The Late Winds of Love

In my fifth year of teaching at a rural school in Mount Dalon, Melissa Snow shows up with her first love by her side.

"Have you had enough of this miserable life? Go apologize, and after I'm married, I might still support you. Otherwise, stay here and rot as a lonely, broke schoolteacher."

People around us begin to whisper, acting like I've been handed my golden ticket out of the impoverished area and should be falling to my knees in gratitude.

I simply smile. "Teaching here suits me just fine. Besides, I'm married."

"What did you say?" Melissa's expression looked terrifyingly dark as she asked that. There was even a hint of a sneer at the corner of her mouth.

"Zack Johnson, have you been too relaxed these past five years? Have you lost your mind? You're just a dog my father picked up from the orphanage, and you dare to disobey your master's orders?" Melissa said with disdain.

Even though I had long given up on her, I still felt speechless hearing those words. Just as I was about to argue back, Quilton pulled me aside. "Why provoke Melissa again? This is a school. If word of this spreads and your students hear about it, it won't look good. Your teaching term is over. We specifically came to take you back this time, so stop kicking up a fuss."

I looked at Quilton and noticed the fleeting smugness and mockery in his eyes. He had every reason to be smug. After all, it was his scheme that framed me and got Melissa to abandon me here in the first place.

But now, I was no longer the Zack who was at the mercy of others. I made a polite gesture of dismissal. "I've said it before—I'm married now. And life here is good. From now on, let's go our separate ways like we never knew each other. If there's nothing else, Ms. Snow, please leave."

"You're lying!" Melissa suddenly shouted, extremely emotional. "There are only the abandoned elderly and children at Mount Dalon. Who could you have possibly married?"

Quilton glanced at me meaningfully as he said, "Don't tell me you married one of the abandoned women? Zack, that's not right. They entrusted you with their children, and you—"

"Watch your mouth!" I snapped, shooting Quilton a cold glare.

Melissa's expression turned unfriendly, and Quilton shut up resentfully.

"You came at the wrong time. My wife is out running errands and hasn't come back yet," I said simply.

When Melissa heard the word "wife", a flash of anger crossed her face as she slammed the table. She spat out the words, "Zack! Are you really going to go this far just to spite me?"

The office desk was already old and uneven, and with that slam, a metal box on top rolled off and popped open.

"Huh? Paper cranes?" Quilton reached out to grab them.

I quickly rushed over to gather the scattered paper cranes.

"Are you still lying?