With a half-smile, his knuckles turned white as he gripped the doorknob, and he spoke slowly but firmly. “Mr. Lewis, if you don't want us here, there's no need to force us to stay. Let’s part ways with some dignity.”
Before Carl could respond, Leo slammed the door in his face. Through the peephole, I watched Carl kick the wall in frustration. He knew better than to lash out at Leo and ended up squatting by the door, smoking a cigarette instead.
My phone began to vibrate, and I glanced down to see it was my dad calling. Ever since Carl and I started dating, my parents had favored him more and more. This money-minded couple saw Carl as more important than me. No matter how poorly Carl treated me, they always sided with him, pushing me to bow my head and endure it for the sake of courtesy and family loyalty.
When my stomach hurt so badly it caused cramps, they insisted I bring porridge to Carl. I forced myself to eat for his sake until I ended up throwing up bile. They wouldn’t let me rest and pushed me to keep working with him. Carl even trampled on my dignity just to win his approval.
It was likely Carl who had called my parents, telling them I had dared to defy him and betray him, which made my dad anxious. I hesitated, thinking I’d get scolded if I answered the call right now, so I quickly pressed to decline.
My mom called immediately afterward. I hung my head and focused on fending off the two annoying guys instead. After a few minutes, they finally stopped bothering me and just sent a long voice message on WeChat. I tuned it out, treating it like the barking of a dog.
Leo had wandered around my house with his hands behind his back. When he noticed the furniture that clearly reflected Carl’s tastes, he shook his head in disappointment. “It really doesn’t match your style. There’s no point in keeping it.” With that, he sat down on the green sofa, unbuttoned his coat, and revealed an emerald tie clip.
With his handsome face, Leo looked just like a model from a magazine. I handed him a glass of water, and he took a sip before sticking out his tongue. “It’s too cold.” He leaned back against the seat, looking relaxed.
I glanced at the shabby fruit basket and felt unsure of how to entertain him, so I stood there awkwardly. He pulled out his phone and said, “You don’t mind if I play some music?”