“My parents didn’t know about your infertility when they arranged this mating,” he barked. “I’m sure they wouldn’t have allowed it to happen if they did.”
A single flicker of anger bloomed in my chest. “Are you saying I’m worthless if I can’t have children?”
The cold expression on Larry’s face told me everything. He looked at me like the remains of shattered glass, broken and useless. An irritating mess to be cleaned up.
I stumbled back on trembling legs, afraid that they would crumple beneath me. My breath hitched in my throat like the air had been snatched right out of my lungs.
“I think it’s best if you leave,” Larry finally said.
Standing there across from Larry in the kitchen of his huge home--a picturesque family home, meant for parents and children running around--I’d never felt so small.
The reality of this was starting to hit me.
“Where am I supposed to go?” I asked, thinking about all my belongings, meager as they were.
Larry shrugged as if he hadn’t given it a single thought. “I dunno. Move back in with your parents or something. Get a hotel room.”
“How can you be so nonchalant about this?” I demanded.
Larry wouldn’t even look at me now. “I’m tired. Just go, okay?”
Tears burned my eyes, threatening to fall, but I blinked them firmly back. I refused to let Larry see me cry.
“So, this is it, then?” I asked quietly. “We’re really breaking up?”
Still without meeting my eyes, Larry nodded.
The despair and panic turned to blank determination, focused only on survival now. If he wanted to get rid of me so badly, then I’d give him what he wanted.
“Okay. Fine,” I said. “I guess I’ll go pack my things.”
“Don’t have to,” Larry said in a clipped tone. “Already did that.”
My eyes widened in surprise. Larry walked to the hall and returned with a large overstuffed duffel bag. He unceremoniously dropped it on the floor a few feet away from me.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
“Is that what you were doing upstairs earlier?” I asked, an edge to my voice.
By the glare Larry shot me, it was clear he wasn’t pleased with my question. “Yeah. Been a long time coming. Just finally bit the bullet tonight, is all.”
Been a long time coming,I repeated mentally, feeling awful.He’s been actively planning to get rid of me.
“I see.”
I picked up the bag. I didn’t know if it was the adrenaline or hurry to leave, but the heaviness of the bag dissipated.
As I stood there, my gaze unfocused and my mind scattered, I thought about what our parents would think. The mating they arranged had broken apart like wet paper. Would they be surprised? Did Larry’s parents know their son was doing this? Was he acting on his own, or was this a family effort to get rid of me?
And what aboutmyparents? I’d entered this relationship for their sake, but now . . .
My footsteps on the ceramic tile echoed in the foyer as I approached the front door. I was aware of Larry following me at a distance, like a wolf herding a stray sheep with its violent gaze alone.
“Wait.”
My body froze at Larry’s command. My thoughts began to race. Was he changing his mind? Was this all just some cruel prank? I turned around, my heart racing with possibility, wanting desperately for him to confirm my hopes.
But Larry just reached into his wallet and pulled out a couple of bills before thrusting them towards me. “Here. For a cab or something.”
