"Aunt Diana, it was her choice not to marry me," I said to the woman in front of me.
The study was dimly lit. Nicole’s mother, Diana, sat at her desk, her face etched with deep worry.
She sighed deeply and replied, "I thought, with our families being so close, our children could...but, forget it, Lawrence. Feelings aren’t something you can force."
She handed me the engagement contract along with a check bearing the word "VOID" stamped on it.
"Leave now," Aunt Diana added, "and fill in the amount on the check yourself."
I left, leaving the check behind.
Our families had been close for years, and they arranged my engagement to Nicole. Although there were some practical benefits to the marriage as a strategic match, to be fair, aside from Nicole, the Sullivans hadn’t wronged me. And I wouldn’t accept a single penny from her mother.
As I stepped out of the villa, the scorching sun overhead reminded me of the day I first met Nicole.
It was a day just like this, under the blazing sun.
She had been like a rare, unattainable flower, and I fell for her instantly.
Once, Nicole looked me up and down with a sneer.
"You’ve got some looks, but don’t even think about taking what’s not yours."