جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

My father sat quietly at the head of the table. He picked up his glass, took a slow sip, and checked his watch. It was noon, the time he had picked for the formal toast. He set his glass down, rose to his feet, and straightened his suit. Every eye in the room turned toward him almost immediately. Next to me, Austin cleared his throat and fixed his tie. He even moved half a step forward as if anticipating something. He probably was. After all, he had been preparing for this moment for two weeks. He wrote his speech in advance and practiced it every night in front of the mirror, excited to stand here as the man of the house when my father announced our engagement.Naturally, he was also eagerly waiting to have it announced that his name would be added to the deed. My father looked around the room. His gaze paused briefly on Austin before dropping to the kraft envelope in his hand. For a moment, I thought he might open it. Instead, he folded it and slipped it back into the

In Austin's mind, we were family, which meant I was supposed to compromise, be understanding, and protect an outsider from embarrassment. He made it sound as though every uncomfortable feeling I'd had to endure that afternoon came down to one simple flaw—I simply wasn't generous enough. I studied his flawless face and suddenly realized that our three years together were like the wind sweeping across the balcony. Those loving moments were there for a brief time, then gone the next without leaving anything behind. I took a step back, ready to speak. A sharp crash erupted from the living room, followed by a woman's startled scream. I spun around, shoved open the glass door, and hurried inside. The area in front of the display cabinet was a wreck. My mother had placed a family portrait there earlier that day. She had gone out of her way to find the retired photographer who had taken our pictures for years and ordered a custom solid-wood frame for it. Now, it lay shattered o

"This is a wonderful neighborhood," Irene continued, surveying the room with open approval. "It'll be perfect once you have children. The schools nearby are excellent." She leaned back and gave the interior a more critical look. "I'm not fond of the decor, though. It's far too plain. I'll have someone redesign the place after the wedding." Then, she turned to me as though the decision had already been made. "Lily, how many other properties do you own? You'll have to take me around for a tour sometime." Before I could respond, Irene opened her red handbag, pulled out a ring of keys, and dropped them onto the table. "Have a copy of the keys made for me. Once you two have a baby, I'll be coming over to help. I'll need the keys to let myself in." I looked down at the keys and smiled. "I'm afraid that won't be necessary, Mrs. Blanchard. I'm the only person with a key to this penthouse." She stared at me. "What do you mean? You and Austin are getting married soon. Where's his key?"

"No. That's not why I'm here." Austin lowered his voice. "I really do want us to get back together." He hesitated before adding, "But I am in a situation right now. Just help me get through this, and I swear I'll pay you back twice over someday." I almost laughed. "Someday? With what money? Your checking account is empty before the end of the month, and your credit cards have been maxed out for ages. This 'someday' you keep talking about is just another way of asking me to keep supporting you." Austin's face flushed. "Lily, do you have to make it sound so ugly? I'm just going through a rough patch. Is it really so terrible to ask you for help?" His voice rose with frustration. "We were together for three years. How could you be this heartless?" I looked at the face that had once made my heart race and was struck by how unfamiliar it seemed. "Three years," I repeated. "For three years, you've lived in my home, drove in my car, and spent my money from a card attached to my ac

The final screenshot showed another transfer memo—financial support for startup expenses. Every payment had been clearly documented, and much of the money I had given Austin had ultimately been spent on Wren. Austin went silent. Several minutes passed before another message appeared. "Lily, I'll pay you back. I promise." "Then, start now," I replied. His answer came almost immediately. "I don't have the money right now." "Then, borrow it." This time, the pause was longer. "You can't seriously expect me to come up with 400,000 dollars overnight." 'I'm giving you 30 days,' I wrote. "Repay the full amount by then, or my attorney will file a claim against you." I blocked him right after sending that text. Later, I heard about Austin's situation through a mutual friend. It seems he spent days calling everyone he knew, asking for loans. The friends who once admired his expensive watch, joined him for drinks, and called him a best friend suddenly found endless excuses