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Section 1
### Chapter 1: Chapter-1
"Richard, what exactly do you think you're doing?"She stood at his front door, visibly angry."You're doing all this over some woman? Seriously?"Do you have any idea how humiliating it was when you left us stranded at the police station that day? Even our family company's stock price dropped."Richard sat on the couch and didn't answer.All he could think about was my father, left alone in that hospital hallway without a single person to talk to.Daisy got more and more worked up."Our families have been close for so many years, and you're just cutting us off like that?"Even if you two are having problems, there's no need to throw away years of friendship between our families, is there?"While Daisy was still talking, her mother, Carol, jumped in. "Richard, you and Daisy grew up together."Every married couple fights. Honestly, divorcing that woman was probably for the best."Anyone could see she wasn't raised right. Now you and Daisy can—""Enough!" Richard cut her off, his voice i
I didn't listen to another word from Richard. I pushed the door open and went out.Arthur Bennett, a young man in his 20s, stood at the gate holding a bag of medicine.He had on a plain white T-shirt, and the evening breeze had ruffled the hair on his forehead.When he saw me, his eyes lit up."Your dad didn't look well today, so I picked up a mild sleep aid from the local pharmacy for him."Arthur was the new doctor in town. He was the one who'd arranged the truck for us that day.To thank him, Mom had made a point of inviting him over for dinner.Before I could say anything, Richard followed me outside. The two men sized each other up.Hearing the voices, my parents came out, nudged Richard out of the way, and warmly ushered Arthur inside.I smiled, took the bag of medicine, and thanked him.Dad glanced at the man frozen in the doorway and said in a flat voice, "Richard, you're blocking the door. You should head home."The door slammed shut in his face. Richard stood on the step, and
The Richard I knew back then wasn't like this.When I worked night shifts, he'd bring me a late-night snack. He never acted like it was any trouble.He remembered where I liked to get my coffee and never thought twice about going halfway across the city for it.When I got sick, he'd stay up all night by my side, taking my temperature.Back then, I really did believe this.Marriage was just between the two people in it. If two people loved each other, they'd stay happy like this forever.Until we got married.He still bought me presents. He still remembered my birthday.He'd still text me after every surgery to say, "Don't stay up too late."But the way he treated my parents was a completely different story.I made endless excuses for him and kept letting things go.But I'd forgotten that my parents had put up with even more than I had.I pulled myself back to the present. My voice was firm. "Have you signed yet? Once you sign, you can go."Richard's frown deepened."Over a few small th
Richard stood on the dirt path at the edge of the field, breathing hard.The moment he saw me, his eyes reddened.But after one look at him, I turned back to my work and pretended I hadn't seen him.He froze. After a moment, he seemed to recover. Then he took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and walked over.I kept my head down and went on sorting grapes.He came up beside me and reached for the basket in my hands."I've got it.""No need."I moved it out of his reach."I don't want to trouble you."Richard's expression darkened.He knew those words all too well.He had said the same thing to me more times than he could count."Too much trouble.""You can handle it yourself.""You're bothering me with something this small?"Hearing it from me now left him speechless for a long moment.After a while, he bent down and picked up a basket of grapes anyway.I didn't pay him any more attention.He didn't say anything either.He just followed my parents and me without a word.When Dad h
Richard gripped his phone. In his other hand, he held bags of souvenirs he'd bought for Daisy's family. Suddenly, his mind went completely blank.Daisy tugged at his shirt."Richard, come watch the sunset with me over there, okay?"He yanked his hand back. His voice shook. "Watch it without me. I have to go back."Then, ignoring Daisy's stunned cries, he turned and sprinted for the parking lot.By the time I got home, it was evening the next day.My mom, Linda Brooks, was waiting at the end of our road. The moment she saw me, her eyes filled with tears."It's only been a few days. How did you get so thin?"She took my suitcase from me as she talked.My dad, Frank Brooks, didn't say anything. He just quietly took the bag from my hand.My eyes stung, and I nearly cried."Dad, Mom."I'm home."Mom grabbed my hand and hurried me inside."You're home, that's what matters. You're home."Dinner was already on the table, and every dish was one of my favorites, starting with a sweet, tangy toma
I'd meant to keep quiet, but the moment Carol dragged my parents into it, my eyes burned with anger. "She's all over a married man, hugging him and feeding him. And you don't think that's disgusting?"Richard looked at me wearily, like I was a child throwing a tantrum over nothing."We've been like this since we were kids. She's like a little sister to me."I stared at him in disbelief."They're insulting my parents. Are you deaf?""They didn't mean anything by it. Don't take it to heart."I looked at him, too exhausted to argue anymore, tears streaming down my face.Even now, he still thought I was just jealous.Daisy's voice kept breaking. "Richard, if Angela can't stand having me around, then just forget about me. Leave me to fend for myself."She ran into the elevator in tears, her parents hurrying after her.Richard watched her go, the pain in his eyes unmistakable. As her sobs faded down the hall, his expression hardened."Happy now?"He pulled out his phone and called the resort
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### Chapter 2: Chapter-2
"Richard, what exactly do you think you're doing?"She stood at his front door, visibly angry."You're doing all this over some woman? Seriously?"Do you have any idea how humiliating it was when you left us stranded at the police station that day? Even our family company's stock price dropped."Richard sat on the couch and didn't answer.All he could think about was my father, left alone in that hospital hallway without a single person to talk to.Daisy got more and more worked up."Our families have been close for so many years, and you're just cutting us off like that?"Even if you two are having problems, there's no need to throw away years of friendship between our families, is there?"While Daisy was still talking, her mother, Carol, jumped in. "Richard, you and Daisy grew up together."Every married couple fights. Honestly, divorcing that woman was probably for the best."Anyone could see she wasn't raised right. Now you and Daisy can—""Enough!" Richard cut her off, his voice i
I didn't listen to another word from Richard. I pushed the door open and went out.Arthur Bennett, a young man in his 20s, stood at the gate holding a bag of medicine.He had on a plain white T-shirt, and the evening breeze had ruffled the hair on his forehead.When he saw me, his eyes lit up."Your dad didn't look well today, so I picked up a mild sleep aid from the local pharmacy for him."Arthur was the new doctor in town. He was the one who'd arranged the truck for us that day.To thank him, Mom had made a point of inviting him over for dinner.Before I could say anything, Richard followed me outside. The two men sized each other up.Hearing the voices, my parents came out, nudged Richard out of the way, and warmly ushered Arthur inside.I smiled, took the bag of medicine, and thanked him.Dad glanced at the man frozen in the doorway and said in a flat voice, "Richard, you're blocking the door. You should head home."The door slammed shut in his face. Richard stood on the step, and
The Richard I knew back then wasn't like this.When I worked night shifts, he'd bring me a late-night snack. He never acted like it was any trouble.He remembered where I liked to get my coffee and never thought twice about going halfway across the city for it.When I got sick, he'd stay up all night by my side, taking my temperature.Back then, I really did believe this.Marriage was just between the two people in it. If two people loved each other, they'd stay happy like this forever.Until we got married.He still bought me presents. He still remembered my birthday.He'd still text me after every surgery to say, "Don't stay up too late."But the way he treated my parents was a completely different story.I made endless excuses for him and kept letting things go.But I'd forgotten that my parents had put up with even more than I had.I pulled myself back to the present. My voice was firm. "Have you signed yet? Once you sign, you can go."Richard's frown deepened."Over a few small th
Richard stood on the dirt path at the edge of the field, breathing hard.The moment he saw me, his eyes reddened.But after one look at him, I turned back to my work and pretended I hadn't seen him.He froze. After a moment, he seemed to recover. Then he took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and walked over.I kept my head down and went on sorting grapes.He came up beside me and reached for the basket in my hands."I've got it.""No need."I moved it out of his reach."I don't want to trouble you."Richard's expression darkened.He knew those words all too well.He had said the same thing to me more times than he could count."Too much trouble.""You can handle it yourself.""You're bothering me with something this small?"Hearing it from me now left him speechless for a long moment.After a while, he bent down and picked up a basket of grapes anyway.I didn't pay him any more attention.He didn't say anything either.He just followed my parents and me without a word.When Dad h
Richard gripped his phone. In his other hand, he held bags of souvenirs he'd bought for Daisy's family. Suddenly, his mind went completely blank.Daisy tugged at his shirt."Richard, come watch the sunset with me over there, okay?"He yanked his hand back. His voice shook. "Watch it without me. I have to go back."Then, ignoring Daisy's stunned cries, he turned and sprinted for the parking lot.By the time I got home, it was evening the next day.My mom, Linda Brooks, was waiting at the end of our road. The moment she saw me, her eyes filled with tears."It's only been a few days. How did you get so thin?"She took my suitcase from me as she talked.My dad, Frank Brooks, didn't say anything. He just quietly took the bag from my hand.My eyes stung, and I nearly cried."Dad, Mom."I'm home."Mom grabbed my hand and hurried me inside."You're home, that's what matters. You're home."Dinner was already on the table, and every dish was one of my favorites, starting with a sweet, tangy toma
I'd meant to keep quiet, but the moment Carol dragged my parents into it, my eyes burned with anger. "She's all over a married man, hugging him and feeding him. And you don't think that's disgusting?"Richard looked at me wearily, like I was a child throwing a tantrum over nothing."We've been like this since we were kids. She's like a little sister to me."I stared at him in disbelief."They're insulting my parents. Are you deaf?""They didn't mean anything by it. Don't take it to heart."I looked at him, too exhausted to argue anymore, tears streaming down my face.Even now, he still thought I was just jealous.Daisy's voice kept breaking. "Richard, if Angela can't stand having me around, then just forget about me. Leave me to fend for myself."She ran into the elevator in tears, her parents hurrying after her.Richard watched her go, the pain in his eyes unmistakable. As her sobs faded down the hall, his expression hardened."Happy now?"He pulled out his phone and called the resort
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