If Love is Fruitless, Why Long for It?

With tears in her eyes, Lizbeth asked me, "Can I stay in your house? What I mean is since you're allergic to cats, you probably haven't had time to tidy up anyway, why don't you let me stay here?”

Just then, Tom and Jeff who were fighting harshly, stopped their fight and looked at me in unison.

"You know, Lizbeth has a point. Would you mind staying in a hotel for a few days, Joy? We’ll cover all the costs.”

I considered it for a moment before suggesting, “Why don’t I just sell the house to Lizbeth instead?”

It seemed Tom and Jeff thought I did not want to let Lizbeth stay. They were immediately gaslighting me by reminding me of how she had once saved my life.

The onlookers who didn’t know the full story joined in. They encouraged me to pay the favor.

To pressure me into agreeing, both men handed me three hundred thousand dollars in front of the crowd. "It’s only for a few days. Consider this money a rental fee, okay?”

At this point, it seemed inappropriate for me to refuse. "Fine!"

The three of them immediately cheered, high-fiving each other as if the previous arguments had never happened.

No longer looking at the three who continued to dance passionately, I went home to pack my bags.

On my way back, Lizbeth sent me a message, "Joy, I think that amount of money should be enough to buy your house, right? Why don’t you just sell me the house?”

What she suggested was exactly what I wanted. I had no plans to return after getting married in Ansel City, so I needed to get rid of the house anyway.

Lizbeth was delighted when I agreed and pleaded with me not to tell Tom and Jeff just yet. Of course, I was more than happy to comply.

Looking around the house, I realized that aside from my parents’ belongings, there wasn’t much I needed to take.

The next day, when Tom and Jeff Jun brought Lizbeth back, the junk removal service I hired had already cleared out everything I did not want. They did not look too happy seeing the nearly empty house. "Joy, we only asked you to lend your home for a few days. Do you really have to make it look like you're guarding against a thief?"

“You’re overthinking it. I just cleared out the things I don’t need, making space for Lizbeth,” I replied calmly.

My explanation seemed to appease them, at least a little. “Well, fine. We’ll help you replace the furniture later.”

Lizbeth, who had been watching me nervously, finally relaxed when I agreed without saying more.

I smiled and agreed with the two of them, then pushed my suitcase toward the door.

They insisted on seeing me downstairs and I couldn’t refuse, so I let them.

Just as I was about to step into the elevator, the fire alarm blared through the entire building. The next second, the power went out.

Tom and Jeff immediately rushed to shield Lizbeth and guided her down the emergency stairs.

Smelling smoke, I grabbed my suitcase and made my way to the emergency exit in a hurry.

The bulky suitcase made it hard to navigate and I almost lost my balance on the stairs when someone bumped into me. Thankfully, a hand caught me and I fell into a warm embrace.

“Watch your step. Are you okay?”

The man’s deep, magnetic voice brushed past my ear, making my face flush red. I tried to pull my hand away, but he held me securely, shielding me from the jostling crowd.

We finally reached safety and he released me. My face burned as I thanked him.

He looked at me intently, "You don't have to be so formal toward me. After all, we're practically family!"

Startled, I looked up and found myself staring into his dark, obsidian-like eyes.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Keith Adam," he added.

My heart skipped a beat. So, he was the man my uncle had chosen for me to marry.

However, hadn’t my uncle said that Keith would not be back until tomorrow, the same day we were supposed to get our marriage license?

Seeing my confusion, he smiled and said, “When I heard you agreed to marry me, I wrapped up my work early and rushed back. I couldn’t wait any longer to meet you.”

His voice, as deep and rich as a cello, paired with that gentle, indulgent smile, set off a spark in my mind.

My eyes traveled all over his body several times and the more I looked at him, the faster my heart raced.

Dammit, Uncle! Why didn't you show me his photo earlier? This man was everything that I've ever dreamt of!