Me After Meeting You

All this time, Frank had thought that Trysta still loved him, the prodigal son who was nevertheless accepted by his family, someone who disgusted outsiders but thought of his own actions as moving and compassionate.

Amber hadn’t interacted with him that often, and she only knew him to be somewhat shallow and superficial. However, she didn’t expect that he would actually be so shameless. Since he wouldn’t take her advice to heart, she decisively hung up.

Some people wouldn’t learn their lesson until something truly catastrophic happened to them.

On the other hand, Trysta’s condition was steadily improving. From her behavior in the morning alone, everyone thought that she had vented out all of her negative feelings and was feeling hale and hearty again.

This was the biggest reason why Frank felt that the two of them could get back together; she’d beaten him and scolded him, so naturally, in his mind, she should forgive him.

But in reality, she hadn’t slept well at all. After an arduous battle to fall asleep, she had been shocked awake by her emotions in the middle of the night. Afterwards, she had stayed up until dawn.

Sometime during that night, Amber had asked her, “What’re you thinking about?”

She drily responded, “Killing people, of course.” And then a second later, “I’m joking. Actually, I’m not thinking of anything, but I just can’t fall asleep.”

But actually, her first sentence was true, and her second false. Even though she wouldn’t actually kill anyone, her heart was still dripping with an untold fury.

All Amber could do was try her best to enlighten her and prescribe her some mild medication. However, Trysta was pregnant and wasn’t sure about whether or not she wanted to keep the baby, so she had to be very careful about what she consumed.

Even the medicine that she had been prescribed wouldn’t be good for her in large doses. Given this situation, Amber was speechless that Frank thought that she would forgive him if he just put in a little bit of effort.

***Text © 2024 NôvelDrama.Org.

Two days later, it was New Year’s Eve.

Amber’s vacation only started on the first day of the new year, so she had to work even on New Year’s Eve.

In the morning, she stayed at home to accompany her parents and had a traditional New Year’s Eve meal. Then in the afternoon, she had to return to the hospital to work. Her brother Ruby had it slightly better than her, but he too was only free after the twenty-ninth.

Since the two of them were both busy, their parents ignored the fact that the new year was supposed to be joyous and festive and instead used their time to nag at Ruby. As soon as they finished their meal, they started talking about how he was old enough to be looking for a girlfriend by now, how if he didn’t, he’d remain single for the rest of his life, and that even his sister was getting married before him.

Ruby was shocked. “My sister’s dating someone? She’s going to get married?”

And then the subject suddenly shifted to Amber. She was speechless, whereas her parents were smiling even as they grew angry. “Yes, quite. They’ve been together for half a year, or even a year by now. So, are you two planning on getting married at the end of next year?”

Amber was relieved that they had at least left her a year’s buffer, but then she heard her mother continue, “You would always say that the two of you were very, very busy, and so I didn’t nag at you. However, you must have a few days’ leave now that it’s the New Year, right? Talk to his parents so that we can meet them sometime during the fifth to the eighth and have a family meal together.

Of course, don’t keep mentioning it to Ian. Just remind him once or twice. If he doesn’t arrange it, then he probably doesn’t care that much about you, in which case you should quickly give up on him. In my opinion, that someone’s someone’s son is pretty good, and you can meet up with him on the way back.

Even if the two of you aren’t compatible, you can still find new friends, and having more friends will broaden your opportunities and stop others from thinking that you’ve unwisely saddled yourself with a burden.”

Amber looked at her own mother, unsure whether she should laugh or cry.

Ruby honed in on one particular part of their conversation. “I-Ian? Sis, your boyfriend’s Ian Axton?”

During these last two months, he had been busy working on an engineering project in the countryside, and truly hadn’t had any time to worry about his sister’s romantic life.

“No.”

Her mother triumphantly stated, “That’s him!” She looked at her daughter, and then unabashedly continued to throw shade at her without restraint. “If you’re unwilling to recognize him as your boyfriend, then stop bringing him home.”

And that was already her holding back to preserve her daughter’s face. After all, the two had already slept together, but for some reason she still wouldn’t admit that he was her boyfriend! Did she want to be known as a promiscuous woman that badly?

Her own daughter was secretly immoral … Oh, how Amber’s mother’s heart hurt!

This time, it was Ruby who was rendered speechless. He looked at his own sister as he said in disbelief, “You even brought him home? You … damn, you’re moving quite quickly!”

And then his father scolded him without missing a beat. “It’s the new year. Why are you cursing?”

The nagging continued until both their faces were drained and devoid of color, and their parents never stopped talking until Amber had to leave for work once more.

Ruby obediently offered to send her out, and Amber accepted with a smile. The disaster-stricken siblings escaped from their parents’ house as if they were running away from a calamity. As the two hastily walked along towards the hospital, Ruby asked her with some concern, “Is your relationship with Ian Axton … real or fake?”

“Fake.”