To the Love of My Life

Steve pursed his lips tightly, and with a sharp aura, he turned and walked towards the upstairs. As his foot stepped on the first stair, he paused as if he thought of something. Then, he turned around and said firmly and decisively to the four people standing in the living room, “Also, the engagement ceremony today is canceled.”

The faces of Rusell Henris and the others changed instantly, looking somewhat uncomfortable. They all called out in unison, “Brother.”

Steve took a deep breath, desperately suppressing the sourness rolling in his throat. For the sake of maintaining his composure, he slowed down his tone and called out, “Rusell.”

Rusell pursed his lips and looked at Steve.

Steve, as if swallowing some hard-to-swallow poison, forcefully swallowed two mouthfuls of saliva before he could barely speak. He said, “No matter if it’s outwardly or to the Burtons and the Gregorys, just say that I canceled this engagement.”

Steve’s trembling lips were somewhat obvious, and his quivering voice didn’t sound right, “As for the reason…”

Only four words into the explanation, Steve had trouble continuing. He stared calmly straight ahead for a long time before continuing, “As for the reason for breaking off the engagement, you can decide that. In any case, I’ll take the blame for breaking this engagement!”

Rusell stood in front of him, hesitating for a long time before calling out, “Brother, why don’t we look for her…”

“I said no search is no search!” Steve, as if stimulated, roared loudly, his chest heaving up and down. It was unclear if he was getting angry to conceal his grief or if he was venting his anger on the people in front of him because of Ruby’s sudden disappearance. He raised his hand, pointed at them, and said word by word, “Without my permission, none of the four of you are allowed to look for her! If I find out that anyone has disturbed her, I won’t let it go easily!”

Although his words sounded like threats, they carried a touch of desperation to the listeners.

There was silence in the room. After a long while, the hostility in Steve finally subsided. His throat moved up and down as he asked, “Rusell, did you understand my order clearly?”

Rusell nodded slightly without speaking.

Steve also nodded in response, as if intending to say more, but in the end, he only moved his lips and then turned around, striding toward the second floor.

His pace was quick, as if he was afraid that moving too slowly would lose his composure in front of these people.

As he passed by the master bedroom, Steve unconsciously raised his hand to push the door open, but immediately withdrew it and walked straight to the study at the end of the corridor.

From the night before when he returned to the apartment to look for Ruby, he had only stopped by the study once. He had only stood at the door, and seeing that she wasn’t there, he turned and left.

Now, standing at the door of the study again, her words from that night, “Let’s cancel our engagement,” echoed in his ears as if it was clear and bright.