Chapter 1

The day I went to meet the Stephens family, Samuel Stephens's childhood friend, Candice Manning, set a cup of pale yellow liquid down in front of me.

"This is boy's urine, sis. Drink it while it's warm."

Every relative at the table looked at me at once, and not one of them looked surprised.

Before I could even react, Candice pulled out a few tarot cards and explained with a pained expression on her face.

"I just did a reading for Samuel. Your marriage is fated barren of sons."

"Even if you have a child someday, it won't be a boy."

I gripped the napkin in my hand and looked at Samuel.

But he only poured Candice a cup of warm water and praised her gently. "You just got off the plane and you're already worrying about me. Thank you."

Candice looked as though she couldn't bear it, and pushed the cup of boy's urine a little closer to me.

"The master taught me how to break it. As long as you drink this and push the wedding back two years, it'll ward off the misfortune for Samuel."

I thought Samuel would at least find the whole thing absurd.

Instead he came to my side and ruffled my hair affectionately.

"Of course I don't believe in any of this, but drinking it would put everyone at ease. Why insist on making an issue of it?"

"You've already waited seven years for me. You won't let one little sip beat you, will you?"

That was the moment I understood. What I'd waited seven years for had never been a marriage. It was his certainty that I would never leave, and the contempt that came with it.

I slid off my engagement ring, dropped it into that so-called "misfortune-warding" water, and pushed it back in front of Samuel.

"If it's meant to ward off your misfortune, then you should be the one to drink it."

……

Samuel didn't drink.

He just stared at the ring at the bottom of the cup, and the smile on his face sank, degree by degree.

"Zoey Fox, don't make this ugly."

I asked him, "Who's the one making it ugly?"

Blanche Stephens let out a cold laugh at once.

"Not even married in yet and already talking back. Is this how your mother raised you?"

Candice hurried to steady her.

"Auntie, she's just jealous."

Then she looked at me, her eyes reddening.

"Sis, Samuel and I have known each other over twenty years. I really wasn't trying to take anything from you."

When Samuel heard that, his brow drew tighter.

"Candice, you don't have to explain."

Then he turned to me.

"She just got back into the country, running herself ragged over our wedding, and you can't even manage a thank-you. Instead you humiliate her."

I laughed.

"So on top of that cup of whatever it is, I'm supposed to thank her too?"

Samuel fished the ring out of the cup and tossed it onto a napkin.

"Wash it off and you can still wear it."

"I'm not wearing it."

The room went silent in an instant.

Blanche slapped the table and stood.

"Are you threatening us? We register the marriage tomorrow, the relatives have all been told, and now you say you won't wear it?"

I picked up my bag.

"The registration is off."

Samuel's eyes changed, and his hand closed around my wrist.

The grip wasn't hard, but it was his usual way of controlling a situation.

"Zoey."

"You got hurt today, I'll admit that."

"When we get back, I'll buy you that bracelet you were looking at last time."

"But don't make a scene in front of my elders. Leave me a little face."

He kept his voice low.

Only I knew it was a warning.

There had been a time when all he had to do was say my name like that and I would soften.

Because I was afraid of annoying him, afraid he'd think I didn't know better, afraid one flash of temper from me would ruin seven years.

In the third year, he said the company was just getting off the ground and he couldn't be distracted.

In the fifth year, he said his mother wasn't well, and to wait a little longer.

In the seventh year, he finally proposed, and I thought I had finally waited my way to a home.

Only later did I understand. It wasn't that he had no time to marry me. He was waiting for me to learn to give way without end.

But today, with his hand locked around my wrist, my stomach kept turning in waves of nausea.

I asked him, "Just now, when they called my mother a widow and said she was the reason my father died, why didn't you say anything?"

Samuel was silent for a moment.

"My mother's words are harsh, sure."

"And Candice meant well, even if it came out wrong."

"If you insist on picking apart every single line, how are we supposed to live together?"

Candice's tears spilled over.

"Samuel, why don't I just drink it."

"My life's worthless anyway. If it can ward off the misfortune for you, so much the better."

Samuel let go of me at once and pressed his hand over hers.

"What kind of nonsense is that?"

In that instant, I saw it clearly.

It wasn't that he didn't know how to protect someone. He just wouldn't protect me.

Blanche looked at me, her face full of disgust.

"Look at Candice, then look at you."

"The worst thing in a woman is a hard fate and a hard heart to match."

I settled my bag on my shoulder.

"Samuel, tomorrow I won't be going to the county clerk's office."

He sneered.

"Go or don't, suit yourself. Seven years in, you really think you can walk away?"

I didn't answer. I turned and walked toward the door.

Behind me came Candice's soft crying.

"Samuel, does she hate me now?"

Then Samuel's voice followed.

"She can't bring herself to hate anyone."

I suddenly remembered seven years ago, when he took my hand at my father's funeral and said, "Zoey, from now on you have me."

Only now did I understand. Some people only ache for you when you're at your most broken.

The moment you truly make them your family, they resent your wounds for the bad luck they bring.