The Scratch-Off

Today is the third anniversary of my relationship with Jack Judd. I ordered a stack of scratch-offs from an online store half a month ago. Each scratch-off has a different prize amount. But together, they add up to exactly 13,140,000 dollars. I wanted to use this gift to bring up the topic of marriage with him. At six in the evening, I sat in an elegant restaurant we had agreed on, holding the gift box filled with scratch-offs. Jack was forty minutes late. As soon as he sat down, he complained about the traffic and didn't even say "Happy Anniversary." I swallowed my disappointment and pushed the gift box toward him. "This is your anniversary gift. Scratch them and see." Jack raised an eyebrow and casually unwrapped the gift box. He picked up the first scratch-off card and scraped off the coating with his nail. "520？" He paused in surprise, then picked up the second card. "1314？" Then the third, the fourth... When he scratched the last card and saw that sequence of "10000000," his eyes instantly lit up. "Quinn! Is this— is this real? 13.14 million dollars?" He grabbed my hand, his voice trembling. I smiled and nodded, about to say something about marriage. Suddenly, his phone rang. It was Mandy Johnson calling. When Jack answered, his tone immediately softened, completely unlike the excitement he'd shown moments before. "Mandy, I'm coming over right now—I have a big surprise for you." After hanging up, he stuffed the scratch cards into his bag and got up to leave. I grabbed him. "Jack, today is our anniversary. Where are you going?" He looked back at me, his eyes full of impatience. "Quinn, don't be so childish. Mandy's home alone and scared—I have to go keep her company." At that moment, Mandy suddenly walked in through the dining room doorway. She was wearing the dress Jack had said last time "doesn't suit me," walked straight up to Jack, and linked her arm with his. "Jack, I couldn't wait any longer, so I came to find you." Jack reached out and gently ruffled her hair, the affectionate gesture painfully obvious. "Wait a moment, I'll withdraw that 13.14 million dollars and spend it all on buying you bags, okay?" Mandy smiled and nodded, then shot me a challenging glance. I looked at the two of them, my heart aching as if pierced by needles. "Jack, what do you mean?" Jack scoffed, "Quinn, you don't really think I want to marry you, do you? Besides cooking and taking care of me, what else can you do?" "Mandy is more beautiful than you, more sensible, and can help me pull strings. I've long grown tired of you." Mandy added, "Quinn, you can't force love. Jack loves me, so stop holding on." Looking at their ugly faces, I suddenly felt incredibly clear-headed. "Fine, let's break up." Jack paused for a moment, then laughed: "Break up? Fine. I have 13.14 million dollars now; what kind of girlfriend can't I find? Quinn, don't regret this later." After saying this, he hugged Mandy and walked out of the Western Restaurant without looking back. I sat there, staring at the untouched steak on the table, tears finally streaming down my face.