ManyWriters

I proposed to Aria eighteen times.
She agreed every time, but after I gave her eighteen dowries, she still used all sorts of reasons to delay the wedding date.
"Caelan is taking his driver's test soon, I don't want to distract him."
"Caelan's cat at home is sick, wouldn't getting married now just add to his troubles?"
"Caelan's been in a good mood lately, let's wait a bit. It's rare for him to be happy!"
Caelan was her childhood sweetheart, and the man who had secretly loved her for eighteen years.
Later, Primrose tearfully begged me, "Honey, what about your nineteenth proposal? As long as you propose to me, we'll have the wedding right away."
I held my new bride's hand and boasted to her, "Who's your husband? I'm already married."
"Oh, and if you don't pay back the dowry from the first eighteen proposals soon, you might be facing a lawsuit."

Eighteen Marriage Proposals Later, I Give Up on Marriage

My heart was already heavy, but I stepped in to help, squaring off against those drunk buffoons. The deal was if I won, the girl could keep training and they'd get lost.


The girl, her face a patchwork of bruises, thanked me and bought me a drink.


Out of politeness, I casually asked why she came to train so late every night.


She flashed me a smile. "My job's way too dangerous. I'm swamped during the day, so I've gotta hustle at night to learn how to protect myself."


We nodded goodbye, and I never set foot in that boxing gym again.


Back then, Aria consumed my every thought. Plus, Cora was so banged up I couldn't even recognize her, so I didn't give it much thought. The incident got lost in the sea of my memories.


It wasn't until I saw Cora's determined gaze again, and the scars on her wrists from training, that I finally understood what she meant by her "dangerous job."


Chapter 8