Chapter 21
Mom and Dad sat with Eugene, looking awkward.
Two years ago, when I’d decided to call off the wedding, I hadn’t told them the actual reason. All I’d said was that I wanted to continue in scientific research. So, to them, we were the ones who owed Eugene for calling everything off.
Even if they’d always thought that Eugene had never really loved me, they still felt apologetic. I’d been away for the past two years, but Eugene would occasionally drop by my parents‘ neighborhood and hang out downstairs. He’d ever come upstairs to see them, but they could tell he was looking for
- me.
He’d started dropping by more frequently about six months ago–he would come by every other day.
Mom and Dad had spoken to him and told him not to come by anymore. They knew how resolute I’d been when deciding to cancel the wedding, after all. Anyway, I was at the research lab, not at home. There was no point in Eugene loitering in the area.
However, deep inside, their impression of him had improved quite a bit upon seeing how stubbornly he’d waited for me for the past two years. They’d even secretly talked about wanting to change my mind when I returned. Eugene and I had been together for five years, after all. Getting married was all we needed to do.
To their surprise, when I told them I was coming home, I also informed them that I was engaged. I told them I would bring Ezra back with me so we could have our wedding.
Mom and Dad felt bad for Eugene. They felt like they owed him. They knew he was aware of my return when he came knocking on their door that day; they figured it would be better for us to talk things through so that he wouldn’t keep waiting for me.
Eugene’s eyes lit up when he saw me, and he got to his feet. I felt a headache coming on, though.
I didn’t expect him to come all the way to my parents‘ home. He’d made it clear in the past that he didn’t like being around elders, so what was he doing here now?
Mom and Dad pulled me aside to tell me what had happened over the past two years. I would never have believed that Eugene would’ve stubbornly searched for me for so long if they weren’t the ones to break the news to me.
After all, from my perspective, Eugene didn’t like me at all. Why would he be so insistent on finding me after I’d already left?
Honestly, I couldn’t understand what he was trying to do.
Still, my wedding was just around the corner. I knew I had to deal with this before then. I didn’t want anything to go wrong on my big day.
Eugene and I sat across from each other to have a proper, civilized conversation after two years apart. I said calmly, “Say whatever you need to say, and make sure you get it out in one go.”
His expectant expression fell slightly, and a hint of hurt flickered in his eyes. “Riss, do things have to be so cold and distant?”
I tapped a finger on the table and repeated what I’d just said.
His heart clenched at my words. He asked, “Is Cassandra the reason that you broke up with me two years ago?”
