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The doctor said the jade shards cut in so deep that it might leave scars.
It took three hours to clean the wounds.
Bandaged,I checked my phone.Ryan had texted:
"Not blocked or deleted me yet?Still can't let me go,huh?"
No reply,so he added:
"Want to get back together?Just say it.Or you'll regret missing out on me forever."
"I'm not exactly against giving you another shot."
His smug tone suggested he thought I was too in love with him to break up with him.
Gross.
I typed a string of profanity but paused before sending,a brilliant idea flashed across my mind.
Through my gritted teethI replied:
"Yes,I want to be with you.Can we please get back together?"
He answered immediately:
"Of course!Who else is as tolerant and loves you like me?"
"But..."
"But what?"I asked,oppressing disgust.
He sent a long message,which boiled down to:
Reconciliation was fine,but his mom was mad at me,especially for embarrassing him in the village.
"Mom says you owe us for emotional trauma.When we marry,you won’t get any money from us, and you should bring at least$50,000 as your dowry.Oh,and she wants you to kneel and apologize at a fancy restaurant and buy her a gold bracelet as amends."
I laughed.
In utter disbelief,you could do nothing but laugh.
"Anything else your mom wants?"
"Nope, done."
"Your mom’s done ...good riddance!"
He added,"She's done,but I'm not.Honestly,Emma,I want a new car—one that costs ni less that $80,000, a Porsche ideally.Mom doesn't care,but for me this is your last chance of getting back together with me. Better seize it!"
I nearly smashed my phone,fingers trembling.
"Wow,what a devoted son..."
"Tomorrow then.You pick the place."
He sent cutesy emojis,overjoyed.
"Baby,you're the best.Still so in love with me."
Little did he know,I left the hospital and met my lawyer friend to draft a letter,ready to take his family down.
The next day,Ryan chose a Michelin restaurant.
I hadn't arrived,and they'd already ordered a feast.
Linda saw me at the door,lifting her phone to film me.
"See this,village yokels?Our college boy tamed this city girl.Who's talking trash now?"
Ryan strutted up."Where's all the stuff?Pay for Mom's meal too—she ordered extra.Don't be ungrateful.Oh and, first year of marriage,you can’t eat with us.You wait till we're done,got it?"
The table was loaded with dozens of dishes,like they were feeding the whole village.
I smiled,slapping the lawyer’s letter in his face.
"Here's your stuff!So hungry you're starving?I'll send you all to jail and y’all can eat whatever you want in there for at least a few years!"
