All Chapters of It's in the Cards: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

With the forms filled and signed, our photos taken, Yorick and I stepped out of the civil bureau.My phone then rang.It was Dean, chuckling and grunting in satisfaction. "Are you jealous? Running off without a word."I turned towards Yorick, busy watching him as he arranged my mother's surgery."Don't be so petty," Dean was still gloating on the other end. "Luna offered her chastity to improve my fortune. Once I'm rich, the money's all yours anyway—in the end, we are all doing this for you."For me.My heart stung, even as Dean's buddies laughed rowdily on the other end."Hey, Sue! Dean's such a gentleman that he kept his hands tied the whole time!""He left as soon as he was done, leaving Luna alone in bed while he called to comfort you. He's really the perfect husband!""Come on, tell her! Did you ever touch Luna inappropriately?"Dean snorted. "Of course not—why would I? She's a bro."Suddenly, her phone was snatched away, and Luna purred, "Hey, Sue. Can I borrow your pa

Chapter 2

And with that, Dean hung up.When I got home, however, there was no one else around—only an utter mess in the bedroom, with a box of empty condoms.I felt utterly sick and quickly collected all my personal documents and credentials.Anything else didn't matter—it was all filth now.Still, Dean just happened to return, and leaned in for a kiss.When I turned my face away, he snorted and reached for my nape, speaking like he was talking about the weather, "Still jealous, sourpuss? Luna did say you're a jinx, so the marriage registration will have to wait until next month."I stood there, feeling weary in body and soul.This was the seventeenth time in five years.The first time, Luna flashed three tarot cards, saying that marrying this day would ruin his destiny and fortune, and he promptly called it off.The second time, he never showed up, even as I waited in my wedding gown.Luna then told me I had committed too much evil, and must eat vegan the whole year to bring good fort

Chapter 3

Five years ago, my father received $30,000 in compensation for a work injury.As soon as Dean found out, he told me he was starting a company.Even that $30,000 wasn't enough for him, and I had to sell my old house too and gather another $70,000.He held me then, nestling his face against my neck as he sobbed, promising to return everything to me when he got rich.Now, five years later, my mom was diagnosed with liver cancer, and I asked him for $20,000, only for him to tell me that aging and death were inevitable.I rented an apartment near the hospital after I left, so that I could better take care of my mother in the future.I was just unpacking when my phone rang.It was Mrs. Stark, Dean's mother.And she clearly sounded unhappy. "Why aren't you here for my massage? My hips are going to snap. Get over here already… Also, I keep waking up at night for days now, so you're staying over too. It's high time you clean this place…"Every morning at 5am, I would go to her home to

Chapter 4

Luna clutched her cheek and screamed, and Dean promptly shielded her in his arms and looked at me with an eerie glare. I then felt a thud—Mrs. Stark had thrown her teacup on my head. "Apologize right now, Sue Graham!" She hollered. "Luna has always been our lucky star! That's how our family became so successful! "As for you—what have you done other than leech off my son?! Sure, you gave him some money before, but that doesn't mean we are your slaves, or have to suffer your tantrums!"I didn't wipe the blood trickling down my temples, as I kept staring at Dean. "Give me my money, or I'll sue."Dean closed his eyes and sighed in pain. "You really disappoint me, Sue. You ask for $20,000 outright, but have you considered my standpoint? Have you not thought about how hard it is to get that money? You've been a housewife too long to understand how difficult life can be."I laughed—$20,000 was difficult?Pointing at Luna's handbag, I asked, "That's new, isn't it? The official retail

Chapter 5

I started to pass out while Yorick rushed to a private hospital with me in his arms.I could only remember my blood soaking into his sleeves, dyeing his white shirt crimson.The hospital chief himself was waiting to wheel me into surgery, and I couldn't hear what he spoke into my ears.My ribs were broken and there was minor internal bleeding with multiple soft tissue contusions, though it was the fractured shin that required immediate surgery.When it was done, and I was moved to a ward, Yorick stood in the hallway, speaking very softly into his phone.Still, I heard the words 'wrongful confinement', 'premeditated bodily injury', and 'immediate arrest'.-Meanwhile, Dean was pinned to the ground as the police cuffed him.He struggled violently and screamed, "She's my fiancee! You have no right!"The leading officer scanned through a document Yorick's assistant brought, asking, "If she is, why is she registered married to someone else?"Dean's jaw dropped, and he couldn't ma

Chapter 6

Dean was released on bail pending trial, with travel restrictions imposed.He stood outside the detention center for half a minute, and took a taxi to his office… only to find the front doors sealed with white tape. Hence, he returned to our house, but his key wouldn't even fit into the doorknob.It had been changed.When he smacked the door, a stranger stepped open the wooden door, while the steel door remained shut. "Who are you? I bought this place just last week at an auction."Dean could only stand outside and call Luna.The dialing tone rang five times before it was hung up.When he tried again, a cold machine voice answered, telling him Luna's phone was turned off.He hence rushed over to her place to find her packing a suitcase.Grabbing her wrist, he growled, "Where do you think you're going?"Luna shook him off. "I can't help you even if I stay. So I'm going abroad to lay low until this blows over.""You're leaving?"Dean's eyes were red and bloodshot as he snarl

Chapter 7

During the civil court trial, Dean arrived in an orange jumpsuit from lockup, as the bailiffs brought him in.He looked around, eventually staring fixedly at me.Yorick had draped his coat over my shoulders and whispered something to me, smiling when I shook my head.Meanwhile, Dean was shoved to the prisoner's dock.Eventually, it was my turn to present my case, at which I took out four sheets from a document envelope, spreading them on the table."Here's the agreement for each abortion I was forced to take," I explained. "Just before surgery, Luna would flash her tarot cards, insisting that each child would jinx their father. Dean never hesitated to sign the consent forms."The courtroom remained dead silent as I handed my phone to a court clerk, who played the audio clip.Luna's voice rang first, "You're being hounded by jinxes. That's why things aren't going well for Dean lately! Just sleep with me once, and let your male vigor erupt to blow away the jinxes. That's the only

Chapter 8

The days seemed to accelerate after my wedding, and every day was blessed with sweet happiness.Yorick set up an atelier for me in the backyard of the Queens' old mansion, surrounded by glass walls—it was filled with warmth whenever the sun rose.Yorick himself would come to give me a peck on the head before he headed to work.Then, in the evenings, he would knock three times on the window wall, mouthing the words as I looked up, "Time for dinner."We also adopted a cat we named Happy—a tiny palm-sized creature that eventually grew into a magnificent orange tabby, always waiting at the atelier door for its belly scratches.My mom herself bought a house nearby, and had grown a garden full of roses. She would cook healthy soup that she brought over every other day, and I could always hear her chatting and laughing with Mrs. Queen as they learned new recipes.One day around a year later, Yorick returned from work, and hung his coat as he went over to hug my waist.Resting his chin

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