Hearts Remember What Minds Try To Forget by Rex Wilder 47

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Her parents‘ words were like slaps, and Rufus’s words were like knives, striking her face one after another. 

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The gazes of the surrounding guests were like searchlights, leaving her nowhere to hide–pitying, mocking, gloating, each one spelling out “pathetic“. 

She could even sense the triumphant look Annalise shot her, like a victor flaunting their spoils. 

In the past, she might have been so upset she wanted to die. 

But now, she only felt calm. 

Carice gently set down her wine glass, and as she turned, she heard someone whisper: 

“Look, her eyes are all red…” 

“She must be hiding in the restroom to cry…” 

“Poor thing, her parents and husband all favor the adopted daughter…” 

She didn’t stop walking, heading straight for the bathroom. 

The reflection in the mirror showed her flawless makeup, not a single tear shed. 

Because she had already forgotten everything–how she once begged so pitifully for her parents‘ care, Rufus’s love, and how she repeatedly set aside her dignity just to earn a glance from them. 

The people she once looked up to with such humility were now no different from strangers to her. 

Now, all she needed was to quietly wait for her immigration paperwork to be processed, and then learn to love herself properly. 

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