Chapter 6 The Brooch
After she hung up the phone and returned to the living room Antonio was still sitting on the couch. His attention, however, was no longer on his phone screen, but on the brooch that was placed on the coffee table.
It was an iris–shaped brooch, delicate and elegant. The luster of the brooch has somewhat faded, but it still exuded a peculiar charm.
“This brooch…” Antonio picked it up with a complicated expression. “Is this the one you lost before?”
Grace drew nearer and rested her eyes on his hand. She nodded lightly, “Yeah. Just now, I saw it when I was sorting things up.”
Antonio lowered his head and got a close–up look at it, and then his brows knitted. This brooch was a gift he gave her on their 3rd anniversary. At the time, he was a passionate young man who would thoughtfully choose gifts for her. But, she lost it later on, and he also forgot about it.
“I thought… You don’t care about it anymore,” he said in a low voice in a query tone.
Grace looked into Antonio’s eyes, and the corners of her mouth slightly turned up. “Well, I thought you still remember what it means to us.”
Antonio’s eyes gleamed faintly, as if her words had stung hi for an instant. He was about to say something, but then his
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Chapter 6 The Brooch
phone buzzed.
As the phone screen lit up, his face softened and his eyes. turned gentle.
There was no need to guess, Grace knew who had texted him. She went on arranging the papers on the coffee table, her head bowed, pretending not to notice the subtle change in Antonio’s expression.
“Grace,” Antonio said as he got up from the couch, and he sounded a bit sorry. “I’ve been so busy lately and got so many things to deal with. After I get all these things settled, I’ll make it up to you.”
Grace raised her head and looked at him, saying nothing.
After a moment of hesitation, he came in front of her and printed his lips on her forehead. “Try to get some rest, honey.”
He turned around and walked out in a hurry, as if he needed to deal with something urgent.
Grace watched his back as he left with a serene expression on her face. She slowly clenched the brooch, feeling the cold metal piercing into her palm.
The brooch, which had held her expectations in love, now became proof of her self–deception.
The next day, she walked alone on that road which was both familiar and strange.
Outside the school gates, a handful of students were passing by. As she walked slowly down the road, her eyes wandered. The old tree still stood, strong and vigorous, as if untouch. 1
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by time.
Grace went to the school building. Standing in the doorway of a classroom. Through the window, she could see the new students bustling about. Memories of the past came back to her, the time she had spent with Antonio. Back then, he was always sitting next to her, always taking notes. Occasionally he raised his head, and his smile was so tender.
“Remember, after we graduate from school, I’ll take you back to walk around the schoolyard again.” She felt as if his voice still echoed next to her ear.
She laughed at herself and then she looked away. At her old school, it seemed as if everything had remained the same. As time went on, however, he ceased to be the same.
After she left the school, she came to the shopping area nearby. A movie poster drew her attention. She got herself a ticket and went to a movie.
In the cinema, she leaned back in her seat. She enjoyed the film with a bag of popcorn in her hands.
She thought, “This is not bad. Enjoy a movie alone.” She put some popcorn into her mouth, bit on them, and they were so crispy. After all, life was still good.
After the movie, she walked out of the cinema. The glow of the setting sun shone on her shoulders. She stretched her back and took a deep breath, feeling more at ease.
As Grace walked on the street, her phone screen lit up. It was a video call from Claire.
She hesitated for a moment, but then, she still accepted the
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call.
On the screen, Reece, Antonio, and Claire were sitting at the dining table. After her parents got divorced, Grace and Claire lived with their dad and came back from abroad. The table was filled with nice food. With a jovial vibe, Claire smiled so happily. In her hand, there was a delicate bracelet.
“Grace, look, Antonio bought it for me!” Claire moved it closer to the camera. As she slowly turned her wrist, the bracelet glittered in the light.
Reece put some food on Claire’s plate and said in a kind tone, “Grace, Antonio is such a keeper. You’re so lucky to have him.”
As Grace listened to them, she still kept a smile on her face, but deep down, her heart was wrenching. She knew that Claire did it on purpose, but this time, however, she didn’t want to let her have it her way.
“It is pretty and suits you,” Grace said. She sounded relaxed and there was no fluctuation in her tone. Then, she hung up.
Chapter 7 Want a Grandson
