Mindy snapped, “We’re not taking your gifts. Plus, we didn’t do anything to earn them. We’re not family, and regardless of their worth, we can’t accept anything from you. Besides, you and Miranda are history. Right now, you’re just a stranger to us, so there’s no reason for us to accept anything from you.”

After all, they had only met once. Mindy had waited nearly half an hour with Lionel for Hansel to arrive. When Hansel had finally strolled in, he had come empty-handed. He had greeted them half-heartedly before diving into his food. Throughout the dinner, he had barely spoken a word.

At that time, Mindy couldn’t shake the feeling that he hadn’t been suitable for her daughter. But no matter how she felt, Miranda had been head over heels for him. Even when Hansel had made an excuse to leave early, Miranda had found countless ways to defend him.

Mindy had remained silent, but her heart had ached. It had been painful to watch her daughter sacrifice so much, especially for someone who hadn’t seemed to value her. No matter how intense their feelings might have been, his blatant disregard had been hard to ignore. If he couldn’t respect Miranda’s parents, what respect could he possibly have for her?

Mindy had come to that dinner with high hopes as a mother but had left with a heavy heart. Sure, she could have insisted to Miranda that they weren’t meant for each other, maybe even demanded they break up, but she had chosen not to. She had understood her daughter needed to experience this for herself, or she would have only regretted it later. After all, children grew up, and parents had to learn to let go and allow them to find their own paths. But Mindy never imagined her decision to let go would cost Miranda her dreams of a combined Master’s and Doctorate program. The price of that choice felt unbearably steep.

“Fortunately, it’s all in the past now. Miranda is starting a new chapter in her life. If you feel even a hint of regret, please don’t bother her again.” Mindy had never been one for debates or loud confrontations, so her voice was always soft and deliberate, but despite her gentle demeanor, there was a harshness to her words that cut deep.

Hansel swayed slightly. “Mrs. Sutton…”

Lionel heard the exchange and came out to check. His expression immediately hardened. “What are you doing here?”

“Mr. Sutton-” Hansel began.

But Lionel waved him off and didn’t give him a chance to continue. “We know about you and Miranda. Since you’ve broken up, it’s best to go your separate ways. Just leave now.”

As expected of Miranda’s parents, their messages were aligned.

Hansel looked down and pursed his lips. After a moment, he finally said, “I’m sorry to bother you.”

He turned to leave with the gifts he had brought and ran into Paul, who was on his way home from the lab. Their eyes met, but Paul’s expression remained unchanged.

Hansel felt a whirlwind of emotions churning within him. As they brushed past one another, he caught Lionel’s cheerful voice behind him.

“Hey, Paul! You’re back! I still haven’t gone through those papers you sent me. It was so thoughtful of you to print them and mail them instead of just sending a digital copy.”

“Don’t mention it,” Paul said. He added, “I remember you mentioning that while online documents are convenient, you prefer reading on paper. I had planned to bring these to you directly, but Miranda said you had already left. Since I printed them out, I figured I might as well not waste them.”

Lionel replied, “You’re right. It’d be a waste for that thick stack of papers to go unused.”

“Yeah.”

“By the way, I made ribs today. You haven’t eaten yet, right? Come join us,” Lionel offered.

Paul grinned. “Well, I can’t say no to that.”

“You know you’re welcome here. No need to be so formal,” Lionel said.

“I’ll just drop my things off at home and be right back.”

Lionel urged, “You can set your stuff down later. Just come in and grab a cup of tea. I just brewed it, and it’s perfect right now. If you wait too long, it’ll be over-steeped.”

“Okay.”

Lionel turned around and called happily, “Mimi, Paul’s back! Can you grab a cup?”

“Sure,” Miranda's voice rang out.

The moment Miranda’s voice rang out, Hansel felt his already battered heart crack wide open with a quiet but devastating break.