I lost my voice to save Zoe, my childhood sweetheart. When I finally regained the ability to speak, I held back my excitement, wanting to surprise her. But just before our wedding, I caught her fooling around with a college guy in our new home. Through the crack in the door, I saw her lying on his abs, her face flushed. She spoke about me with utter contempt. “He’s just a mute who can only communicate with his hands. How could he possibly be worthy of marrying me?” She promised the guy, “I’m only marrying him to save face for our families. You’re the one I love, and I’ll never leave you.” But later, at the wedding venue, Zoe frantically searched for me, insisting on marrying me. This time, though, I’m the one who’s going to leave her behind. I coldly shut the door, blocking out their disgusting scene. After regaining my ability to speak, I had practiced for days, hoping to recite wedding vows at the ceremony as a surprise for Zoe. Now, it seems I’m the one who ended up looking like a fool. Zoe had said she wanted the most unique wedding in the world, so I worked tirelessly on the venue, personally overseeing every detail, no matter how small. Back at the wedding venue, I destroyed everything I had prepared with my own hands, then went home and fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up, my phone was flooded with messages and missed calls from Zoe. [Ryan, the hotel told me you trashed the wedding venue. What the hell are you doing?] [Why aren’t you answering my calls? What’s with the attitude?] [Do you even want to get married? If not, forget it!] … [Ryan, are you still mad at me? I really didn’t mean to stand you up…] Perhaps this is Zoe’s true nature. First, she slaps you silly, then when she’s in the mood, she offers you a piece of candy to make up for it. Keeping you firmly under her control. Yesterday, she had asked me to meet her at a restaurant, but I waited until the place closed, and she never showed up. She didn’t answer my calls or texts. Worried something had happened to her, I searched everywhere she might have gone, only to find her in our new home, engaged in that passionate affair. She had grown accustomed to me wagging my tail at her beck and call. But I’m tired of it. I looked at her messages but didn’t reply. The door to my apartment opened, and Zoe rushed in, her high heels clicking on the floor. Seeing me, she demanded, “You were home? Why didn’t you reply to my messages? You made me look like an idiot sending all those texts.” Looking at her face, flushed with anger, I felt like laughing. Was she only now experiencing the pain of sending a bunch of messages without getting a reply? I had endured this for eight years, with her disappearing without a trace. I coldly signed, [I was asleep. Didn’t hear anything.] Zoe came forward and swatted my hands, growing angrier. “I told you not to use sign language. I can’t understand it!” In the eight years since I lost my voice, my parents and close friends had all learned to understand at least some basic signs. But Zoe, the very person I had saved, couldn’t understand. Whenever I tried to communicate with her using sign language, she would get irritated and give me the cold shoulder. To this day, she couldn’t even understand the simplest sign for “thank you.” I had no desire to sign anymore, nor did I want to tell her the truth about my restored ability to speak. Zoe threw her bag on the table and crossed her arms. “We’re getting married in a week. Why did you destroy the wedding venue?” Simply put, I don’t want to get married anymore. I’m tired, weary, and fed up. I typed out a message on my phone: [I just wasn’t satisfied with how I had arranged it.] Hearing this, Zoe’s tense expression softened. She took my arm and leaned gently on my shoulder. “You must be exhausted. Let’s leave it to the wedding planners.” Her phone rang abruptly, and she immediately let go of me, sneaking away to answer the call. Through the door, her words were all too clear. “I know you miss me. I’ll be with you tonight, baby.” “Him? Just thinking about sleeping next to him after we’re married makes me sick. How could he compare to you?” “The food was good last time, so I’ll have him make it for you again.” The call ended with Zoe blowing a kiss, and she walked out of the room. I couldn’t help but recall Zoe’s behavior these past few days. Indeed, she had been coming home very late for many nights, and I would only hear the heavy sound of the door closing in the early hours of the morning when I was half-asleep. I may have lost my voice, but I wasn’t deaf. Each time I was woken up by the noise, I found it hard to fall back asleep. I had asked Zoe what she was so busy with, coming home so late every day. She always brushed me off impatiently, “Work, of course. Writing proposals with clients. What else could it be?” I would make her hangover soup, and she would mutter behind my back. “You can’t even get a proper job yourself, and now you’re trying to control me.” Most of the time, I pretended not to hear. So, her recent strange behavior was because she had found a man she cared about outside. Abandoning me to be with someone else. “Make some food for me to take away,” she said. Then she added, “The same dishes you sent to my office before, but spicier this time.” So, the carefully prepared stomach-friendly meals I had made for her had all gone into another man’s mouth. She had a sensitive stomach, and even though I used to love spicy food, I was willing to eat bland meals with her. But now she was thinking about someone else’s tastes, using the food I made to please another man. How ridiculous. I didn’t cook for Zoe. Instead, I went to my parents’ house.
“Mom, Dad, I don’t want to marry Zoe anymore.” Seeing me speak, their eyes immediately welled up with tears. Mom hugged me, sobbing uncontrollably, asking over and over if I had fully recovered. My parents had never wanted me to follow Zoe around since childhood, let alone marry her, so they readily agreed to my request. Although I had practiced hard for a long time, my voice was still hoarse and strained. My parents immediately contacted doctors abroad. I nodded in agreement, “I’ll go abroad for treatment in a week, after I’ve sorted everything out.” Years ago, when I saved her, I was nearly choked to death by the enraged kidnappers in an abandoned warehouse. When I woke up, I couldn’t make a sound. Zoe was crying heavily by my side, her tears falling like broken strings onto the hospital bed, soaking the sheets. After years of unsuccessful treatment, Zoe grew discouraged. Not wanting her to exhaust herself, I simply gave up. Zoe said, “Ryan, don’t be afraid. I won’t look down on you.” When I returned home, there was no sign of Zoe. It seemed she had left eagerly as soon as I was gone. My friend William sent me a message with a video attached. [Ryan, is this Zoe?] [Why is she cuddling with a guy in a bar? Aren’t you two getting married soon?] [The guy looks familiar. I think he’s Xavier Quinn, the new intern at the company.] In the dimly lit, flashy bar, it was the same young college student from last night. Zoe and he were dirty dancing in the crowd, kissing passionately. Her slender arms climbed up his shoulders, emotionally embracing his neck. In the past, she had never even deigned to give me a kiss. At our engagement party, I was only allowed to kiss her hand. She told me she preferred to take things slow, and that we should wait until the wedding for a real kiss. But with him, whom she had only known for a short time, she could hug, kiss, and sleep together. I was truly a complete fool. Zoe had never liked me for a moment. Back in school, she was the adored princess, ignoring my feelings for her. It was only after I was injured saving her that she deigned to give me a glance. As she said, she was willing to marry me just to settle a debt. She just didn’t want to be seen as ungrateful. I contacted William and met with him, bringing the share transfer agreement. He looked at me in surprise, utterly confused. “Ryan, wasn’t this supposed to be your wedding gift to Zoe?” In the company we three founded, William and I each owned 33% of the shares, while Zoe had 34%. I had always planned to gift my 33% shares to Zoe at our wedding, as a token of my sincerity in marrying her. But now, it was no longer necessary. After some consideration, I spoke, “She doesn’t need it anymore. I’m transferring these shares to you at the lowest price. From now on, you’ll have veto power and won’t be controlled by her anymore.” William stared at me in shock as my mouth moved, unable to react for a long time. His voice trembled with joy, “You… you’re better? Ryan, you can speak!” I nodded and signed my name on the share transfer agreement. William is my best friend, and I feel confident leaving the company in his hands. In the past, because of my love for Zoe, I often turned a blind eye to her unreasonable actions in running the company, ignoring William’s complaints and accusations. But that won’t happen anymore. The company will surely develop better under William’s management.
The next day, Zoe returned home and threw her expensive bag at my face, furious. “Why did you fire Xavier?” My cheek stung, but I didn’t move, just rubbed it gently. Yesterday, I had asked William to fire the college student, and he had acted quickly. Zoe grew anxious, “He’s just an intern, doesn’t earn much. How is he supposed to survive now that you’ve fired him?” Every word she spoke betrayed her fondness and concern for Xavier. [Do you care about him that much?] I typed. Seeing my words, Zoe hesitated for a moment before speaking again, “No, I just… I just feel sorry for him. His family is struggling financially.” I didn’t say anything more. Seeing my unhappy expression, Zoe tried to speak more patiently. “The wedding is just a few days away. Let’s not fight, okay? You’ve always listened to me, haven’t you?” Fight? I hadn’t even said a harsh word. This was just her venting one-sidedly. I did listen to her, to the point where I let myself be cheated on. [I looked at his resume. His major doesn’t fit our company’s needs. He’s not suitable.] Zoe exploded, her shrill voice echoing through the room. “I own 34% of the company shares. I have the final say. And you, a mute, what right do you have to judge him!” You, a mute. Her words stabbed at my heart. Did I want to become mute? Did I choose to lose my voice? Over the past years, countless times of ridicule and disdain, and I had always turned a blind eye. Zoe’s hurtful words were as harsh and cutting as ever. Why had it taken me until now to see clearly? She called HR, insisting on keeping Xavier’s job, only to be regretfully informed that it was William’s order. I showed her the share transfer agreement with William, and she immediately understood everything. “Why did you transfer your shares to him! I’ve been talking to you about the shares for so long, and you never agreed to give them to me.” Her voice took on a crying tone. I just looked at her coldly. [Zoe, if you despise me for being mute, we don’t have to get married. I’m not forcing you.] Zoe saw what I had typed, snatched my phone, and smashed it on the ground. “How am I supposed to explain if we don’t get married! Ryan Sullivan, you never truly loved me.” I did love her, but did she love me? She had already completely disregarded my feelings and self-esteem, brazenly using the word “explain” to humiliate me. As Zoe was crying, she received a call from Xavier. Over the phone, I heard Xavier’s pitiful voice, “Sis, my stomach hurts so bad.” It seemed Xavier had been drinking at a bar, forced to down several bottles. Zoe was extremely worried about him, no longer caring about me. She hurriedly left. This made me feel even more like a clown. In the past, I always put Zoe first, prioritizing her above everything else. In school, when she was bullied, I stood up for her and got my leg broken in the fight. The very next day, she was laughing and chatting with the guy who had bullied her. I advised her to stay away from such a bad guy. But she stubbornly refused, blaming me for bruising the face of the guy she had a crush on during the fight. I still can’t forget Zoe’s cold face, her moist eyes glaring at me fiercely as she scolded me for meddling. Thinking of my foolish past self, I find it utterly laughable. I was truly able to endure, following her despite being humiliated in countless ways. Was my brain kicked by a donkey in the past? Putting aside those memories, I calmly entrusted the high-priced house I had bought to a real estate agent to sell at a low price. I never want to set foot in that house again. It was the home I had bought with high hopes for our marriage, choosing the best location, personally overseeing the renovation. Every piece of furniture, even the pots and pans, every flower and plant in that house, I had personally bought and brought in. But now, none of that matters anymore. I want to sell it, along with all the dirty memories it holds, and expel them from my life. Three days before the wedding, Zoe came to find me. “I won’t hold the share transfer against you. After we’re married, you can get them back from William.” Before I could say anything, she affectionately took my arm and blinked her eyes. “The wedding venue is all set up. Shall we go take a look?” I did want to see how the wedding venue I had destroyed had been restored in such a short time. Stepping into the familiar wedding venue again, everything seemed unfamiliar. Zoe was very satisfied and brought a man with her. “Ryan, our wedding venue was personally decorated by Xavier. Look at his hands.” I lowered my gaze to see his fingers covered in blood stains. “For this sea of flowers, his hands were pricked and torn by thorns.” Xavier ruffled his hair, smiling brightly like an eager-to-please puppy. “As long as sis and brother Ryan are happy, it doesn’t matter what happens to me.” Zoe looked at Xavier’s hands with concern, unable to resist gently holding them. I thought of my own hands. During the wedding preparations, Zoe had never come even once, so naturally, she couldn’t see my hands covered in wounds, cut by wooden boards, pricked by thorns, healing only to be injured again, leaving my hands in a sorry state. Yet when I held Zoe’s hand, she was disgusted. She looked at my scarred hands with disdain, complaining that they were too rough for her delicate skin. Xavier was young, sunny, and knew how to act cute. Seeing Zoe’s concern for him, he pouted and whined, calling her “sis” in a sticky voice. Zoe told me to sit and rest while she went to go over the wedding procedure with the planner. She probably thought that since I was mute, there was no need for me to go along. As I watched Xavier and Zoe enter the same floor of the hotel one after another, I couldn’t help but smirk coldly. In the corridor, urgent gasps could be heard. Before they even entered the room, their tongues were already eagerly intertwined. Zoe was pressed against the wall by Xavier, kissed until her eyes were misty. I heard Xavier say, “Sis, you marrying him really breaks my heart.” “Decorating the wedding venue for you was like killing me. Sis, do you want me dead?” Zoe wrapped her arms around his neck and chuckled softly, “I only want to kill you in bed.” They entered the room, and ambiguous sounds continuously leaked out. After going downstairs, I called the police to report prostitution at the hotel.
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