What?” Jasmine sat cross-legged across from me, looking curious.


    “I turned him down, so he left. Said he had to get back to work. And that was it,” I said, and Jasmine paused, looking a little surprised.


    “He left just like that? Didn’t even try a bit harder?” Jasmine shook her head. “This guy’s got no persistence.”


    “He knows when to back off. Not the clingy type,” I said, thinking of Josh, his rough, tough exterior still fresh in my mind.


    Jasmine tilted her head and looked at me, a sly smile on her lips. “If he’d tried a little harder, would you have…”


    “No!” I interrupted. “I’m not about to let one man fix the mess another left behind.”


    “Guess no one can rece Alvin that easily,” Jasmine said, summarizing my thoughts.


    I gave a faint smile. “Alvin agreed to break up.”


    Jasmine froze for a moment, and I set my ss down. “I came by to shower, change, and head to the Dolton family. I need to clear things up with Peter and Michelle. Alvin and I… we’re done, for good.”


    As the words left my mouth, I lowered my gaze.


    It wasn’t about being reluctant, nor was it a sense of relief. It was something moreplicated-hard to exin.


    Ten years. I wasn’t just letting go of my love for Alvin, but also of ten years of my life, my hopes, and all the dreams I once had about love.


    Jasmine seemed to sense my shift in mood. Her long leg nudged mine lightly. “Let it go. If it’s over, it’s over. Out with the old, in with the new.”


    I chuckled. “Yeah, out with the old, in with the new.”


    I stood up. “I’m going to take a shower.”


    In the bathroom, I turned on the water, letting the stream ssh down as I closed my eyes. The water ran through my hair, over my forehead, and down my face…


    By the time I arrived at the Dolton family, it was already past lunchtime. Michelle was arranging some flowers.


    When she saw me, she immediately set down her shears. “Zoe, you’re back! Oh, thank goodness. I’ve missed you so much! You little thing, your phone’s been off. I was so worried I almost went crazy.”


    Michelle grabbed my hand, a mix of relief and frustration on her face.


    “I’m sorry, Michelle, for worrying you. I heard you’ve been sick,” I apologized first.


    “It’s fine, it’s fine. It’s not your fault,” Michelle said, pulling me down to sit on the couch and insisting I eat some fruit from


    the table.


    I picked up a grape and popped it into my mouth. “Michelle, are you feeling better now?”


    “Much better. Seeing you makes everything okay again,” Michelle said, still holding my hand tightly.


    Her smile made it hard to say what I needed to say, but I knew I couldn’t avoid it forever. So, I asked, “Where’s Peter? Isn’t he


    home!


    “He’s here, in the study,” Michelle replied, calling out, “Peter,e out. Zoe’s back.”


    Her words felt like added pressure, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that she knew exactly why I was here. That was probably why she was acting like this.


    Peter came out of the study, adjusting his reading sses. Seeing me, he took them off and asked, “Have you eaten yet? If not, let your mom make you something. We always keep your meals ready.”


    Before I left, Peter had made me call Michelle “Mom,” and now, even though they both knew Alvin and I had split up, he still said it like that. I knew what it meant-he was trying to pressure me.


    Michelle stood up as if she were going to get up to prepare something, but I stopped her. I knew what I had to say next would upset them, maybe even hurt them.


    But this moment was inevitable, and the longer I put it off, the harder it would get for everyone.


    I took a deep breath. When Peter sat down beside us, I finally spoke, “Michelle, Peter, I came here today to talk to you Alvin and me.”


    about