Chapter 7
Antonio’s eyes pleaded with me, but I stepped back.
“It’s over,” I said coldly, staring at him. “You and Yvonne are a better match.”
Antonio clenched his teeth. “No, Yvonne is a bitch. If she hadn’t dragged me on that trip, my dad wouldn’t have…”
I knew what he was going to say, but I was fed up with his excuses. Without a backward glance, I turned and walked away.
I heard him crying his heart out, devastated by his father’s death.
But I was past caring.
Back in the city, I threw myself into work.
Jake had taken down my forecast report without permission, and now he was held accountable.
The head of our office fired him and offered me a promotion. I accepted it without a qualm.
The future felt wide open.
After work, I got a call from Jodie.
“Grace, please come help Antonio. He’s been kneeling at his dad’s grave for hours, not eating or drinking anything. His eyes are bleeding from crying. Can you talk to him?”
Chapter 7
“Mrs. Kaufman, Antonio and I broke up. I’m not the right person for this. Plus, I’ve been swamped with work.”
I hung up before she could say more.
About two weeks later, I saw Antonio again after work.
He had lost so much weight that he was almost unrecognizable.
He handed me a large bouquet of roses.
I recoiled, putting space between us.
An awkward silence followed until he finally spoke. “Grace, I’ve ended things with Yvonne. It was all my fault, and I’m truly sorry. Can you forgive me?”
I shot him a cold glance and said, “Listen, whether you’ve ended things with her or you’re sorry, it doesn’t matter to me anymore.”
He fell to his knees, begging, “Can’t you give me another chance? We’ve been together for so many years. Are you really going to leave me like this?
“I’ve already lost my dad; I can’t lose you too!”
Antonio’s begging and crying was a pitiful sight, but I felt nothing for him.
“There’s no future for us, Antonio. Please, just stop,” I replied coldly. His face turned deathly pale.
I turned and walked away, leaving him kneeling there for a long while.
In the following days, Antonio tried to see me multiple times, but I never
spoke to him.
Eventually, he stopped coming around.
I thought he had finally given up.
But the day before what was supposed to be our wedding, he showed up. He was dressed in a tuxedo, holding flowers and a ring.
He knelt on one knee, offering them to me. “Grace, will you marry me? I swear I’ll love you with all my heart, now and forever.”
He caught me off guard.
The onlookers cheered, urging me to say yes.
But I slapped him across the face. “Antonio, I told you it’s over. Stop making a scene and leave me alone.”
For a moment, I saw despair on his face.
