288 Vouchers


    His grip was firm, and no matter how many times I tried, I could not push him away.


    Yet, in front of my mother, I needed to keep my dignity.


    I forced my emotions down and patted the top of his head.


    “Get up.”


    Erik suddenly looked up, his rain-streaked face breaking into a hopeful smile.


    “Kara, does this mean you’ve forgiven me?”


    I curled my lips into a cold smile.


    “If you want to stand in the rain, fine, but don’t drag me into it. After all…” I lifted my hands deliberately. “If they get wet, it’ll get infected.”


    That shut Erik up instantly.


    While he was caught off guard, I shoved him back and brushed off the spot where he touched me.


    “Oh, and do you think it’s toote for me to sue you for intentional injury?”


    He stared at me, searching my face for any hint of a bluff. When he realized I meant every word, the light in his eyes. dimmed.


    I walked away through the rain. Behind me came his voice…


    “Sorry.”


    One of the most useless words in the world.


    I love you.


    Sorry.


    Under the blinding stage lights of his love, those three words-I love you-kept me trapped and hurting for seven long years.


    Now, it was time to wake up.


    When I left, I ran into Erik again outside the airport. He did not call out to me.


    Instead, he just stood there, watching, and gave me a small wave.


    From his lips, I read something.


    “I’ll make her pay.’


    However, his business no longer mattered to me.


    Time would heal everything. Back in my hometown, I renovated the old house.


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    I nted my favorite flowers, and I finally got the cat I had always wanted-but could not have- because Erik imed he was “allergic.” No, not him. Tania was allergic, so Erik banned me from keeping one.


    I could still hear his voice saying, “If you have a cat, it’ll be inconvenient for Tania toe over.”


    The day after I got home, I received a text from Tania.


    “You madwoman, you don’t actually think telling Erik everything will make him hate me and start liking you, do you?


    “Stop dreaming. He loves me even more now.


    “He even got us matching tattoos on my back. Are you losing your mind with jealousy?”


    I let out a quiet sigh. She was losing her mind.


    I blocked her number. Then, deciding that was not enough, I swapped out my SIM card entirely.


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