Page 27 of My Ruthless Neighbor

Now that she is no longer crouching, I can see her eyes. They’re pale green in color. So beautiful yet devoid of emotions.

Her cool and collected front is immediately betrayed when two tears stream down her face.

Not caring that I might come across as intrusive, I turn to her and blurt, “Everything is going to be okay.”

She clutches the marble countertop with both hands and bows her head. Her waist-length curls shield her face.

I don’t know what’s bothering her but it seems like she is barely hanging there by a thread.

A humongous diamond and a platinum wedding band on her ring finger catch my attention. She is married. Did she catch her husband with another woman? Or worse… did he… die? Or maybe it’s not about her husband. Maybe someone else. Or something else. Damn. It can be anything.

Despite being strangers, seeing her break in front of me is making my chest squeeze. Moisture gathers in my eyes when her shoulders begin to shake. She is not even trying to conceal it anymore.

I wring my hands. The need to console her makes me anxious. I shrug off my backpack. Dump it on the counter and sift through the items until I find a strawberry lollipop.

I extend my hand. “Here.”

She doesn’t look at me. Or at my outstretched hand. “It makes the pain go away.”

She still ignores me.

“I know it’s hard. But hang in there. Nothing is permanent. Not even bad days.”

The petite woman who is a few inches shorter than me finally acknowledges my presence. She lifts her head and turns to stare at the lollipop I am clutching.

When she makes no move to take it. I take a step closer. I should leave her be. Her posture screams that she doesn’t want my company. But for some reason, I want to be there for her.

Something tells me I shouldn’t leave her alone.

“Take it. I promise it’ll make you feel better.” I try to smile. It’s hard to fake it. But I try.

“Leave me alone.” She rasps. Her voice is hollow. Soft but detached.

“Trust me.” I try to broaden my smile. “Eating something sweet would surely brighten up your mood. Scientifically speaking, consuming sweets quickly goes from the stomach to the bloodstream and then travels all the way to the brain. Which then causes a surge in dopamine.”

She hasn’t not once looked up at my face. She is just staring at my hand. When she remains silent, I continue. “Dopamine is the magical hormone that gives you the feeling of joy and happiness. It—”

“Who told you that bullshit?” She interrupts.

“My mom.”

“Well, then tell your mom her logic sucks.” She says making me flinch.

“I can’t do that,” I whisper.

She sniffles and wipes a tear, still not looking at me. “Why not?”

A tear falls down my cheek. Then another. “Because she’s dead.”

Her head snaps up at that. I give her a sad smile and shrug my shoulder. “Her logic might suck but it gives you hope. Hope that it can make the pain go away. And that hope makes you feel a bit better.”

Her lips tremble. She looks guilt-stricken. Her gaze flits over my face, probably taking in my puffy eyes and face. “I-I’m sorry.”

I shake my head. More tears fall. “It’s okay. We often talk shit we don’t mean when we are hurting.”

She shakes her head. “It’s not okay. I shouldn’t have talked like that. I am not this. I am not…” She blinks several times before whispering. “I am not a bad person.”

“I believe you.”

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