جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

Stan Wallace got up and walked out, carrying his clothes. The hallway was too narrow, so I had to press myself against the wall to let him pass. The sudden proximity allowed me to feel the warmth and scent of his body clearly and directly.I lowered my head slightly, my fingers involuntarily tightening.He doesn't like me, nor does he like my mother. This is normal; people don't like disasters and burdens. It's already a sign of great manners that he doesn't show disgust or rejection towards us, not to mention letting me stay in his room.If possible, I wouldn't want to come back here either. I dream of escaping this life.Even though our goals are aligned, when he casually told me to keep my distance, my heart still ached.Stan Wallace closed the door behind him as he left.His room was off-limits to my stepfather, who feared him. This obvious fear made me feel safe.I picked up the T-shirt Stan Wallace had carelessly thrown on the bed, folded it, and placed it on the windowsil

My hands paused, and a brief buzzing filled my ears.She had spoken plainly and clearly, yet I still doubted whether the 'do' she meant was the same as the one in my mind when my mother said it.I couldn't dwell on her words. The moment I did, the pungent smell of cigarettes and the sticky gaze from my stepfather last night would flood back, making my stomach churn."Apply to a university not too far away, and come home every weekend. Consider it repaying me for raising you, Gloria Kit."She spoke calmly, as if asking me to return once a week was just for family reunions, and that all children should repay their parents this way, with nothing special about me.On the morning of my eighteenth birthday, there were no longevity noodles or cake.The mother I relied on was trying to convince me to serve her man, all for a bit of an easier life.My right hand trembled uncontrollably. I couldn't tell if it was from shock, fear, or the overwhelming nausea.*Clatter*—The sliding door

Stan Wallace said I should stay at the company-arranged apartment, and for the whole day, I felt a bit disoriented, like a puppy that had been caged for too long, forgetting how to step out of its cage.It wasn't until he finished work early and came to my workstation, saying he would take me there directly, that it started to feel real.At the company entrance, Florence Bobby was waiting by the motorcycle, her head lowered as she poked at the pink helmet with her finger. When she heard us approaching, she looked up and waved, her makeup still perfectly in place after a full day's work, and she even reapplied her lipstick, "Stan, don't be late for the birthday party tonight."Hearing this, I blinked in disbelief, unable to fathom such a coincidence—our birthdays were on the same day.Perhaps, I should have offered to go home myself, not wanting to intrude on my brother and his girlfriend's date, especially since it was their annual birthday celebration. But the words stuck in my th

At the office, my colleague Sister Cynthia Gold and I went to copy the documents needed for the meeting. She has a very outgoing personality."Totally forgot to tell you, I ran into your brother and our 'Princess' when I was out for dinner with friends the other day," Cynthia Gold said as she unpacked the files, turning her head to me. "It seemed like it was her birthday, and our company only invited your brother.""Princess" is the nickname of Florence Bobby.Birthdays should be spent with important people, so she could only bring her best friend and boyfriend."Oh," I responded with a slight smile, pressing the start button, and the papers came out with a rustling sound from the other side."It was actually the first time I saw your brother drinking," Cynthia Gold said, showing a thoughtful expression, as if recalling something."What's up?" I asked.Cynthia Gold shook her head, "When I was leaving to go to the restroom, I bumped into him again. He was staring at his phone, ta

This night, I didn't dare to sleep too deeply, always feeling that there were clicking sounds in the room. Every time I closed my eyes, it felt as if someone was approaching me. Even so, it seemed like I had a whole night of nightmares, leaving me utterly exhausted when I woke up.Unable to fall asleep, I got up early and went to the kitchen to make a sandwich. While slicing the sausage, I almost cut my finger.In the past, I never cooked; every meal was prepared by Dad. He said I didn't need to learn these things, that girls should know less, just like Mom, so that the people who love me would do everything for me in the future.Back then, he always thought he could be with me for a long time, but before I found someone who loves me, some things had to be handled by myself.So, girls should still learn more. You don't have to do it, but you can't not know how.At most, when I meet someone who loves me, I can pretend not to know, I laughed to myself, countering Dad's words.The i