Edwin stuffed the burger bag into my arms and said, "I ran a long way to buy this for you. Go ahead and eat."Even though the paper bag was chilly, I felt warm. I glanced at the woman next to my sickbed, smiling, and asked him, "Why didn't you buy more? Let's eat together."To my surprise, he looked annoyed and said, "What's there to eat? Do you know how much this combo costs? Listen up, this happens only once. Don't indulge in such things frequently. They're expensive and not even that tasty. The meat pies made in my hometown are better and cheaper."My hands paused in opening the package, and I found it hard to believe what I was hearing.With a monthly living allowance of twenty thousand dollars, was I not worthy of a McDonald's meal?Back home, I was always dining at fancy foreign restaurants where a single meal could cost over five hundred dollars.Seeing my change in expression, he quickly added, "I'm not saying you can't eat it. But since you're ill, you shouldn't consume such g
My face turned red, and I said to him, "I miss you too."It was my first time being in love. Every time we held hands and kissed, my heart would race uncontrollably.Moreover, now that I had slept with Edwin, I was deeply attached to him from the bottom of my heart.Therefore, the three simple words were enough to make me fall into a trance and lose my ability to think.A few days later, Edwin wore new clothes and nervously tugged at the hem, showing them to me when we chatted on the video. With hesitation in his voice, he said, "These clothes are a bit expensive. Should I return them?"Laughing, I asked, "How much did they cost?""Over eight hundred dollars," he said, glancing at me cautiously. "I've never bought such expensive clothes before. But the salesperson insisted that they suited me well."Later, as I pondered over his explanation, I couldn't help but admire Edwin. It was a pity he wasn't an actor.He always knew how to convince me.Just as he wished, I smiled at him and said
But whenever Edwin came over, he would cook and tidy up the room for me.He criticized me non-stop while doing these things, calling me spoiled, lazy, and unable to take care of myself.However, I found it endearing because I thought it was a demonstration of his love.Since we rented the apartment, there was always a need to buy things for the house, so I would always ask him for money. He didn't refuse in the beginning. But a few days later, his attitude changed."When will you change your lifestyle? Why do you need to buy special things to hang your jewelry instead of just putting them in a box?"Why did you buy expensive toilet paper? In the end, it's just going down the toilet. And you should also be more frugal."What's the use of that tapestry? It's useless even if it's hung up. Can't you live without it? Besides, if you like knitting, I can ask my mom to knit one for you."I too grew displeased. It was not like I couldn't afford these things. Within my means, what was wrong wit
"Of course I did. Now that her grandchild was gone, wouldn't she want to know?" he replied.I anxiously held his hand and said, "But I'm afraid she'll look down on me and think I'm the kind of girl who lacks self-respect."His expression softened slightly, and he reassured me, saying, "Don't worry. The child is mine. She won't look down on you."And so, I followed his advice once again, consuming millet porridge and eggs daily for two weeks.When I returned to school, my classmates were taken aback by my gaunt and pallid appearance.But I couldn't tell them the reason, fearing I would be ridiculed. Instead, I explained that I had suffered a relapse of pneumonia and had been struggling with my appetite."Where was Edwin? Wasn't he taking care of you?" one of my roommates asked indignantly.In their eyes, if a girl was sick and not properly cared for, it meant her boyfriend wasn't doing his duty.I had no choice but to defend him, saying, "He took care of me. It's just that I'm too weak.
It wasn't until graduation was approaching that my roommate told me that Edwin had told them I looked down on them, the "commoners," and didn't want to interact with them.The situation back then made me feel even more isolated in school, and Edwin became even more adept at controlling me.The semester quickly came to an end. Despite the conflicts, Edwin's care for my daily life made me increasingly dependent on him.The summer vacation arrived quickly. Before leaving, Edwin spent a whole day and night entangled with me in bed. He repeatedly reminded me not to wear revealing clothes when I returned home.In fact, since I met him, my dressing style took a more conservative turn. Even the coolest skirt reached my knees. Amara Moulton, my sister, said I was becoming like a nun.But thinking of Edwin's passionate love, I still felt sweet inside.During the summer vacation, my former classmates organized gatherings, and I was also invited out by high school classmates several times.I used
The girl's voice was very soft, as if she were talking to the guy, but also intentionally speaking into the microphone. She said, "He kissed me last night..."And then the call was hung up.I stood there dumbfounded, gradually feeling numb and cold.I firmly believed that I didn't mishear. Although her voice was not loud, the surroundings were quiet.So, who was she? Did she mean Edwin when she said "he"?Did Edwin really do that? Was it because he drank too much and lost control, or...?Could it be that he wanted to break up with me? Thinking of this, I sat on the bed in a daze.I spent the whole day in a daze, wanting to call him and demand an explanation several times, but I didn't dare.I anxiously waited for him to call me first and give me an explanation.After a whole day passed, it wasn't until before bedtime that he finally called me on video."Let me see your room," he casually said, lying in his dimly lit room.I bit my lip and didn't move.He frowned and asked, "What's wron
Considering that I had never cared much about money since I was young, I was inwardly surprised but didn't ask him about it.I was afraid of hurting his male ego.After the start of school, I didn't know how Edwin managed to make the staff make him a day student instead of a boarding student.From then on, we finally started living together like a married couple.The sweetness of cohabitation didn't last long, as I noticed that Edwin was becoming more and more extravagant with his spending.He always asked me to ask my family for more money, saying that we needed a lot to rent the apartment.But my parents had already paid three years' worth of rent upfront, and we had all the necessary appliances and furniture.Apart from utility bills and daily necessities, our expenses were limited to food and clothing.However, even in these two aspects, he spent very little.So, I asked him if his family were in trouble and needed money for an emergency.At first, he hesitated and didn't tell me a
I unconsciously unlocked the screen and saw a picture of a luxury brand bag.Holding my breath, I closed the picture, and the WeChat conversation between Edwin and "V" appeared on the screen.I instinctively scrolled through several pages.V: [Ed, you're so good to me. But it's not fair to you. I've said it before, I don't want a boyfriend.]Edwin: [I've also said that I don't mind. I just want to make you happy.]V: [You've spent so much money on me all this time. Does she know?]Edwin: [Don't worry.]V: [By the way, I've talked to your girlfriend before.]Edwin: [When? What did you talk about?]V: [Haha, why are you nervous? Didn't she tell you about it?]Edwin: [No, when did it happen?]V: [The first time we met again in the summer. You know, the night you were drunk and kissed me while holding me.]Edwin: [Haha, it wasn't because I was drunk. I meant it sincerely.]V: [You scumbag, aren't you ashamed to treat your girlfriend like this?]Edwin: [...]Edwin: [She's too clingy. I can'