The Proposal I Didn't Get, and the Wealth He Never Saw Coming

When Darryl’s hand grabbed my arm to shove me out, I instinctively pulled away. “This is my house! If anyone should leave, it’s you two.”

Darryl crossed his arms and laughed, as if I’d just told him a joke. “Your house? Don’t make me laugh, June. This place is rented. Your classmate’s cousin is the landlord. What does it have to do with you?”

I lifted my chin defiantly and shouted back, “I only set that up to avoid hurting your ego! I wanted you to live comfortably, not crammed in a single room like before. I bought this place myself and had my friend act like the landlord so you wouldn’t feel ashamed. Do you really think you’d find a place like this for just a thousand bucks a month?”

“I don’t have time for this!” Darryl snapped, his voice loud enough to rattle the walls. “If this place is really yours, then show me the deed. Prove it then I’ll leave. But if you can’t, then stop wasting my time.”

His words stung, hitting me square in my weak spot. I clenched my fists and replied through gritted teeth, “The deed is at my parents’ house.”

He scoffed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “How convenient. Well then, why don’t you go and get it? I’m done with all your nonsenses.”

Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward the door. His strength left me no room to resist and before I knew it, the door slammed shut behind me.

Rubbing the sore red marks on my arm, I let out a shaky breath and turned to leave.

It was late by the time I arrived at my parents’ house. The warm glow of the living room lights spilled onto the porch, where I could hear the faint hum of the TV. When I stepped inside, my mom looked up, surprised to see me.

“Honey,” she said cautiously, “didn’t you say your boyfriend was going to propose today? Why do you come alone?”

Hearing her words, my chest tightened and my eyes stung with unshed tears. When Darryl told me to go to the hotel, I didn't go. Instead, I went to my parents' house. With great joy and excitement I told them that Darryl was probably preparing a proposal party for me. I’d even promised to bring him by to meet them afterward.

But now, the memory of him kneeling with a ring for Courtney played on repeat in my mind and the tears I’d been holding back came rushing out. I collapsed onto the couch and buried my face in my mom’s shoulder.

“He proposed...but not to me,” I choked out. “We break up, Mom. I don’t want him anymore.”

I could feel her body stiffened. 

“What? How could that happen? You two always seemed fine. Oh, my poor baby,” she said softly, rubbing my back in soothing circles. “It’s okay. He’s just one man. If he doesn’t see your worth, he doesn’t deserve you. You’ll find someone better, I promise.”

Meanwhile, my dad shot up from his chair, his face flushed with anger. “Where is that little punk? Take me to him right now. I’ll make sure he never messes with you again.”

I shook my head, forcing a weak smile, “I don’t want that. What I really need now is some delicious food. Do we have them?”

Eating had always been my comfort, my way of patching up the cracks when things got too hard to bear.

My dad softened at my request, muttering under his breath before saying, “We’ve got some of your favorite crab meat buns in the fridge. I’ll heat them up for you.”

Hearing that made me tear up all over again.

Funny enough, those buns were part of what drove a wedge between Darryl and me in the first place.

We’d met during our junior year of college. He was hosting a campus event and his looks immediately caught my attention. Being the shameless romantic that I was, I chased after him for three months before he finally agreed to date me.

My parents didn’t oppose the relationship, but they had one condition: I couldn’t tell him about our family’s wealth until things were serious.

At the time, I was annoyed by their request. It felt elitist, especially since they owned a chain of high-end restaurants where the cheapest dish cost more than most people’s weekly groceries.

Darryl, on the other hand, came from humble beginnings. He was a small-town boy who paid his tuition through part-time jobs. To me, that only made him more admirable. 

I was very confident that he loved me, rich or poor.