She gazed emptily at the two bowls of noodles on the table. They had long gone cold, and the once vibrant green vegetables had now turned yellow.

She refrained from reheating them.

Silently, she sat and consumed the noodles, finishing two bowls.

As she ate, memories of the past flooded back.

In the upscale apartment where Marcus resided, after she prepared meals, he consistently claimed he couldn't consume the food alone. He would invite her to join him, requesting her company while sharing a meal. Additionally, he would task her with picking up food for him.

Moreover, he expressed a dislike for beef and insisted she finish it all.

Paradoxically, he occasionally requested she prepare beef and indulged her in its consumption.

Despite his playful teasing, it held no intent. Melissa found herself yearning for those moments, yet she comprehended their irretrievable nature. Marcus harbored resentment toward her.

She mechanically ingested two bowls of noodles, despite the discomfort gnawing at her stomach.

Reclining on the bed, Marcus' lingering scent permeated the quilt.

She inhaled deeply.

Throughout the night, tears streamed down her face.

At the age of eight, Melissa lost her parents. Adopted by Ryan's family, she naturally grew close to him. Later in life, when she handed 800, @@ dollars to the Jenkins family, they accepted the money but berated her as shameless.

Melissa settled her debt with them.

Yet another debt lingered with Marcus.

Melissa had never openly voiced grievances about her background, but on this particular night, she permitted herself to contemplate it in solitude. In that moment, she pondered what might have been if she had a different origin, if the Jenkins family hadn't adopted her, if Ryan wasn't in the picture, and if the burden of the $800, 000 wasn't hanging over her. It was the only time she allowed herself to entertain thoughts of what could have been had circumstances been different.

She would have found the courage to confess her feelings to Marcus.

It wasn't about Marcus' social standing or looks; it was simply a fondness for him. She appreciated even the pleasure he displayed when teasing her.

Fate tethered her to an unfavorable Lineage.

Her past was marked by unfortunate experiences.