Chapter 7

Marissa nearly lost her balance. Her legs turned to jelly, and she was so close to slipping away from Roxanne's arms. "What's wrong, Marie? Aren't you happy for me?" Jaw clenched, Marissa gave her stepsister a bewildered look. "But you're a newlywed! Did you get it wrong?" Roxanne's eyes sparkled, and her lips curled into a smirk. "No. I got married after I got knocked up. I've been keeping it a secret till now. Marie, I have your blessing, don't I?" Marissa caught a hint of glee in Roxanne's eyes. She dug her nails so hard into her palms that she almost bled, but she remained smiling. "Congratulations. Wishing you a safe pregnancy." "Thanks, Marie." Roxanne was on cloud nine, a stark contrast to Marissa, who felt shattered, tormented, and hopeless. "You should go home. I'm tired. I need some rest." When Roxanne left, Marissa collapsed onto her bed out of exhaustion. Tears stained her pristine bedsheets. … It was pouring out there on the day Marissa was discharged from the hospital. Only the butler had shown up to pick her up. As for Joshua, he didn't show up at all because he was still mad at her. As she had just recovered, she slowly packed her belongings that she had collected since 18 years old. At the same time, she erased traces of Joshua from her life by throwing his gifts into the trash can. When she was 18, he gifted her a rose-shaped handmade ring and a hundred love letters. The blood-stained white shirt that he had worn when he saved her life when she was 19 lay beside the pair of high heels she had worn to her coming-of-age ceremony. There was also the college application he had secretly submitted, just so they could go to the same college. There was the first love poem he had written for her at the campus radio station at 20 years old. Of course, there was also the graduation bouquet she received at 22 years old, made from the tulips he had planted. She threw everything out. Finally, she made her way to the copy of the cornea donation consent form, which he had secretly signed when she lost her eyesight at 23 years old. However, she had torn it up after finding out about it. Joshua had loved her deeply, but that hadn't stopped him from cheating on her. The only thing Marissa brought with her was the emerald bracelet that had once belonged to his late mother, Eleanor Wainwright. Eleanor had given Marissa the bracelet shortly before her passing, the only thing she left behind for Marissa, whom she treated like her own. Marissa couldn't bring herself to throw out Eleanor's gift. As tears continued to fall, she let go of the consent form, and it slowly floated in the air until it landed in the trash can. She had let go of her obsession with Joshua, and she no longer wanted his love anymore.