Chapter 17: Chapter 17

[It is funny how we all toil with each others’ destinies. After all, we are but puppets in the hands of fate. You should be the victim, Andy. Am I the villain or is she the villain? We might all be the villains in this story, who knows?]

The pen stopped at the middle of the page as if putting down the next words carried an enormous weight. But what else was there to write about? Wasn’t destiny already writing itself?

However, Annie found herself returning every day to this long-forgotten diary. And she wondered what was so special about it that she hadn’t noticed before.

Laughing softly with a shake of her head, she closed the pages and put the diary away in her bedside drawer.

The morning light flooded through the window, bathing the curtains. And a gentle morning air breezed into the room.

Laughter and chatter could be heard from the outside. The neighborhood was bustling with activities. And after getting ready for the day, Annie left the apartment and walked down the stairs, following the direction of the noises.

“Ah, there you are, Annie. Help me take this to the store.” Outside the tall apartment building, her mother was helping some boys unload boxes from a truck.

Annie took the box from her hand and delivered it to the store. She exchanged greetings with some of the neighbors who couldn’t keep themselves from gawking at her.

“Mrs. Lin. I heard your daughter’s wedding is approaching. Is it true that she’s getting married to a wealthy colleague in her workplace?” A middle-aged woman asked.

Hearing the woman’s comment, Mrs. Lin’s once frustrated look washed away. “That is right. Mrs. Tan. But it’s not some wealthy colleague. The boy is well-off though.” Her eyes lit up and on her expression was a look of pride.

More neighbors gathered around after hearing that and they all offered words of congratulations.

“But isn’t it awful that we had to hear the news from strangers?” One woman commented. “Mrs. Lin, of all things, why would you hide your daughter’s wedding from us?”

“If I wasn’t close to the boy’s family, I wouldn’t have known that our dear Annie is getting married.”

“And what are you going to do about my Little Chen, Mrs. Lin?”

“Oh, it’s not like that, Ladies. The invitation cards aren’t printed out yet. Besides, the children want to keep it low-key, so there won’t be too many guests.”

While Annie was delivering the boxes into the store with the boys, the women were engrossed in chatting.

“You sure are lucky, Mrs. Lin. Your daughter does not only take good care of you, but she also snagged a rich husband.”

“It is a pity that Mr. Lin isn’t here to witness these happy times. You both did well to raise your children. Annie has a good job that pays handsomely and Dylan is doing well in school.”

Annie didn’t miss the change in her mother’s expression as she walked by. The woman that said those last words was Mrs. Ming. Although she didn’t mean to poke at old wounds, the words had already spilled out of her mouth.

“Mrs. Lin, I’m so sorry–“

She didn’t get to apologize because Annie’s mother simply scoffed and walked away. Everyone in the neighborhood knew not to mention her husband. For some reason, Mrs. Lin’s temper happened to spike up whenever her husband was mentioned.

“Hey, Annie. Please tell her that I didn’t mean it.” The other woman approached Annie and said.

“It’s no big deal, Mrs. Ming.” Annie shrugged and took the last box from the boys. “She will come around, you know she always does.”

“Hmmm, you’re right.” Mrs. Ming nodded in agreement. Still, she felt guilty for spoiling the mood all of a sudden.

“Well, congratulations, Annie. I hope I can be at your wedding, but I can’t break my Little Chen’s heart.”

“Haha, Mrs. Ming, I’ll also appreciate it if you stay home and tend to his broken heart.” Annie joked back.

“How can you be so heartless?” Mrs. Ming faked a hurt look. “Just wait and see, Annie. Once my Little Chen grows up and makes a lot of money, you will be sad you didn’t agree to marry him.”

“I can always come back to Little Chen. Ms. Ming, don’t lose hope yet.”

While Annie was the envy of the other girls in the neighborhood, the boys chased after her like bees. Even Mrs. Ming’s Little Chen was not spared from her charms. Although he was only a teenager, the boy was lovestruck to the point that he had declared to the whole neighborhood that he would someday marry Annie.

“Just make sure the boy doesn’t know, Mrs. Ming.” Mrs. Tan advised.

“Even better, take your Little Chen to the psychiatrist.” Another woman added. “He might be suffering from some disease, who can tell? A normal boy does not chase after older women.”

“You! Are you saying my boy is crazy!?”

As the women were about to break into an argument, Annie walked into the store, laughing softly. She met her mother grumbling behind the counter and she dropped the box in her hand.

“Have you seen that brat!?” Her mother snapped. Mrs. Ming’s words from earlier must have already damaged her mood and she looked all irritated.

“Ma, remember you sent Dylan to the other town yesterday to get the best decorations.”

“And why isn’t he back yet!?” Her mother’s voice was loud.

Annie sighed helplessly while unpacking the box. “Unless he’s taking a plane, you know he’s not supposed to be back until the evening.”

“Annie! Are you talking back to me!?”

Annie blinked before sighing again. “Ma, please calm down. You know how your blood pressure easily shoots up.”

Of course, Annie wasn’t talking back. But her mother right now could take any kind of word as an insult.

The customers started coming in after a while and the woman was finally distracted. Annie sat on a stool behind the counter. As she attended to a customer, she didn’t know when she spaced out until someone slapped the desk.

“Annie, what are you thinking about!?” Her mother was shouting again. “Quick, get up. There’s someone outside looking for you.”

“Huh?” Annie blinked before getting down from the stool. Her brows knitted as she walked out of the store, wondering who might be looking for her.

And standing outside the store was none other than Assistant Jiang. Behind him was a flashy black car parked by the street side. The neighbors walking by couldn’t help but give that car a second glance.