06
Lucy and I sat on the couch, staring at the check in silence.
“Nancy, how many zeroes are you going to write?”
“I think, well, the number of zeroes isn’t important. I’m not a greedy person. You know, we need to go on a trip, right? This neighborhood is going to be demolished; I need a new place to live, right? I’m tired of taking the subway every day; I should buy myself a car, right? My parents raised me; I should take care of them in their old age, right? We’ve been friends for so many years, gifting you an apartment isn’t too much, is it? And there’s Granny Jojo downstairs–she’s not in good health and refuses to spend money on the hospital. I should help her out, right? And…”
“So, how many zeroes are you going to write?”
turned to look at Lucy, then at the check, picked up a pen from the table, and wrote eight zeroes in one go. Looking at the eight zeroes and
the Gabe Corporation’s seal on the check, I happily rolled around on the couch and kissed Lucy.
Com o on a trip?
neighborhood, everyone thought I had gone mad, unable to handle the heartbreak.
I took
to the bank to cash the check and then booked a flight to Europe. By the time we returned, it had already been a month.
When I dragged my luggage into my apartment, I was shocked to see Hanson sitting alone on the couch, smoking a cigarette.
Crap, did
Write f
too
many zeroes? Is he here to make me return the money?
“Nancy, I missed you so much.”
Just as I was thinking of an excuse for the eight zeroes, Hanson suddenly came over and hugged me tightly.
“Hanson, are you crazy?”
www
I pushed him away and looked at him coldly. This dog of a man–now that you’ve hit a wall, you come crawling back to me. Now that the child has grown, you remember to feed it. Now that I’ve taken a billion dollars, you come to say you miss me. You said, ‘Whatever amount she wants, but your heart must be aching for this little goal.
Hanson lowered his head and stared at my wrist. Only then did I realize I was still wearing that lousy red string he gave me. I hurriedly tried to take it off, but it wouldn’t come off. In a panic, I grabbed the scissors from the table and cut the string in two.
“Hanson, from now on, we’ll go our separate ways.”
With that, I threw the red string on the ground. I saw Hanson’s eyes turn red, and his hands trembled uncontrollably.
Not bad, Hanson, not bad. You’ve certainly got some skills when it comes to acting. If I hadn’t lived another life and experienced being humiliated, abandoned, and driven to death by you, I might have believed your act of sincerity.
You say women can be trusted? I say pigs can climb trees. It’s just a lousy red string, yet you act like I’m trying to kill you. I could hear Hanson trying to calm his breathing.
After a long time, he regained the same expression he had when he left.
“You’re just a vain woman.”
I love money? Of course, I love money! What else should I love? Love above all else? I used to think that way, but you were the one who pushed
me into the abyss, Hanson Gabe.
Watching Hanson leave, my heart ached for a moment. But when I glanced at my new Hermès bag, the pain instantly faded.
The wise don’t fall in love; the wise only care about money.
