Chapter 5
“Antony, are you out of your mind?”
I was utterly bewildered and tried to shake him off to leave. I was clean, for crying out loud. Why on earth. would I need a shower?
But Antony yanked me back, his eyes blazing with an intensity that seemed like he was out for revenge.
“Where is he?”
I blinked, confused. “Who?”
Antony’s neck was taut with veins, his voice carrying the weight of enormous anger. “The kidnapper who answered the phone last night.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle, taking advantage of his distraction to free myself from his grip.
“Could it be that he was my rescuer, not a kidnapper?”
Antony let out a bitter, incredulous laugh, practically spitting his words through clenched teeth. “Oh? So he saved you… in bed? Did saving you require touching you?”
Honestly, I couldn’t fathom what Antony was so upset about.
“Is it that hard to understand?” I scoffed. “I was kidnapped, not on a vacation. Shouldn’t I be grateful I wasn’t left half–dead?”
Thank goodness the leader was Allen. Thank goodness he showed up that day. Thank goodness… he agreed. Antony was stunned for a few seconds after I said that, then his expression shattered as the meaning of my words sunk in. His anger fractured, replaced by a look of helplessness in his eyes.
“I… I didn’t think it was real,” he stammered. “I thought you were putting on an act, that they were hired by you to pressure me into marriage. If I had known…”
I cut him off with a dry laugh, recalling the events of that day with a deep, unsettling calm.
“Didn’t you know? Wasn’t it you who suggested paying five million as a thank–you fee to have them ‘teach me a lesson‘? What could have been resolved with money turned into a nightmare for me because of your one sentence. If I hadn’t been rescued in time, they might have already raped me–and worse, there could be countless videos of it out there.”
“Congratulations, Antony. I’ve really learned my lesson. I won’t cling to you anymore.”
Antony’s face froze, his eyes reflecting the extinguished flames of his anger. His jaw worked as if he was gritting his teeth, and after a long silence, he seemed to convince himself to speak, albeit with difficulty. “Forget it, Jenny. Forget the kidnapping, forget that man. Forget the two of you…”
His words abruptly stopped. Antony’s lips trembled, unable to finish his sentence. He took a deep breath and turned away, his voice softer.
“Let’s pretend none of it happened. You want to marry me, fine. I can give you everything but love and fidelity.” For a moment, I wondered if I was hearing things. Did Antony just say something reasonable? Did he forget he was the one who pursued me first? He proposed at sixteen, not six!
As adults, he easily dismissed his promises, never considering how the heart he had won over–the heart that fell in love with him–would ever recover.
Like a stray dog, adopted and then abandoned, confused, wronged, and grieving, it’s hard to return to the streets once accustomed to warmth.
04:46
Chapter 5
Sometimes, I think it would have been better if he had never taken me in, never lured me with his affection.
“Forget it,” I said, my voice a mixture of anger, grief, and resignation. The emotions swirled, leaving only a sense of self–imposed hopelessness.
I lowered my gaze, smiling with a composed serenity,
“Don’t force yourself. I’ve given up. I won’t bother you or love you anymore. There’s no need for such a sacrifice.” My words were sincere, yet Antony seemed even more dissatisfied with my compliance. A flicker of uncertainty passed through his eyes, and his tone turned sarcastic and irritable.
“Easy for you to say. Not cling to me? Do you believe that yourself? Can you do it?”
“I can,” I replied firmly, my mind flashing with Allen’s image.
After that day, I kept my word, distancing myself from Antony as much as possible. I stopped sending him amusing messages, stopped caring about his romantic liaisons, and ceased making impromptu appearances in his life.
Even when mutual friends gathered, I stayed away.
Mrs. Zade noticed my detachment and messaged me a few times. But after realizing my stance, she sighed wistfully, saying, “I guess the mother–in–law and daughter–in–law bond wasn’t meant for us.”
A little over a month later, on Christmas Day, Jackson stopped by my pottery studio. Watching me calmly instructing my students, he raised an eyebrow with a teasing grin.
“Jenny, are you serious this time?”
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
