Chapter 5
To avoid escalating things, I spoke gently, “You’re overthinking it. I’m not throwing these things away. I’m just letting the professionals handle the refurbishing. How could I not want them?”
Seeing the calm expression on my face, William visibly relaxed, his tension easing.
“Alright,” he said, his tone softening. “I’ll have someone come by and install a new set of cabinets at home to store everything properly.”
I nodded, my tone more businesslike now. “Aren’t you two headed to work? You should go. I really need to catch up on sleep.”
With that, I turned and headed to the
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bedroom, locking the door behind me before he could say anything else.
When I woke up in the afternoon, I tore off another page from the countdown calendar. Five days left.
A message from my professor popped up on my phone, asking me to meet him to discuss the publication of my latest SCI paper,
which had just been released in a prominent journal.
Just as I was about to leave, William called. I told him I was headed to the university, and he offered to drive me there.
When I reached the car, Ava was already sitting in the passenger seat.
I hesitated for just a moment before silently sliding into the back.
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Ava’s laughter broke the silence. “Victoria, don’t be upset. William’s always let me sit up front. Back when he used to drive my dad’s car, I was always in the passenger seat. They say sitting in the back makes it feel like you’re treating the driver like a chauffeur. It’s rude, you know? So, I got used to it.”
I wasn’t upset. In fact, I smiled warmly.
“If you want to sit there, go ahead,” I said, my tone light.
William kept glancing at me through the rearview mirror, searching for something to say. But the words never came.
Both William and Ava froze, taken aback by my calm response.
“On the way here,” William began, his voice
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tinged with surprise, “I came across an article about a med student named ‘Amelia Victoria! Apparently, she’s published a groundbreaking paper–one that could bring enormous value to the country. Funny thing, it’s in the same field as yours, right?”
I said nothing. Amelia Victoria was my pseudonym, a precaution my professor had insisted on for security reasons.
Before William could press further, Ava turned toward me, her voice dripping with feigned sweetness.
“Victoria, you’ve been studying for so many years, but I haven’t heard of you accomplishing anything big like that.” She gasped dramatically, her hand flying to her mouth.
“Oh no! I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just blunt
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sometimes–no offense!”
Even William’s gaze shifted, laced with disdain.
“Victoria,” he said with a patronizing smile, “sometimes you have to accept that there’s a difference between people. You’ve been running yourself ragged for years, but it’s just aimless effort. After the wedding, why don’t you stay home full–time? I’m at a point in my career where you won’t need to work anymore.”
I didn’t respond immediately. Instead, I glanced at my phone, tapping out a reply to my professor’s message. Their words didn’t affect me anymore.
Two blocks from the university, Ava asked to be dropped off.
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“Thanks for the ride, William. Love you!” she chirped, winking at me as she slid out of the
car.
With a sly grin, she added, “Sister, I’m heading out first.”
I glanced at the neighborhood they’d stopped in and casually asked, “Isn’t this the neighborhood where our wedding house is?”
“Oh,” William replied, his tone light, “she’s probably visiting a friend.”
I didn’t push further.
Sensing my silence, he added, “She’s still recovering from her injury, so I thought I’d drop her off on the way. Don’t be so petty.”
I kept my expression neutral. “Oh, of course. It’s perfectly normal for an older brother to
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give his sister a ride. Isn’t it?”
He faltered, his words dying in his throat.
When we reached the university, William pulled a large bouquet of flowers from the trunk and thrust them into my hands.
“I know you’ve been upset these past few days,” he said, his voice soft and coaxing. “I’m sorry, okay? This is me trying to make it up to you.””
“And about the wedding dress–you’re right. Let’s forget it. I’ll have a custom one made for you by a top designer. How’s that?”
His face radiated with expectation, as if I should be grateful for his ‘effort.
I glanced at his phone, where he was scrolling through images of extravagant
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wedding gowns, but the interest had long since drained from me.
None of it mattered anymore. I was leaving
soon.
I gently pushed his phone away and handed the flowers back to him. “Pick whatever you like. My professor is waiting for me.”
As I turned to walk away, William grabbed my hand. “Victoria,” he said, his voice thick with something like panic, “what’s wrong with you? What’s really going on?”
For the first time, his expression was filled with confusion, even a hint of loss and desperation.
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