Angela, with her high ponytail and wearing a lovely white dress, looked as fresh and beautiful as the day we met.
"Samuel, I'm so sorry for everything," she said, wrapping her arm around mine, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
I gently patted her head, slipping the card into her palm. "It's not a burden. For you and your mom, I'd do anything."
I trailed off as she looked up at me with curiosity. Ada had some strange quirks; whenever we went out shopping or dining, she insisted I call her "wife," even though she was twenty years my senior.
After saying it so many times, my dignity felt shattered, and my mind was getting foggy. Sometimes, I'd even slip and say it without thinking.
I forced a smile and added, "This is what Ms. Smith just gave me; you can keep it."
Angela tucked the card into her bag and threw her arms around me, tears glistening in her eyes. "Samuel, you had such a bright future ahead of you. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have to..."
"Samuel, I'm sorry, but I really need to say thank you. Thank you for everything you've done for me."
"Angela, don't say you're sorry, and don't thank me. Just love me, okay?"
The warmth in my arms felt so real; in that moment, I truly felt loved.
When I was eight, my father passed away. My mother looked at me with tears in her eyes for what felt like forever before she abandoned me at the orphanage. From that day on, I became sensitive and withdrawn.
It wasn't until high school that I met Angela. Like me, she lost her father when she was young, so she understood my pain. We became each other's safe haven, warming each other's hearts, and eventually got accepted into the same university.
Before long, we were a couple. Life was simple and beautiful until a year ago when Angela's mother fell seriously ill and needed a hefty sum for treatment. Watching Angela break down, I pulled out all the cash I had saved from my part-time jobs--only ten thousand dollars.
As a junior, it shattered my heart to see her suffering, but I felt utterly helpless. So, when Angela hesitantly mentioned that other women were interested in me and asked if I could spend time with them, I agreed without thinking twice.
Angela shifted slightly in my arms, pulling me back to reality.
"Samuel, I love you, I really do," she said after a moment, her voice trembling. "But my mom's treatment still needs more money..."