At first, I didn't think much of him because he seemed quite ordinary. But everyone had their down moments. When I had an emergency appendectomy and my parents weren't around, Ryan took care of me during my recovery. In my vulnerable state, I saw him in a new light.
Over time, Ryan did show me he cared, doing things like braving the cold to get me barbecue late at night or waiting in line for half an hour just to get me a specific coffee. At the time, I mistook these gestures for love.
Little did I know, I had become someone's prey. I was still lost in thoughts when we arrived at my place.
My parents bought it for me—a three-bedroom, two-living-room home—which was originally intended as part of my marriage arrangement. If Ryan's family hadn't shown their true colors so early, he might have ended up with half of it.
I looked at the two large boxes of Ryan's things and felt increasingly frustrated. I paid for a significant portion of these items.