Love Lottery

"I'm sorry, Simon, but we don't need to meet anymore. It's better if we break up!"

"What?" The man called Simon was taken aback, his girlfriend's words caught him by surprise.

"Shania, can you please explain why? I can't believe you made such a unilateral decision without a clear reason."

His forehead furrowed as he tried to think of a plausible explanation from the person called Shania.

"We've been fine all this time, right? Please tell me, Shania, what made you give up on our relationship?"

Shania walked slowly towards Simon, then leaned closer and whispered in his ear.

"It's because I've never had any feelings for you." Simon's face instantly turned red, he couldn't believe what Shania had just said.

"That can't be true! You must be lying, Shania..."

"Why? Actually, I've wanted to tell you this important thing for a long time, but unfortunately, we rarely met, so it was difficult to find the right time for it." Shania took a deep breath. "I need money, Simon. Just look at yourself in the mirror - you're just a poor guy. You can't provide anything for me."

Simon squinted his eyes, looking around at his surroundings, his mouth twitching. After a few seconds, his lips moved again.

"So, just because of that?" Simon stared up at the sky. "Is that really the deepest truth in your heart, Shania? Are you that brave to make such a decision?"

Upon hearing that question, Shania momentarily paused, her sighs and breaths were audible before she answered Simon. "Yes..."

Shania was completely serious, Simon tilted his head and laughed ironically. "You must be joking, Shania. Who would believe your act this morning? Your words were so serious and hurtful to me."

Shania fell silent, her mind troubled. She eventually left from there.

Simon was left alone, contemplating in the same spot with a despondent expression. Until finally, he tried to walk away with a heavy heart.

At the edge of the koi pond, Simon stopped, gazing at his reflection in the water. A melancholic look appeared on his face, there was something clinging to his mind.

Simon took a deep breath, clicking his tongue. "Why am I destined like this? Yes, I may be a poor young man, but did Shania have to be so selfish towards me?" Actually, there were many questions swirling in his mind.

Their relationship had only lasted a year, and everyone thought they would have a long-lasting love. But it turned out that their predictions were wrong. Just a few seconds ago, Simon officially became single.

Although Simon's family background was not well-off, he was well-educated and handsome. There was a time when he was offered a scholarship to study abroad due to his exceptional potential, but Simon declined for reasons he couldn't explain.

Many people asked why, but Simon chose to become a fisherman to lighten the burden on his parents.

"Can it be true," Simon muttered to himself, staring at the koi fish swimming in the pond. "Am I really the unlucky one? Or could it be that I'm the luckiest man to have narrowly avoided a relationship built on superficiality?"

Amid the journey home, Simon accidentally caught sight of Shania stepping into a car. Instantly, Simon hid and observed her actions from a distance. "Why is Shania getting into that car?" His eyes remained fixated on his ex-girlfriend from afar.

A man dressed in formal attire emerged from the car. "Wait! He seems familiar..." Simon tried to recall his name. "Gerald, right. It's Gerald, that playboy. It can't be, Shania must have been influenced by him. She surely doesn't know Gerald's true nature. I have to approach them, hopefully, there's still hope for me..." Simon approached them with determination.

"Shania, can you explain this to me?" The owner of that name was taken aback and turned around, meeting Simon's piercing gaze. "Answer me, Shania, is it because of Gerald? Do you love him?"

The girl smiled cynically, "And what if I do? What's it to you?"

"Shania, don't be foolish. He's famous for being a playboy, surely you know that? He's been with numerous girls out there. Are you planning to be one of them too?" Simon's words were harsh, causing Shania to contemplate her response.

"Of course, I know. Gerald has already explained it to me. It's all lies. There are many girls who would exploit him for money. So, you don't need to meddle in other people's affairs."

Simon was taken aback hearing Shania's words. "You say other people?" Simon looked at her with a slightly raised eyebrow. "Shania, are you that easily swayed by him? If I were to tell you that he had lied to you, would you believe me?"

Shania covered her ears, screaming. "Enough! Stop bothering me, and please go away!"

Simon stood there, waiting for Shania's next words, hoping for something that would bring him a glimmer of comfort. But...

"Leave me alone, and never expect anything from me again!"

Shania turned around after her harsh words and left without caring about her conversational partner. However, as a man freshly heartbroken, Simon had to act foolishly, chase his love, and reach out to her as he said,

"Shania, listen to me. People like him might deceive you, or maybe he forced you to do this? If that's the case, I have to confront him."

Shania forcefully released her wrist from Simon's grip. "Stop lying to yourself, Simon. Gerald is nothing like what you imagined. Maybe you want to know why I did this? It's because I can no longer bear being with you. Someone will work hard to make a lot of money, just like me."

"But..."

"What? Don't you understand yet? Look at my bag now, I can buy this with money. Do you know how much it costs? Hundreds of dollars! Could I have something like this if I continued to be with you? I'm sorry, but it seems like you would never be able to provide me with all of that."

Simon was taken aback, never had he seen this side of Shania before. Three years knowing her was not enough. "Shania, listen. Gerald would never marry you. He's used many girls in the past."

"Sir, Simon Cowell, aren't you supposed to be a religious man? Yet here you are, talking bad about someone behind their back. Isn't that equivalent to gossiping? Where is all the religious knowledge you've acquired?"

Both of them turned, hearing Gerald's words, which pierced through the air. Simon knew exactly why Gerald said that.

Gerald walked slowly, circling around them, while they stood there, gazing at his well-dressed and classy figure. Compared to Simon, he was far behind.

Gerald, without hesitation, reached out for Shania's hand, even pulling her into an embrace in front of Simon.

"G-Gerald?" Shania stuttered, her hands trembling, especially when he placed her head to rest on his shoulder, making her innocent face look delicate.

Simon's palms grew warm, his face burned with envy, his heart felt like it had been pricked by a thousand needles. "Why does it feel so futile to speak with her? Should I act now?"

Simon shook his head. "No, they will think I'm a weak man. I must prove to them that women aren't everything." he mumbled to himself.

"Shania, is your decision final? Fine, do as you please. But remember, one day you'll regret this." After speaking, Simon turned and left.

"Wait!" Gerald's voice echoed. Simon stopped, but he didn't turn around even for a second.

Gerald glanced briefly at Shania. "Darling, wait in the car. I'll catch up with you after a brief chat with your ex."

"Gerald, what do you want? You don't need to concern yourself with him. Besides, we have no connection anymore. It's better if we leave here right away. You don't need to say anything more to him." Gerald raised an eyebrow, smiling.

"You don't have to worry. We'll just have a little talk-it won't affect our relationship."

Although Gerald said that, Shania hesitated to let them have their conversation. But as she thought about it again, she didn't want to bother with it.

"In that case, I'll wait in the car," Shania turned around and got into the car, occasionally glancing back to make sure they didn't resort to violence.

"You still hope she'll come back to you? But, I've already had her, I'm sorry if I've taken her away from you. If you want, you can beat me to a pulp." Those words slipped out of his mouth, Simon felt small, yet he still had the audacity to say such things. He wouldn't reveal his broken heart to that vile man.

"But it seems like you're mistaken. I only pity her. How can she be fooled by someone like you? Poor girl. But, don't worry about me, there are still so many girls out there who can replace her. Why should I chase after the same girl?"

Those words flowed naturally from his lips, Simon didn't want to lower himself to Gerald's level. Although he felt immense pain, he wouldn't show his broken heart in front of that vile man.

"But Simon, let me tell you one thing you don't know." Gerald approached slowly and whispered in his ear, "You've seen it, right? Shania has a beautiful and sexy body. Look at yourself. Could I have something like this if I kept being with you? I'm sorry, but it seems like you'll never be able to provide me with all of that."

"Alright... I have to go. Shania must have been waiting for me. And, I've already booked the best room for us at the five-star hotel, you must know what place that is. Oh well, it's pointless for me to tell you, considering you can't afford to eat there anyway."

This was an insult, but Simon wouldn't act hastily now. He had to behave like a real man.

"Shania, I don't believe she chose Gerald to replace me. All this time, I never dared to touch Shania, except for holding hands and kissing, nothing more. But that despicable man... he will ruin Shania's future. Should I just stay silent?"

Hufft...

"Hopefully, they won't go that far. What will happen to her if she becomes the next victim?"

Simon glanced at his watch. "It's already 4:00 p.m., it seems like I've been here for too long. It's better for me to go out and find other things to occupy my mind rather than thinking about something insignificant."

Simon walked around the central park area, where many couples gathered. However, he didn't pay much attention to them. All he wanted now was to find some fresh air.

For some reason, Simon felt quite thirsty. Next to the park, there was a long bench with a couple of vending machines around it. Simon intended to go there to buy a bottle of water.

As he was about to pay, Simon checked his pocket with a puzzled look. "Oh no, I forgot to bring my wallet..."

He reluctantly turned back. Suddenly, a tall woman with long wavy hair appeared there. "Why not just go for it?" she asked casually and coldly.

Simon felt slightly uncomfortable hearing her way of speaking, but he tried to smile and greet her. "Ah, you go ahead. I still have to fetch my wallet that I left behind."

Unintentionally, he spilled out everything that had just happened. "Oh, what did I just say?" he said while gently hitting his lips a few times.

"Forget about getting your wallet, let me treat you instead."

Simon couldn't hide his astonishment anymore, he felt very embarrassed about his current situation.

"It's alright, you don't need to feel awkward. Besides, I just arrived here too, maybe we can interact with each other. I'm Sandra, by the way."

The woman extended her smooth hand, and Simon looked hesitant, but considering his recent troubles, meeting a beautiful woman might bring him some comfort.

"Simon..." he finally accepted her extended hand.

It was indeed fortunate for them to meet at the same time by chance. Sandra grabbed two orange-colored drinks and handed one to Simon. "Take it, actually, I needed someone to talk to. Are you alone?"

"Ah yes, coincidentally, I am alone here." Sandra pursed her lips. "Thank goodness, no one will get jealous when we chat, right?"

Again, Simon shook his head. He looked down, opened the drink that had just been given to him by Sandra.

"Hey, how about we sit over there? I think that spot might be cooler than here."

It had become Simon's habit to always agree with whatever a woman said, whether it was his girlfriend or any other woman.

They sat on the Japanese grass beneath a walnut tree. Each of them was busy sipping their respective drinks. "Actually, I just returned from a business trip abroad. Well, technically, I came back a day earlier, for one reason, you probably know what I mean." The corner of her lips twitched, and her gaze seemed melancholic.

As if understanding, Simon empathized with their shared problems. "You must have been disappointed..."

"Exactly, how did you know?" Sandra asked.

Simon shrugged his shoulders, although he had initially answered casually. "I wasn't sure what to say, but it seems like I've experienced something similar. Just like you..."

"Can you tell me about it?" Sandra's heavy and irregular sighs made him close his eyes, then slowly open them again. "My girlfriend broke up with me and left with another man..."

"This seems serious," Sandra responded quickly with a comment.

He fell silent, curious about the story behind her melancholic expression. "What about you?"

Sandra shook her head, taking a few sips of her drink. She grabbed her phone and tapped the screen a few times. "Watch this video..."

Simon, being penniless, felt hesitant to touch the sleek, high-end device that exuded exclusivity in its design. Compared to his old, worn-out phone, it was like 1 to 8.

A shabby phone!

That better described Simon's phone.

His gaze turned serious as he watched the short film playing on Sandra's phone. Moans, groans, and whispers could be heard, making him feel uncomfortable.

His heart raced as the video reminded him of Shania. His gaze sharpened as he clearly saw the person in the video, set in a room, and... Everyone would immediately know what was happening there.

Even when the scene in the video became clearer, Simon was shocked, his body trembling intensely. He stood frozen for a few minutes, listening to the activities in the video.

Shania! They're doing it!

Simon cursed, "That cheap girl, she's so willing to sell her body for money?"

"He's my boyfriend, I came from afar to meet her, and that's what I saw when I arrived at her apartment." Sandra spoke with a grim face.

"He...he? He's your boyfriend?"

A single nod made him understand.

His whole body suddenly felt cold, and he trembled. "Sh...Shania?"

He felt deeply disappointed by the girl he had admired for the past three years.

"Only time proves loyalty, and it proves that he wasn't meant for me..."

Sandra had a big heart and feelings, Simon could see that in her hurt expression, as she didn't want to get hurt again.

Simon unintentionally stared at her enchanting face. She had sparkling eyes and a beautiful smile. "Hey, are you daydreaming?" Reflexively, Simon was startled by Sandra's reprimand.

And now, he seemed tongue-tied when he spoke. "Funny, this is so funny!"

Simon saw her looking so sweet, her lovely smile shone through. But suddenly, she started crying. Simon was taken aback. "Wait, didn't you just laugh? What happened?" Simon was puzzled.

Seeing her in tears, his heart felt sad too. "What's going on?"

***

Sandra hurriedly booked an online taxi to go home early. She kept smiling, a sense of joy bubbling inside her.

Not far away, a taxi with a logo approached where she was standing. Seeing it, without hesitation, Sandra got in and immediately asked, "Is this the way to Endless Willow Apartments?" The driver nodded.

"Okay, let's go." The taxi moved forward, leaving the city center behind.

In truth, Sandra was very tired today. She hadn't even had a chance to rest in order to meet her despicable boyfriend. Lost in her own thoughts, Sandra ended up falling asleep...

"Sorry, Miss, where should we stop?" The sound of a finger tapping was accompanied by the taxi driver's question, waking Sandra from her sleep.

"Ah, just here's fine. Sorry, I fell asleep," Sandra lifted her face, then got out of the taxi. "Thank you."

As the taxi drove off, Sandra entered the apartment where she lived. Her body felt sweaty, prompting her to quickly enter the bathroom and turn on the shower.

The sound of water splashing was heard. When her body was wet, she suddenly remembered something. She quickly stopped the shower, grabbed a towel, and hurriedly left the bathroom.

In her room, Sandra picked up her phone with a smile on her face. "Simon, he's handsome and kind. Maybe I can ask him out for a walk tomorrow."

Right at that moment, Sandra sent a short message. "Done..."

"Wait, wait. I shouldn't get too excited. What if Simon doesn't want to see me anymore and just laughs at me regarding what happened yesterday?"

Suddenly, Sandra remembered something. Her gaze shifted to the large wardrobe leaning against the door of her room. She immediately went there and opened its contents.

Her expression turned sour when she found a neatly stored cardboard box inside the wardrobe. Sandra reached for it and opened it, her eyes fixed on an old book. "An old diary..." Sandra read the opening page of its contents and quickly closed it. "I will ensure this old diary turns to ashes in an instant, so I won't owe anything anymore."

Sandra took a deep breath, replacing the old book with a new one. "End the old, and begin anew. If the same story continues, nothing will change. It's better to create a different story. Maybe even a bitter life can still taste sweet."

The pen began to scribble on the blank white paper, as the words formed were an expression of Sandra's current feelings.

Suddenly, Sandra heard someone entering the passcode for her apartment. "Could it be Gerald? He's the only one who knows the room password. He must have come to apologize."

Sandra stayed silent in her room, not wanting to act hastily and trying to calm herself. Although she felt hungry, she held back from leaving the room. "Oh, I forgot, don't I still have some leftover chocolates from the trip?"

Sandra searched for them and ended up only being able to chew on a piece of dark chocolate from overseas. At least savoring the very sweet chocolate made her feel a bit calmer.

Her apartment was sometimes used as a workspace, so she didn't have to spend money on finding another place. As his girlfriend, it was no surprise that Gerald knew about this location.

After waiting for a while, the sound didn't come anymore. "Maybe he gave up. Thankfully, I changed the password." Sandra smiled sideways upon realizing that.

But just as she was about to smile, she was startled by a repeated knocking on the door. "Sandra, open the door! We still need to talk! I know you're inside!"

Sandra didn't care; she stayed in her place and continued to enjoy the remaining chocolate. The sound of knocking was accompanied by shouting from her boyfriend. "If you don't open up, I'll make a scene!"

Sandra took a deep breath; her face showed frustration as she threw the nearly finished chocolate wrapper in a rough manner, then drank from the bottle of mineral water that was also from her bag.

Slowly, Sandra walked towards the door and opened it. Gerald immediately barged in and stared at her intently.

"Sandra, I..."

"Go away, I'm disgusted just looking at your face!" Sandra said, pushing the man. "Sandra, please forgive me..."

"Enough, you don't need to bother coming here just to say that. Let it be a thousand times, I still won't accept it!"

"Sandra, please, you said we were going to get married next month, why don't we start preparing now?"

Instead of answering, Sandra forcefully pushed him out of the door with all her might. "Never set foot in this apartment again!"

"Sandra, you have to trust me. My relationship with that woman wasn't serious. How could I ever choose a woman who easily gives her body for money? The one I love is only you, Sandra..."

***

Along the way home, Simon kept thinking about Sandra, remembering her gaze, feeling the strong urge to protect her. "Gerald is truly despicable, unfortunately, Shania has already fallen under his spell. My gut feeling tells me Shania will end up like Sandra."

Simon arrived at his semi-permanent home, which was almost decrepit. He stepped on the uneven floor and sat on the tattered carpet. His breath sounded heavy as he observed the state of the place. However, he didn't dare to comment and chose to sit in the worn-out sofa chair.

"Simon, you're home?" An older woman approached him unsteadily.

"Yes, ma'am. Sorry, I didn't buy anything." Simon's face turned gloomy. "Ma'am, I might look for work tomorrow to cover Ella's tuition fees. We have to pay it soon, right?"

The mother looked at him warmly, attempting to smile. "I'm sorry, my dear. I can't help you with anything. Hopefully, we can get away from all of this."

Simon nodded in agreement with his mother's words, his mind wandered to his shabby phone. "I have to charge its battery."

As he observed it, Simon widened his eyes. "A message from Sandra?"

Sandra woke up with swollen eyes, her head throbbing with pain. "Ah, hopefully the headache will go away after I take some painkillers."

She slowly got up, furrowing her brow. "I'll use one day from my business trip to relax and go for a walk, so I'll go to the office tomorrow."

As an only child, Sandra had taken over her father's company. If she didn't go to the office, it didn't really matter to her. However, Sandra was disciplined and assertive. In the office, she was a figure of authority.

Sandra comforted herself by humming softly in the bathroom. Afterwards, there were so many things she wanted to do. Her conversation with her boyfriend last night had traumatized her. So now, all she wanted to do was move on.

Once she stepped out of the bathroom, Sandra searched for her best outfit and applied a minimal amount of makeup. "I don't like excessive makeup. If allowed, I'll wear a hijab after this."

After getting ready, Sandra prepared to leave the house and stopped in front of her favorite silver car. She turned on her phone and saw several new messages from an unknown number. "Block!"

At the same time, another message came through, and it was from a special number. "A reply from Simon..." (I'll wait for you at the central park, see you...)

The corners of her lips curved into a smile. Sandra immediately drove off, feeling a surge of happiness and impatience to meet with the person she had just gotten to know. She felt that there was something different about Simon, even though they had only met once.

On the other hand, she felt sad and lost her self-confidence as a woman, even her self-worth. What woman could accept infidelity? She had seen it with her own eyes.

"Oh well, thinking about it only makes me angry. I don't want to dwell on this issue!" Sandra pushed away her negative thoughts and played some music to dispel the uneasiness in her heart.

At 8:09 a.m., Sandra arrived at the location she had been informed of beforehand. She got out of her car and locked it. Not far from there, someone familiar was standing, waving at her.

Sandra smiled and quickly made her way towards the man. The outfit she wore today was simple enough, so it didn't hinder her movements.

"Have you been waiting for long?"

Simon shook his head. "By the way, it seems like the cafe over there just opened. Let's sit there!"

Sandra paused for a moment, then an mischievous intention emerged, accompanied by a slight smile on her lips. "You didn't forget your wallet again, did you?"

Simon scratched his head, even though it wasn't itchy, but he wasn't offended at all and instead gave her a smile. "This time, definitely not!"

"I was just kidding. You probably don't know my straightforward nature yet. Well then, let's go there."

As they entered the cafe, Sandra smelled the delightful aroma of coffee that filled the air, stirring up a feeling of satisfaction. They found seats near the window.

Sandra didn't immediately sit down; instead, she observed every inch of the room. "What's wrong?" As it turned out, Simon had been watching Sandra all along.

"Ah, nothing. Besides, why rush? I need to see the layout of this cafe..." Sandra's manner of speaking remained authoritative.

Simon nodded, understanding Sandra's criteria as a slightly carefree woman. However, considering the moment she had cried, Simon still saw Sandra's vulnerable side.

"So, how do you like the cafe?"

"Of course, I love it."

Simon was pleased that his choice didn't disappoint Sandra. "Black coffee, less sugar." Simon glanced at Sandra. "What about you?"

"I'll go with the same." Sandra nodded.

The waiter who had just arrived quickly wrote down their orders. "Anything else?" he asked politely.

Simon looked at Sandra again. "No, maybe later."

"Why?"

"I've been wondering what to order."

"Well, in that case, let me order. Do you like spicy food?"

Sandra nodded eagerly.

"Alright, wait a moment." Simon approached the waiter and whispered something. Then the waiter went away.

"Oh, by the way, since we didn't fully finish our conversation yesterday, I still want to know more about you. I hope you don't mind."

"About what?"

"Lately, what have you been up to? Um... I mean, your daily activities. I'm afraid that you're busy with work, and my presence might interrupt your routine."

Simon took a deep breath and shook his head. "I don't have a job. Sometimes I just go fishing. Well, I catch a little, but it's enough to sell..."

"Fresh fish, right? Wow, I haven't had grilled fish in a long time. The last time I tried it was during my vacation in China."

"It seems like you travel overseas frequently."

Sandra nodded. "It's all part of my job. Just so you know, it's exhausting every day. I want to live a more peaceful life than this."

Simon furrowed his brow in surprise. "Why? Isn't it good to have a steady job? Not like me, living as an unemployed person."

Seeing Simon's expression, Sandra quickly added, "No, you do have a job. Fishing is a job too, isn't it? It's better than relying on others."

Simon looked down, observing the floor he was standing on. "Well, it's not a steady job. It also depends on the weather and the condition of the waves."

"Meaning?"

Simon took a deep breath. "The changes I mentioned refer to the high tides."

Sandra listened attentively to his words. "So, being a sailor is that challenging?"

Sandra fell silent, deep in thought, as they continued sipping their drinks. "Simon..." Sandra startled him.

"Would you like to work with me?"

This time, Simon took it seriously. He had actually planned to find a job that suited his abilities. Although he was born into a poor family, he was determined to uplift his family's name and provide a decent living. Besides, his younger sister's education needed financial support.

"Are you serious? Where is the vacancy? Please let me know..." The young man was genuinely excited and couldn't wait. "Are you interested? By the way, do you know what kind of work it is?"

His enthusiasm gradually faded. Simon tried to remain calm. "If it's a halal job, then yes, I'm willing."

In fact, since a long time ago, Simon had been determined to work so that his sister could finish her education, even if it meant he had to work continuously. He did it so his sister wouldn't end up like him.

"Ehhmm... Suddenly Sandra's voice was heard again. "There is a vacancy, but unfortunately, you have to live outside the city..."

It was a tough choice for her. If she agreed, would she be ready to be far away from her family? Honestly, Simon had never left his mother and younger sister before. But he needed this job with a stable income.

"Okay, I agree..."

A black car slowly stopped next to the entrance of the everlasting housing complex, catching the attention of the residents inside the complex.

Shania got out of the car, trembling. Then someone spoke from inside the car, "For now, don't meet with me in person. Let's just exchange messages."

Shania remained silent, a hint of disappointment on her face. "I understand."

Shania clung tightly to her bag, muttering to herself, her hand holding a check worth one hundred billion, whether it was genuine or fake, that wasn't important right now.

Slowly, Shania entered the complex and stopped in front of her house. As she opened the door, her mother crossed her arms over her chest, stepped away from the sofa, and walked towards Shania.

"Where have you been? You didn't come home last night, nor did you call, not even a phone call. Did you intentionally want to make your father and me worried sick?"

"I'm sorry, Mom. Yesterday, I..." Shania's eyes turned red, her mother's anger seemed to lessen a bit. She thought of a way to lessen her mother's anger. "Maybe I should lie." She thought to herself.

"Yesterday, my friend organized a special reunion party for our university alumni. The event only ended late at night, and I was worried that there wouldn't be any buses on the road at that hour, and even if there was, it wouldn't necessarily be safe for me to travel alone."

Shania explained with hesitation.

"Then where did you sleep last night?"

"I slept at my friend's house, and I thought that night you and dad might not be able to sleep, so I didn't call immediately..."

"You're already grown up, Shania. You have to be smart in taking care of yourself. There are many people out there who target the innocence of girls like you. Next time, you can't be like yesterday, do you understand?"

Shania nodded as if she truly understood, but behind her nod, her heart was uneasy for violating her mother's advice. "Why are you still standing there? Quickly go wash your face, I just cooked soup for breakfast."

Although she was very emotional earlier, seeing her daughter coming home in good condition made her feel relieved.

Shania is the only child of the couple Leslie and Baron, her life with the Simon family is not much different, but Baron is a civil servant who works as a teacher. Although they are in a lower social class, it is still better than having no income at all. Furthermore, Baron does not have any other skills, such as fishing like Simon.

Shania entered her room after showering. She bit her lip when she remembered the man she was currently dating. "Can't we meet for now? Why? Because of the engagement? Relax, Shania, they won't reconcile, they will never!" Shania grinned mischievously in front of the mirror.

Her outfit had now changed to her work clothes, her eyes glanced at a check briefly, and she put it back into her bag before heading out for breakfast with her parents.