Chapter 25
I then told the landowner to blacklist the number if Antonio ever called
again.
After signing the contract, I soon got my property certificate.
I took a photo and then went to have a party with my friends.
I only went back home at 10 p.m. and I offered to walk the dog for my
dad.
When I pushed the gate open, I saw a familiar tall figure blocking my
way.
It was Antonio. “Grace.”
I held the dog leash tightly as I stepped back nervously. “Stay where you are.”
Antonio frowned as he saw my reaction. He then approached me.
He tried to say something while my pet dog, barking and biting, tried to stop him.
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Yet Antonio ignored the dog and finally forced me to a corner.
With his back against the light, Antonio stared at me.
He said, “Let’s talk. I don’t want any misunderstanding between us.”
I frowned and replied, “I don’t see any need for that.”
Holding his fists, Antonio leaned against the wall while cornering me. “Grace, have you forgotten that we’re getting married?
“Do you think you can get rid of me that easily?
“I’m your fiance, not your pet.”
In the face of his questions, I didn’t feel like answering any of them.
I tried to push him away, yet I couldn’t.
My pet dog kept barking crazily, trying to protect me. The noise lit up the lights of many floors.
As more and more people were gathering, I had to make a compromise since I didn’t wanna bother my parents.
Thus, I took him to a coffee shop, which was open 24 hours a day.
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Antonio ordered two cups of Americano.
One of them was with extra ice and without sugar. He placed that one beside me.
“See, Grace? I know your preferences.”
I couldn’t help but blink my eyes.
I hated everything bitter since I was little.
We had black coffee at home, simply because Antonio loved it.
As for extra ice, it was only there to relieve the bitterness.
I found Antonio more talkative after a few days without seeing him.
He kept nagging even if I didn’t say anything
“I apologize for forgetting your birthday.
“I got confused with the date. I always thought that it was in next month.
“But I’ve prepared a gift for you ahead of time.”
As he spoke, he took out a velvet little box from his pocket.
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Seeing that I had no intention of opening it, Antonio had to open it
himself. He then presented a pair of crystal earrings in front of me. They looked expensive.
Two years ago, Antonio promised me that he would pick a pair of crystal earrings for me to wear on formal occasions.
He finally fulfilled his promise.
Yet I no longer needed it.
“Grace, why don’t you try them on?
I saw expectation in his eyes.
After pausing for a few seconds, I finally picked up the earrings that I no longer wanted.
Yet I didn’t try them on as he had expected.
I fiddled with them before turning around my wrist and dropping them on the floor. The earrings were broken.
The fragments hit the bottom of Antonio’s trousers.
Only then did I see the wounds left by the dog.
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Yet I pretended not to have seen them. I raised my head and said, “They’re ugly. I don’t like them.
“Is there anything else that you wanna say?
“If not, I’d like to go back.”
Antonio spilled his coffee because his fingers were trembling. The neat freak didn’t seem to care about the coffee stains left on the sleeves.
He pressed his temples as he grabbed my hand.
“Stop pretending, Grace! It’s not a game!
“Not only did you text Cecilia to force her to resign, but you also broke up with me when she was about to have the surgery abroad.
“I can forgive you for what you’ve done.
“But you have to tell me what on earth you want,
“You wanna get married to me at once, right?”
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Antonio’s face darkened as he pulled me to him all of a sudden.
I was forced to look into his eyes.
Antonio was surprised to see that there was nothing but coldness in my
eyes.
I got rid of his hands, not feeling like explaining what had actually. happened. Cecilia smashed my reputation by wronging me, yet I didn’t
care.
In the end, I said word by word, peacefully, “Antonio, I’m gonna say this for one last time. I’ve already broken up with you.
“Thus, please stay assured. I won’t get married to you. And I don’t have any fantasy on you, either.
“If we run into each other in the future, ignore me as if we had never known each other before. You don’t have to greet me.”
I didn’t yell or scold, nor did I bother him with my tears.
He watched as I walked to the bar and ordered three lattes with sugar for takeaway.
Finally, Antonio was panicking.
He followed me out of the coffee shop.
“Grace, I’m your first love.”
I turned around at him and asked, “So?”
“You confessed to me back then. You told me that you never liked anyone
that much before…
“Remember what we said at the commencement? We promised to stay together no matter what happened in the future.”
“So…”
He even stammered, “So you can’t break up with me simply because you’re tired of our relationship. It happens, but that’s no excuse for breaking up with me. It’s not fair.”
He made me laugh. “That’s the kind of promise any new couple would make. Did you take that seriously?”
I still remembered what I had heard the next day after I accepted Antonio’s proposal.
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I stood at the door of his office, listening as he comforted Cecilia, who
pretended to congratulate him on his engagement. “What I have for Grace. is far from love.
“She’s like a dog, following me all the time. I have to give her something. so that she can stay there peacefully.”
Antonio said that he didn’t love me.
Yet when I broke the promise, he seemed to be in extreme pain. I left him in the coffee shop, dumbfounded.
I then ordered a taxi.
The moment I opened the door, I heard Antonio’s cold voice.
“Grace, you know me well. If you leave now, we’re indeed done…”
I didn’t have the patience to hear him out. Thus, I got into the taxi without even turning around.
Another month had passed.
I was occupied organizing my new place and at the same time finding a new job.
It was not easy.
Yet luckily, I got my dream place and my dream job.
As for Antonio, I got his news from our mutual friends from time to time.
They told me that Antonio seemed busier and busier. He didn’t have time for socializing.
He didn’t delete the post that said we were about to get married.
Yet I didn’t mind that.
I didn’t wanna waste my time or energy on someone in the past.
It was Friday evening.
I clocked off during the rush hour. Yet luckily, I managed to arrive on time at the banquet my college colleague held for her 100–day–old daughter.
It was held in a bright banquet hall.
I gave my colleague a baby overall as a present.
During the banquet, a few friends of mine came over to chat with me.
Finally came Alonso Vincent.
