Chapter 21
Michelle and her mom were led to me by Antonio’s people.
I almost didn’t recognize the old woman as Michelle’s mom.
She wore dark clothes, her face plain and unmade. Wrinkles crinkled around her eyes, and her hair was peppered with white, making her look like she was in her sixties.
Michelle’s face was haggard, a far cry from the softness she used to have.
In just two years, they had been reduced to this. Clearly, they had a rough time:
Admittedly, seeing them in such a state made me feel a bit satisfied.
But that satisfaction was mixed with a bit of sorrow.
Antonio and Tyler used to pamper Michelle.
And Tyler used to treat Michelle’s mom with so much respect.
I had gone through tough times due to their special treatment of Michelle.
But once I was out of the picture, they lashed out at Michelle and her mom.
Their feelings and preferences were all so shallow.
I admitted that I harbored a deep hatred for Michelle and her
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mom.
But now, my disdain for Antonio and Tyler was even stronger.
If Michelle and her mom were bad and vicious, Antonio and Tyler were foolish and arrogant, making things worse without even knowing it.
I was done seeing Michelle and her mom’s sad situation.
No way I wanted to see them again.
Looking away, I said, “Now that I’ve seen who I needed to, can I leave?”
Tyler was just standing there, like he’d lost his soul.
Antonio had Michelle and her mom hauled off.
He gave me a sad smile. “Grace, it doesn’t matter if you hate me. I’m not letting you walk out of my life.”
I was stuck there, still holed up in the hotel.
They threw everything they had at me, trying to make things right.
I wasn’t having it.
I stayed silent, not saying anything at all.
At last, I even stopped eating.
Tyler finally threw in the towel, and after a chat with Antonio, they decided to let me go.
Chapter 21
On day seventeen in Abalind, I got on the flight home.
I wasn’t surprised to find out Antonio and Tyler were on the same flight.
A good long flight later, we were finally on the ground.
Once I got home, I hit the hay, making up for lost sleep.
When I got up, the neighbors had left without saying goodbye. New faces had moved in, and I wasn’t shocked to find out it was Antonio and Tyler.
Just what I thought, I had been running into them everywhere.
This night, after a meal out, I spotted Antonio under a streetlamp, looking kind of lost and lonely.
When he saw me, he slowly pulled himself together and managed a grin, “Grace, you’re home.”
I didn’t bother with him and just kept on walking.
He showed me a nice box he had in his pocket. “I made this for you. It will look great on you.”
It was a really nice bracelet, all decked out with jewels.
His hands were all cut up.
I took a quick look and then turned away. “I won’t take it.”
“Grace, what do I have to do to make you forgive me?” Antonio’s voice was shaky, like he was about to lose it.
I stopped and turned around. “If you disappear from my life, I’ll
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forgive you.”
“Grace, you’re so cruel…” he said
I chuckled and then I walked away without looking back.
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