good things will come to you.“Your mother and I will be watching over you.”With that, she closed her eyes. It was as though she was taking a nap in the sunlight. When I got closer, I could hear her whispered murmurs. “Oh, Ethan…”Tears built up behind my eyes. This kind woman still thought of her son in her last moments. I leaned