"What?!" Mr. and Mrs. Banks glared at me with menacing looks.

I tried my hardest to not go into full panic mode, for I knew that would only make the situation worse, and jumped to my feet. My glasses slid down, and I immediately pushed them back up.

"It is not what you think," I attempted to explain. "You have known me for months, and not once did I hurt your daughter."

"Then why is Cindy saying that you created the scar?" Mrs. Banks demanded a reasonable answer from me.

"I-I have no clue! She is your daughter!" I shot at them.

"And you decided to date her," Mr. Banks shot back. "You are responsible when she is in your care."

"I have done excellent. Honest! She is probably joking or something. She would never accuse me of harming her."

I turned my head to Cindy. She was grinning at me, and her hands were in her lap. I did not know why back then, but I now know why I had a bad feeling.

"Tell them, Cindy."

"What would you like me to tell them?"

"That I did not cut you and make that scar. You must be joking. You know that I would never hurt you."

"No jokes here, Caleb. Why do you not like me speaking the truth?"

Mr. Banks leaped from his chair. "That is it! I have had enough of this white boy! Caleb, I am kicking you out!"

I became speechless. I could not believe that I was being kicked out! For taking the fall for the person who cut my beloved Cindy?

That is when it hit me. My eyes widened, and as Cindy's father scurried to the couch to grab me, I blurted, "Wait!"

"No can do, Caleb," Mrs. Banks declined. "If you stay in our mansion for even another second, you will harm our little girl."

"Mom. Dad. I told you," Cindy said. "It was only an accident."

I did not wait any longer and let the words tumble out. "It was not me! It was Ava, and I can prove it!"

Cindy's mother blinked twice. "Ava? Who the heck is Ava? Wait a minute. Are you cheating on our daughter?!"

"Never! I would never cheat. Cindy is the only woman whom I want to spend with for the rest of my life. As for your question about Ava, she is a soulless, evil woman who abused me and made me miserable for years. She has been seeking revenge on me ever since that I left her."

"Let me get this straight," Mr. Banks said. "What you are saying is that this Ava girl created Cindy's scar because she wants revenge on you."

"Pretty much, yes."

Mrs. Banks shrugged her shoulders. "That does not change anything."

"What? Why not?"

"It is crystal clear that you are the cause of the scar. Ava is your problem, and you put our daughter in the mess."

"Oh, come on! It is not like that I visited Ava and asked her to cut Cindy."

"What?!" the parents said in unison.

"It was sarcasm! I do not like Ava. Actually, I take that back. I despise that woman."

"I knew it!" Mrs. Banks yelled. "He hates women!"

"No, I do not! You are only hearing what you want to hear!"

"Out!" Mr. Banks motioned to the front door. "Get out of my home and never return!"

After staying silent for what felt like forever, Cindy got off the couch and wrapped both of her arms around one of mine.

"You cannot do that, Dad!"

"Watch me."

"No, you cannot. Caleb and I are engaged!"

You must have seen the terrified looks plastered on their faces. They were acting as if they witnessed a murder.

"Oh my gosh. I think that I am going to faint." And that is exactly what Mrs. Banks did.

"Welp, my heart just stopped," Mr. Banks said.

"You two are such drama queens," Cindy called them out. "I truly love him, and he truly loves me. And although he cut me, that will not stop me from loving him."

My smile turned upside down. "Cindy, I never cut you."

"Forget it. We should be focusing on preparing for the wedding."

There was a loud knock on the door. I volunteered, walked up to the door, and pulled it open. I was in dismay at who was at our doorstep.

"Ava," I grumbled.

It was definitely her...or so I thought. She was wearing a dark blue, long-sleeved shirt, black slacks, and black flats. Her hair was straight and colorless, and she was hugging herself, like that she was cold.

She did not look proud like she usually is. She looked...sad.

I frowned at her. No way was she going to fool me!

"What do you want, Ava?" I demanded. "You are finding the perfect revenge against me?"

"Me? Revenge against you?" Ava spoke in a scratchy voice. "My goodness, no. I was just wondering if I could stay here. I hate being outside."

Gosh, she was such a liar.

"Normally, I would not leave anybody out on the streets..." I said. "...but protecting me and my beloved fiancée are my first priorities."

"Your fiancée? You mean your wife."

"She is not my wife. Not yet."

"Caleb?" Cindy rushed to the doorway and made eye contact with Ava. "You."

"It is you," Ava responded. "I knew that I was not crazy! I knew that portal was open!"

"Portal?" I repeated the word.

"Go away, Ava," Cindy told her. "I will personally take you home if you want. For now, leave us alone."

She gripped the side of the door and only closed it halfway when Ava reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Not this time, Cindy. Not this time!"

"Release her, Ava! Or so help me, I will kick you in the guts!" I warned.

"Caleb?!" a familiar voice called to me.

I looked past Ava - and saw Cindy!