The Day I Left He Proposed But I No Longer Wanted Marriage Chapter 08

The Day I Left He Proposed But I No Longer Wanted Marriage Chapter 08

I dragged my suitcase behind me, wandering aimlessly through the streets of New York.

The late autumn wind cut against my face like the blade of a knife, yet I felt incredibly, piercingly clear ahead.

I circled the streets over and over.

Before I knew it, I had unconsciously walked onto that old street—both familiar and foreign.

Staring up at the slightly worn down apartment building before me, my eyes began to sting.

This was my home.

It was the place I’d run from for six whole years, yet never stopped missing for a single moment.

I stood at the entrance to the building unit, not daring to take that step forward for the longest time.

Terrified of seeing the disappointment and resentment in my father’s and sister’s eyes.

“Zoe?”

A startled cry suddenly came from behind me.

I turned around stiffly and saw my sister, her face full of disbelief.

In those six years, fine lines had etched themselves at the corners of her eyes.

She stared at me, and tears spilled down without any warning.

“You still remember to come back?”

My sister’s voice carried a choked sob—and years upon years of pent-up resentment.

I bit down on my lower lip and lowered my head, like a child who’d done something terribly wrong, unable to utter a single word.

My sister strode quickly over, took my suitcase from my hand, and pulled me upstairs.

The door was pushed open, and the familiar, fragrant smell of home cooked food came rushing toward me.

On the sofa sat an old man with graying hair.

His back was slightly stooped, and he was reading the newspaper through a pair of reading glasses.

Hearing the door open, he lifted his head with some slowness.

In the instant he saw me, the newspaper slipped from his hands.

“Zoe… is it really my Zoe who’s come home?”

Dad rose unsteadily to his feet, his cloudy eyes brimming with tears.

Staring at my father, who looked as though he’d aged more than ten years,

all the remorse I’d suppressed for so long erupted completely in that moment.

I threw myself forward and dropped to my knees at Dad’s feet, sobbing aloud.

“Dad! I’m sorry! Your daughter is home—your daughter has been so unfilial!”

Dad’s trembling hand stroked my hair.

“You’re back, that’s all that matters. You’re back. Dad doesn’t blame you. As long as you’re back…”

That night, for the first time ever, my sister didn’t lecture me.

Instead, she walked quietly into the kitchen and made several extra dishes—all my favorites.

After we finished eating, the atmosphere in the room was somewhat heavy.

My sister changed into a set of black clothes and walked over to me, holding a bundle of white chrysanthemums in her hand.

“Come on. I’ll take you to see Mom.”

My sister’s voice was very calm, but it made my whole body jolt.

Back when our mother passed away, because of Evan and the Harrison family’s obstruction, I hadn’t been able to see her one last time.

My sister hated me to the bone for my heartlessness.

Those first few years, no matter how desperately I begged, she refused to tell me where our mother was buried.

Later on, she even cut off all contact with me entirely.