Chapter 3
Samuel’s car had been borrowed by his brother. Ethan rode a little motorbike, driving us around for three hours before we finally made it to my father’s well–maintained courtyard.
Parked in the yard was my brother’s newly bought, beat–up second–hand Volkswagen.
thought, “Wow, my brother is really suffering to help dad keep a low profile and test Ethan. Poor guy.”
That day went pretty well.
Ethan was humble, polite, and knew when to lend a hand.
He helped out with whatever needed doing without a single complaint.
My dad was impressed by him.
The next day, my family’s newly acquired company hired Ethan, assigning him a piece of
land to manage.
Ethan studied civil engineering, so he fit right in on the construction site.
Once that project was done, my dad planned to officially welcome him into the family.
As for me, I had dreams of becoming a writer, so I didn’t want to return to the company just yet. I decided to focus on my writing and enjoy the freedom of a freelance lifestyle.
The idea of buying a car first came up after that visit to my parents‘ home.
Ethan felt embarrassed driving a motorbike to his in–laws, especially in the cold and rain.
Plus, since he was managing a construction project out of town, I’d been left without any means of transport.
When he brought it up, I actually considered asking my brother for a car. He had plenty,
after all.
Remembering my promise to keep a low profile, I bit the bullet and decided to live frugally
Chapter 1
with Ethan.
Between the money I saved from writing and his half–year salary, we finally decided to pick
out a car.
I thought it was a pretty big deal. To show respect, I figured we’d let the family know and celebrate the moment together.
Little did I know that while I was excited, the family was far from happy.
It was just me who was excited. Everyone else seemed ready to explode.
I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly to myself.
I left the house and grabbed a bite of street food, the cool breeze making me think more
clearly.
I thought back to when I first met Ethan’s parents.
They were so kind and welcoming back then.
I remembered Cindy holding my hand and saying, “Yvonne, from now on, you’re our daughter. If Ethan ever bullies you, you come straight to me, and I’ll deal with him.”
When Ethan had to go out of town for work, I planned to go back to my parents‘ place, but Cindy stopped me.
“Yvonne, no matter where Ethan is, this is your home. Stay here with me, I’ll take care of
you.”
We seemed like one big happy family!
When did it all start to change?
I think it was the wedding.
