06
Soon as the roller coaster began to move, my legs trembled uncontrollably. I felt a warm hand from beside me tightly gripped mine.
me.
High in the air, the wind howled past my ears and I couldn’t hear Christian’s voice.
I could only see his lips moving. I recognized the words he was saying: ‘Don’t be afraid, I’m here.‘
In that moment, everything around us seemed to freeze.
We played around until noon.
I had a sudden craving for some street food, so Christian found us a spot and returned with a pile of snacks for
We sat at an outdoor table on the food street.
I realized that with Arnold, I never had moments like this. He’d never stoop to eating street food. Even when I’d glance at a cart, he’d show his disdain.
He always wanted me to be elegant, just like him. Anything with bones or shells could never be served on our
table.
I shook my head, forcing myself not to think about those irrelevant memories.
I reached for a serving of grilled cold noodles.
“That one’s yours,” Christian stopped my hand, offering me another serving instead.
He handed me a serving of grilled cold noodles with extra sugar and vinegar, but without any green onions or
cilantro.
For a moment, I felt as if my heart had been touched.
“I asked your mom about your favorite flavors. I know you like sweet and sour and you really dislike green onions. I’ll always remember that,” Christian said with a gentle smile.
I drifted back to memories of the past.
When I ate with Arnold, I’d always quietly pick out the green onions and cilantro from my dish. He would always say he’d remember next time, but the next time would be the same.
Eventually, he grew impatient, calling me picky and boring.
Ah, even the smallest gesture can show how much someone truly cares. I’d only known Christian for a few days, yet he had already done so many little things for me.
Looking at the table full of snacks before me, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of hope for the future. Christian really was a wonderful person, both inside and out.
I suddenly realized that I had become the beneficiary of this arranged marriage Not only would I take over the company, but I’d also marry someone so sincere
Mavbe the emotions from the past weren’t strong enough to be the chains that held me down.
we
7.55 A
Brewing Free Mappy from pestry
It was time to move forward and pay attention to the people around me.
After returning home that day, I decided to learn more about Christian.
I secretly asked my mom what he liked to eat and the next morning, I got up early to cook for him. I prepared a
whole morning’s worth of food and arrived at his company just before lunchtime.
The receptionist recognized me and greeted me, then quickly helped me take the elevator up to his floor.
“Mr. Alston is still in a meeting. Please, feel free to wait for a while,” she said.
I nodded and casually wandered to Christian’s office. At that time, I didn’t expect to see a familiar face sitting on
the sofa inside.
When Arnold heard the door open, he assumed it was Christian returning and immediately stood up, smiling
broadly.
I pushed the door open and we locked eyes.
His smile froze as he stared at me in disbelief. “Riley? What are you doing here?”
“Why does it matter to you?” I said, irritated, realizing I should have checked the calendar before leaving.
Arnold scanned me up and down, sneering. “No wonder you stopped contacting me. Looks like you’ve switched
cities and got yourself a new man to take care of you.
I smirked. “That’s right. Christian is better–looking than you, has a better body and most importantly, he’s much
wealthier. Unlike you, who thought fifty thousand would make me go back to being your dog.”
Arnold’s face shifted slightly. “Riley, I heard Mr. Alston is about to get married. Are you really so eager to climb
the social ladder and be his kept woman?”