He extinguished his cigarette, indicating permission with a curt, âLet her in.
â
Millie entered shortly after, clad in a crimson camisole dress paired with a white suit.
Noticing Sanford and Jaelyn together, a hint of redness tinged her eyes.
âItâs my birthday today.
Sanford, you said weâd celebrate,â she reminded him, her voice tinged with hope.
Sanford, reclining on the sofa, discarded the cigarette butt into the ashtray and casually draped his arm around Jaelyn, projecting an air of indifference.
âDid I make such a promise?â he queried, feigning ignorance.
Frustration and hurt evident in her tone, Millie insisted, âYou did!â
With a dismissive sneer, Sanford retorted, âReally? That seems to have slipped my mind.
â
âSanford, seriously? I reached out, reminding you itâs my birthday tonight, hoping we could celebrate together.
And you agreed.
â
Millieâs voice carried a pinch of hurt.
Sanfordâs smile didnât quite reach his eyes, a coldness lingering in its curve.
âMillie, are you hearing impaired? I said âumâ instead of âuh-huhâ.
That grunt was more of a hesitation than an agreement,â he stated, his tone sharp.
Millie stood there, lost for words after his rebuttal.
âs BunnyBookery
Sanford persisted, his voice unwavering.
âYou need to know who you are.
Why should I join in on your birthday celebration?â
He slouched arrogantly, his blatant disregard causing an immediate shift in Millieâs expression, her eyes reddening.
âsanford, why do you have to speak to me like that? Iâm your fiancée, for goodnessâ sake.
Why treat me this way?â
Sanfordâs eyes gleamed with mockery.
âCanât handle it? If you want to fit into my family, youâve gotta learn patience and tolerance.
If you canât handle it, feel free to end our engagement.
â
Millie looked at him, her face draining of color.
He wanted her to break it off.
But she didnât want to.
So she had no choice but to endure it.
Noticing her silence, Sanford bent down a bit, picked up a fruit, and held it out to Jaelyn.
âHere, sweetheart, have a bite.
â
His voice softened, as if he were caring for someone dear.
Jaelyn knew it was just an act, but she went along with it.