Chapter 1

"Gabriella, are you really going to fly abroad and leave Owen behind?"

In the quiet cafe, Gabriella Candola puts down the spoon in her hand. She then looks at Anne Lockwood, her best friend, sitting across from her at the table, who wears a flabbergasted expression.

In a casual tone, she replies, "We're already divorced."

"Divorced?"

Anne never expects to hear such shocking news coming from Gabriella's lips. As soon as the shock passes, she begins lamenting about the injustice on Gabriella's behalf.

"And Owen actually agreed to the divorce? You treated him so well over the past three years! Even if his heart were made of ice, it'd have melted by now, right? Does he really not have any feelings for you?"

Gabriella just smiles in return, a glint appearing in her eyes.

Chapter 1

The truth was, she didn't know if her husband, Owen Wendell, had actually agreed to their divorce. After all, when she handed the divorce agreement to him two weeks ago, he had signed it while talking to someone else on the phone. He had then hurried away without hearing a single word that she had to say.

Owen didn't ask about the document that he signed, either.

As a result, Gabriella only had to wait two more weeks before their divorce was finalized. She would be free once she got the divorce certificate.

She was just about to explain the situation to Anne when a deep, masculine voice rang out from behind them.

"Are you done?"

Gabriella and Anne looked back simultaneously.

Owen was dressed in a black coat as he strode over to them.

Anne was still annoyed with him. Wanting to get to the bottom of things, she said, "Owen, Gabriella just told me that she—"

"Why are you here?" Gabriella interrupted Anne before she could finish her sentence. She patted Anne's hand comfortingly and shook her head, silently telling her to say no more.

"It looked like it was going to rain, so I decided to pick you up since I was in the area."

Gabriella smiled. She had bid Anne farewell before grabbing her bag and leaving with Owen.

Raindrops pattered against the car while they were on their way home.

It was completely silent in the car.

Owen's lips twitched as he looked at Gabriella, whom he had "accidentally" married all those years ago. He opened his mouth several times, looking as if he wanted to strike up a conversation with her, but he couldn't stop thinking about how he hadn't returned home in two weeks.

The silence stretched on before he finally came up with something that they could talk about.

"Gabriella, what did you ask me to sign two weeks ago?"

Gabriella was a little surprised that Owen was asking about the divorce agreement now, after so much time had passed. But after giving it more thought, she thought it made sense that he would only recall it now since he had spent the last two weeks orbiting Samantha Roth.

Gabriella's lips twitched. She was just about to answer his question when his phone started ringing.

"I drank too much, Owen. My head hurts so much. Can you pick me up?"

Owen's knuckles turned white from how hard he was gripping the steering wheel as he listened to the coquettish voice echoing from the receiver. His face darkened in an instant.

"I've told you this many times, Samantha. I'm a married man now."

Samantha was silent for a few moments before she replied, "So what if you are? I was supposed to be the bride at that wedding."

Her nonchalant tone angered Owen.

Although he and Gabriella had been married for three years, it was the first time she had seen Owen lose control, his cool and reserved demeanor cracking.

Owen slammed his foot on the brake, causing the car to screech to a deafening stop.

"But you didn't show up!"

Samantha remained silent on the other end of the line after Owen's furious outburst. A few moments later, she choked out, "I'm sorry. I won't bother you anymore in the future."

Owen's expression remained stormy even after the line went dead. In fact, it darkened even more. He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel before finally giving in and resignedly typing out a message on his phone.

"Send me your address."

Owen shot an apologetic look in Gabriella's direction when Samantha sent her location to him.

Knowing what he wanted to say, Gabriella cut him off before he could utter a single word, saying, "You have something that you need to take care of, don't you? Go ahead. I'll just get a cab to go home."

Owen couldn't ignore the guilty sensation that spread through him as he watched Gabriella open the car door and slip out, shielding herself from the rain with an umbrella. "I'll come home after I'm done," he murmured.

Gabriella simply nodded.

A flurry of complicated emotions shone in her eyes as she stood in the rain and watched Owen's car until it disappeared from her line of sight.

Gabriella had been in love with Owen for seven years. She could still remember how she had fallen in love with him at first sight when she saw him for the first time on the basketball court.

Owen had been dressed in his basketball uniform. He made every shot and single-handedly broke through the rival team's defensive line, captivating everyone in the audience.

His fangirls screamed, cheering him on. Some of them also introduced him to the people who had just arrived.

Owen hailed from Ruthbelle's Wendell family. He was also a famous figure at Asora University and a member of the Department of Computer Science. Unfortunately for everyone else, the campus heartthrob had been dating his childhood friend, Samantha, for many years.

He was more than happy to splurge his money on her. For example, he would reserve the entire amusement park just to surprise her on her birthday.

Owen was also willing to throw his pride away and beg Samantha to take him back in front of everyone on campus just because someone else confessed to him, prompting her to throw a tantrum and block his number.

He would wait in the snow until his fingers turned red from the cold. He wouldn't say a single word of complaint even after finding out that she had stood him up because she went to get a manicure with her roommate.

During Gabriella's four years in university, she had heard countless stories about Owen's and Samantha's love life. She had always assumed that she would be just like a side character in a romance novel, watching from the sidelines until they settled down with each other.

However, everything had changed three years ago.

Owen couldn't wait to marry Samantha right after graduation.

Although Gabriella hadn't received an invitation, she had still attended what was supposed to be the wedding of the century as one of his classmates.

However, Samantha remained missing even after the wedding started.

Owen had looked like a madman as he called her 99 times.

In the end, Samantha sent him a message, telling him that she didn't want to get married so soon and had left the country.

Owen reached the end of his patience that day and refused to tolerate her antics any longer. He grabbed the microphone and said, "I've changed my mind. Is there a woman here who's willing to be my new bride?"

Gabriella had always been a quiet person who mostly blended into the background. However, at that moment, her heart was hammering wildly in her chest.

She knew that Owen had many admirers, so she immediately shot up to her feet the moment the question left his lips.

That day, Gabriella changed into a wedding dress that didn't fit her and married a man who didn't even remember her name.

They treated each other with respect and led a peaceful married life for the next three years.

However, Samantha returned to the country a month ago.

Gabriella knew that her dream was coming to an end when she saw how Owen couldn't control his urges to stay close to Samantha even as he rejected her advances. She knew that it was time to relinquish her position as his wife and let him fulfill his heart's desires.

It was time for Gabriella to set Owen free.

As she stood in the pouring rain, she sent a message to Owen.

"The document that you asked about is in the glove box. You can just take a look at it if you want to know what it is."

Chapter 2

Owen only replied to Gabriella's message half an hour later, long after she had arrived home.

"No need. I'm sure that whatever you ask me to sign won't harm me."

It meant that Owen wasn't going to look at the divorce agreement.

Gabriella wasn't surprised.

Owen was in a rush to pick up Samantha, who was drunk. He didn't have the time to spare to look at the divorce agreement, even though it was easily within his reach.

It rained for an entire day, only letting up in the evening.

Gabriella stayed home the whole time, quietly deleting all her post-wedding updates on her social media. She had just finished deleting everything when she saw Samantha's new post.

Samantha was lounging on a yacht. Each photo that she took was perfectly angled to show off a man's defined hand.

Gabriella knew the hand belonged to Owen and that Samantha had intentionally taken those photos. However, she no longer cared about Samantha's petty actions. She locked her phone, got up, and headed to the kitchen to prepare a bowl of salad for herself.

Owen suddenly returned home just as Gabriella finished making dinner.

Gabriella was momentarily stunned when she noticed that he was holding a cake. "Why did you suddenly buy a cake?" she asked. "I thought you didn't like sweet things."

Owen walked over to her, frowning slightly when he noticed the dinner that she had made for herself.

"Did you forget that today's your birthday? Why are you having such a simple meal?"

Gabriella was stunned again.

Her parents had divorced when she was five years old, abandoning her with her grandmother, who passed away when she was 16 years old. No one took care of her after her grandmother's passing, so she stopped celebrating her birthday as well.

However, Owen remembered Gabriella's birthday every year ever since they got married three years ago. No matter how busy he was, he would always rush home and celebrate her birthday with her.

He always worried about her safety whenever she left the house for an extended period, and he would deliberately drop by the airport to pick her up when she returned from trips.

He also knew that she was scared of stormy days and would gently pull her into his embrace.

Gabriella assumed that these moments of kindness from Owen meant that he was developing feelings for her. However, she got a wake-up call when he cancelled their wedding anniversary candlelight dinner, claiming that he needed to work overtime at the company.

She had been wallowing in her disappointment when Anne called her, asking if she could deliver her coat to her at the bar. When she arrived, she noticed Samantha was there as well.

Samantha was heavily intoxicated as she clung to Owen, who was supposed to be working overtime at the company, refusing to let go of him.

Owen's face darkened as he angrily pulled her off him, shouting, "Get a grip, Samantha! Let go of me! What do you take me for? A toy that you can play with and abandon as you please?"

However, Samantha seemed to be deaf to his words and wrapped her arms around his waist once more. She kept throwing herself at him, no matter how many times he shook her off, seeming to never tire of the endless back and forth.

In the end, Owen gave in to Samantha. His eyes were overflowing with nearly indiscernible adoration as he looked at her. "What am I going to do with you, Samantha?" he asked, sounding resigned.

The bag slipped from Gabriella's fingers, landing on the floor with a thud. Countless images flashed through her mind.

She had witnessed Owen pushing himself through the crowd to tightly grasp Samantha's hands. She had seen him tilting the umbrella in Samantha's direction to shield her from the rain. She had also been there when he got down on one knee, still in his graduation robe, and proposed to Samantha.

Every scene that flashed through her mind proved that Samantha was the only woman whom Owen loved.

Gabriella had witnessed every scene firsthand, so she couldn't deny the truth, even if she wanted to.

It didn't matter that they had been married for three years. It didn't matter that she was his wife, and he had taken care of her during certain fleeting moments.

She couldn't deny the fact that he didn't love her. She knew that she had only gotten a chance to experience Owen's kindness because Samantha wasn't around. Nevertheless, she had still foolishly believed that she had captured his heart because of the tiny moments of kindness that he showed her.

The reality was that Owen never belonged to Gabriella, not even for a second.

It was why she had stayed perfectly calm as she looked at the number "24" that was on the cake. She politely nodded at him and thanked him for the cake.

Owen smiled as he lit the candles. "We're married, Gabriella. You don't need to thank me for something like this. Go ahead and make a wish."

Gabriella nodded. She had just stood up when Owen's phone started ringing.

It was easy for her to guess who was on the other end of the line when she noticed his eyes darting around. She sat back down again.

As expected, Owen left the house after ending the call.

A bitter smile stretched across Gabriella's lips as she listened to his car pull away from the driveway, the engine's sound fading into silence.

She didn't switch on the light in the room.

The dancing flames cast her lonely shadow on the wall.

Gabriella laced her fingers together and made a wish on her 24th birthday.

"I wish for Gabriella Candola to stop loving Owen Wendell."

Chapter 3

The Department of Computer Science's Class of 2021 hosted its class reunion three days later.

Gabriella only found out that Owen was attending as well when she arrived at the venue.

Their former classmates surrounded him, making him the center of attention. But when he spotted her, he immediately approached her and sat beside her.

The atmosphere in the private room turned a little strange as their classmates looked at them sitting together.

Gabriella knew that she was the cause. After all, from their classmates' perspectives, she had only married Owen because she wanted to climb up the social ladder. It was why everyone looked down on her.

However, she didn't care that her classmates thought of her as a conniving woman. She simply sat quietly in her seat and didn't move an inch.

The class leader arrived late, carrying a large box. She greeted everyone and said, "The main purpose of today's class reunion is for everyone to catch up with each other. Secondly, it's also time for us to read the letters that we wrote five years ago for our future selves."

Chaos erupted in the room as everyone swarmed the class leader.

"Why don't we make this more interesting? Everyone should pick a random letter and read it aloud."

"That's a good idea. I'll go first!"

The most energetic student in their class, Thomas Dalton, squeezed through the crowd and grabbed a letter at random.

The others rushed him, prompting him to tear open the envelope. He cleared his throat and unfolded the letter.

"To Gabriella Candola five years from now, are you doing well? I'm sitting under the sun as I write this letter to you. Although I have no idea where you are, or what you're feeling when you read this letter, I still want to share my current thoughts with you."

The entire room had fallen silent by the time Thomas finished reading the first part.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on Gabriella. Even Owen, who had been scrolling through his phone earlier, looked up at her. Surprise was written all over his face.

Gabriella's heart plummeted into her gut when she thought about the rest of the contents of the letter.

Thomas glanced at her. A mischievous smile stretched across his lips before he continued reading.

"You're 19 years old this year. You just started your sophomore year in university, and you've fallen in love with Owen Wendell. He doesn't know about your feelings, but it doesn't matter since he already has someone that he loves. Your affection for him is fated to remain unrequited.

"You might be asking me why I didn't just give up when I knew that my feelings would not be returned. My answer is because I like how he gets fired up as everyone cheers him on. I like how he stopped the basketball from hitting me as it flew toward me.

"I also like how polite and sincere he is when he rejects another person's confession.

"I'm the one who gets jealous whenever I steal a glance at him and see the marks on his neck, but I'm also the one who willingly braves a storm to sneakily place some medicine in his locker when he gets hurt during a basketball match. I'm also the one who scribbles his name all over my notebooks.

"Perhaps he'll never remember my name in this lifetime, but it doesn't matter. After all, having a crush on someone has always been a chaotic and solitary struggle."

Everyone in the room had fallen silent by the time Thomas finished reading the letter.

Owen stiffened as he recalled his disastrous wedding. He remembered how Gabriella had stood up without any hesitation and resolutely walked to his side under everyone's scrutiny.

It was only at that moment that he finally realized why Gabriella had married him. It wasn't because she was after his power or wealth like some people accused her of. It was simply because she had nursed an unrequited crush on him for many years.

Owen's heart, which had been still for so long, suddenly started racing at that moment. He was nearly overwhelmed with the urge to blurt out all the questions that he had buried in the deepest part of his heart for the longest time, wanting to know Gabriella's answers.

However, before he could get a single word out, Samantha called him.

"Owen, I'm surrounded by a group of hooligans downstairs…"

Owen's expression twisted even before she finished her sentence. He leaped to his feet and rushed downstairs. The moment he laid eyes on the group of hooligans, he immediately began swinging his fists.

Driven by anger, he didn't pull his punches, beating the hooligans until they were black and blue.

Another group of people rushed onto the scene and shielded Samantha behind them. Tears were streaming down her face as she told them that the tattooed hooligan had touched her hand.

Owen immediately grabbed a steel bat and smashed it against the tattooed hooligan's hand, causing the latter to let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Gabriella rushed downstairs just in time to see Owen attack the tattooed hooligan. She stood rooted to the spot as she stared at the hooligan's nearly crippled right hand that was bleeding profusely. When she looked up at Owen, she saw him leading Samantha away while holding her protectively.

Gone was the fierce and ruthless man from a few seconds ago. Owen's expression was gentle as he softly comforted Samantha.

Gabriella had never experienced this sort of care from Owen. She dropped her gaze to hide the emotions in her eyes, barking out a self-deprecating laugh. She then quietly turned around and headed home.

Owen only returned home in the early hours of the morning. He only realized that he needed to explain himself when he saw Gabriella sitting silently on the couch.

"Gabriella, about what happened today… We're all classmates. I couldn't just stand by and do nothing after finding out what was happening to Samantha."

Gabriella wasn't interested in exposing Owen's lies. She hummed in response, then grabbed her pajamas and headed for the bathroom.

When she emerged from the bathroom half an hour later, towel-drying her hair, she noticed Owen looking at her phone with a slightly bewildered expression.

"Why are you buying plane tickets, Gabriella?"

Chapter 4

Gabriella was momentarily stunned before she swiftly recovered her composure. She took her phone back from Owen and explained, "I'm not buying plane tickets. The airline company just sent me a promotional email about discounted tickets."

Owen wanted to question her more, but when he noticed that she had no intention to elaborate, he decided to drop the subject. After all, she had never lied to him.

He nodded as Gabriella retrieved her phone and left to freshen up. However, she stopped him before he could leave. She then grabbed a first aid kit from the cabinet and said, "Your back was hurt by some broken glass just now. Let me bandage it for you."

Owen was stunned by her words, but he still obediently sat on the couch and removed his jacket, revealing the scratch across his back.

It wasn't a serious injury, but no one had noticed that he had gotten hurt because the wound was on his back. He was surprised that Gabriella had noticed it at all.

His thoughts wandered to her letter, which Thomas had read aloud as he watched her concentrate on disinfecting the cut with a cotton swab.

"Gabriella, about your letter—"

"Make sure not to get your wound wet when you take a shower later. You wouldn't want to get it infected. Also, be more careful when you get into fights in the future. Try not to get hurt. No one's going to help you bandage your wounds anymore."

Gabriella interrupted Owen before he could finish his question.

Meanwhile, Owen didn't fully grasp the meaning behind her words after getting distracted by her interruption. "What did you say?" he asked, looking up at her.

Gabriella just shook her head. She made sure the bandages were secure before turning around and leaving the bedroom.

By the time she was done blow-drying her hair, Owen had also finished showering. He wrapped his arms around her waist before leaning down, wanting to kiss her.

However, Gabriella turned her head away from the kiss, saying lightly, "I'm on my period. I'd like to turn in early for the night."

Owen didn't continue his advances after hearing her words. He tucked the blanket securely around her before switching off the lights.

The next day was bright and sunny.

Gabriella was freshening up when she heard a commotion downstairs. She changed out of her pajamas before heading downstairs.

Samantha was standing at the door with an entire posse behind her.

Owen leaned against the doorway. "What are you doing here?" he asked, frowning, sounding a little irritated.

Samantha couldn't get a single word out before her friends approached Owen, matching grins on their faces.

"Sam said you saved her yesterday. She's very grateful, so she wanted to personally thank you."

Samantha pulled out a bouquet of fresh flowers and an exquisitely wrapped gift from behind her back. "Thank you for helping me yesterday, Owen. Please accept these as tokens of my gratitude."

Owen didn't accept the gifts, but it was obvious that his expression had softened.

Samantha shoved the bouquet into Gabriella's arms and said a little rudely, "These Juliet roses are Owen's favorite. Please put them in a vase for me."

Owen frowned. "Don't drag me into this when they're your favorite flowers," he said coldly. "Also, Gabriella is my wife. Don't order her around as if she's your maid."

The atmosphere in the room suddenly turned cold.

Gabriella's expression remained unchanging. She stared at the bouquet of vibrant roses in her arms, musing to herself that this was the first time she learned their name.

Juliet roses, was it?

It was no wonder Owen spent so much money cultivating them in the greenhouse since they were Samantha's favorites.

Gabriella kept her thoughts to herself as she handed the bouquet to the housekeeper and said, "Please get the vases from the display case on the second floor."

Samantha shot a knowing look at her, but Gabriella simply ignored her and brought her breakfast to the balcony.

Although there was a door separating them, she could hear the conversation in the living room with crystal clarity.

"Isn't this the paper crane I folded for you in middle school, Owen? Why did you store it inside a glass box? I can fold more for you if you like.

"What's this box of dolls doing here? I remember I tossed them into the trash. Did you fish them out from the bin?

"Aren't these the maple leaves that we brought back with us when we visited Cloudfall Mountain? You actually made them into bookmarks and kept them for so long?"

As Gabriella listened to Samantha's excited voice that sounded as if she had discovered a trove of treasure, she couldn't help but think about how she had also asked Owen about the little trinkets when she first moved into the villa.

"I kept them because my cousin, who's in kindergarten, gave them to me."

Gabriella had believed Owen's words at the time, completely missing the complicated look in his eyes.

Love, hatred, longing, and resentment had shone in his eyes, making it clear that each was tied to his love life.

Chapter 5

After exploring the villa for the rest of the morning, Samantha told Owen and her friends that she wanted to treat them to lunch.

"No need," Owen said. "Please leave if you're done messing around."

Samantha pretended to be deaf to his words, grabbing his hand and dragging him out the door. Her friends dragged Gabriella along, worried that Owen would refuse to go if she were left behind.

The group's destination was a hot springs resort.

Gabriella rarely interacted with Samantha and her friends, so she found it difficult to join their conversations. She hadn't wanted to join them in the first place, so she sat by herself in a corner and watched them clink glasses and converse happily among themselves.

Noticing how Gabriella was having a hard time fitting in, Owen strode over to her after pouring a glass of fruit juice for her.

Gabriella was just about to accept the offered drink when Owen walked right past her, pushing himself into the crowd.

Owen snatched the glass of whiskey from Samantha's hand just before she touched the glass to her lips. His furious voice reverberated around the room when he said, "You're allergic to alcohol. Do you have a death wish?"

Samantha blinked in confusion, looking at him innocently. "I thought it was fruit juice. Why are you getting angry at me when I just picked up the wrong glass?"

She then plucked the glass of fruit juice from his right hand. "Thank you," she said, her eyes crinkling into crescents.

Owen subconsciously clenched his fist. But in the end, he didn't say anything. He turned around and returned to his original seat before offering the glass he was holding to Gabriella.

Gabriella looked between Owen, who was obviously restless, and the glass of amber liquid that he was holding. She didn't accept the glass from him. Instead, she grabbed her bag and rose to her feet, saying lightly, "I don't drink alcohol. I'm going to soak in the hot springs."

It was only then that Owen realized that he had offered the wrong glass to Gabriella. He had been so distracted with Samantha that he had accidentally offered the glass of whiskey to Gabrella instead. He wanted to explain himself, but Gabriella had already left by then, giving him no chance to speak.

…

Gabriella felt her exhaustion melt away as she soaked in the hot spring. She leaned against the edge of the spring as she watched the rising steam, getting progressively sleepier until she ended up falling asleep right there and then.

Perhaps she had already gotten used to the ruckus outside, but she didn't notice someone knocking on the door.

Meanwhile, Owen grew a little anxious when he didn't get a response, even after calling out to Gabriella several times.

His heart nearly leaped out of his chest when he pushed open the door and noticed her lying in the hot spring, looking half-unconscious. He immediately jumped into the spring and picked her up.

Gabriella blinked her eyes open. The sudden feeling of weightlessness made her reflexively wrap her arm around Owen's shoulders.

Steam filled the air around them. The atmosphere suddenly turned flirtatious when they realized how close they were to each other.

Owen couldn't help himself and leaned down.

Just as the distance between their faces closed enough for their breaths to mingle, a pair of footsteps burst into the room.

Samantha had tailed Owen when he left to check on Gabriella.

The smile on her face stiffened when she saw Owen and Gabriella pressed together. She bit down hard on her lip and didn't bother hiding the shock and disappointment in her eyes. She whipped around and bolted from the room while clutching her hand.

Owen stood rooted to the spot. He hastily set Gabriella down on her feet and chased after Samantha, hollering, "She must have misunderstood what's going on. I'll explain the situation to her."

A misunderstanding?

Gabriella and Owen were married. Why did he have to explain himself to Samantha, even if she did see them kissing?

It was obvious that Owen was still stuck in the past, still thinking of himself as Samantha's boyfriend. That was the reason why he subconsciously wanted to explain the situation to her.

It wasn't easy for someone who had once willingly allowed himself to be trained according to his lover's preferences to break old habits.

As Gabriella stared at Owen's retreating back, she barked out a laugh, her eyes reddening. She wrapped a towel around herself and opened the window to get some fresh air. Coincidentally, she saw Samantha running out of the resort.

Samantha had just wrenched open her car door when Owen grabbed her hand.

Gabriella could hear their heated argument with crystal clarity.

"Gabriella fell asleep in the hot spring. I was just worried about her catching a cold. Why are you causing such a fuss over such a trivial matter?"

"You're right. I don't have the right to get angry because she's your wife. You should go back and accompany her. There's no need for you to explain yourself to your ex-girlfriend."

"Do you have to bring this up, Samantha?"

"Bring what up? I'm just speaking the truth!"

The two of them parted unhappily the moment the words left Samantha's lips.

Samantha's eyes were bloodshot as she shook herself free of Owen's grasp. She then scrambled into her car and sped away.

Owen was only stunned for a few seconds before he got into his own car and chased after her.

Gabriella quietly turned around and headed to the changing room after the dust settled back on the road. She had just changed back into her clothes and exited the room when Samantha's friends grabbed her and exclaimed, "Bad news, Mrs. Wendell! Owen and Samantha got into a car accident!"

Chapter 6

When Gabriella and the others rushed to the hospital, they saw Owen waiting outside the operating room.

He was covered in blood, and there was sweat beading across his forehead. His eyes were filled with terror and helplessness.

It was Gabriella's first time seeing him in such a pathetic state.

When Samantha's friends approached him to ask what happened, he yanked at his own hair, explaining in a pained voice that was dripping with regret, "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have made her angry, and I shouldn't have let her leave by herself.

"She was only speeding because she was angry at me. I'm the reason why she got into the car accident…"

Gabriella's lashes trembled as she listened to Owen pin the blame solely on himself.

If Owen had intentionally said those words to anger Samantha, what were his true feelings at the time? Had he been waiting for her to return to the country all this time, so he could reunite with her?

It didn't sound out of the realm of possibility, but Gabriella wasn't willing to spend too much time thinking about it.

Just then, a nurse slipped out from the operating room, wearing a grim expression.

"The patient is suffering from excessive bleeding, but we don't have enough blood. Do any of you have Type O blood? Please help us save the patient."

Owen's friends looked at each other. None of them had Type O blood, so they stayed silent.

Only Owen had Type O blood among them. He immediately removed his jacket and changed into a patient gown. He then followed the nurse into the operating room.

The seconds ticked by.

Half an hour later, the nurse and Owen exited the operating room.

Owen looked extremely pale. He had to lean on the nurse to keep himself on his feet as his head spun.

Gabriella had no idea how much blood they had taken from him, but it seemed that he had been stripped of his strength as he collapsed into her arms.

However, the nurse didn't leave after delivering Owen to them. Instead, she asked again, "The patient's condition is improving, but she needs another 400mL of blood. Could you contact your other friends who have Type O blood?"

Everyone began contacting their friends, but none of them could get a hold of someone whose blood type matched Samantha's.

Panic gripped Owen's heart as the silence stretched on. He forced himself to stand on his own two feet and said, "You just need another 400mL? Let me do it."

The nurse turned around, staring at Owen in disbelief. She was shocked that he would disregard his own well-being like this.

"You've already donated 600mL of your blood. Are you sure you want to continue?"

Samantha's friends' faces twisted in concern as they stepped forward to talk him out of his decision.

"You shouldn't donate anymore blood, Owen. I'll tell my secretary to ask my employees to see if anyone shares the same blood type as Samantha."

However, Owen simply shook his head and stubbornly said, "Sam can't wait that long."

He rolled up his sleeve, revealing the needle mark on his arm that was already turning into a bruise.

Seeing how stubborn he was being, Gabriella couldn't hold herself back anymore and said, "The doctors are doing their best to save Samantha's life. They can contact the other hospitals to transfer blood here. You don't have to do this."

Owen paused but only for a moment. Ultimately, he ignored her words, turning around to follow the nurse.

Silence descended over the group as they watched Owen walk back into the operating room without any hesitation.

Samantha's friends sighed heavily. Their words were colored with irritation as they aired out their frustrations.

"Owen always behaves as if he's lost his mind whenever Samantha is involved. He got into a fight because of her in the past. He ended up hurting his leg and had to be hospitalized for three months. He even wanted to continue the fight after he was discharged."

"You're right. Remember that time in high school when he tried to win a necklace she liked? He made a bet with someone and skydived from 16,000 feet above the ground. He almost lost his life when the equipment started malfunctioning halfway through.

"Now, he's disregarding his own life again to save her. I shouldn't have tried to help him get back together with Sam just because he still had feelings for her. I had no idea the situation would end up becoming such a huge mess."

They had completely forgotten that Gabriella was standing right next to them as they kept talking.

Meanwhile, Gabriella was stuck with a realization as she listened to them recount all the outrageous things Owen had done for Samantha.

Only then did she realize how foolish she had been to think that she would eventually move Owen's heart when she stood up during the wedding that day.

There were only two options—either Owen would fall in love with her, or he wouldn't.

Unfortunately, Gabriella had made the wrong call from the very beginning. It was why she was willing to admit that she had lost as she stared into the undeniable face of defeat.

…

A long time passed before the red light above the operating room went out.

As the doctor wheeled both Samantha and Owen out, everyone swiftly gathered around them, looking at them worriedly.

The doctor wiped the sweat from his brow. He looked at Owen, who had fallen unconscious, and asked, "I'm assuming that they're a couple? It's rare to come across such a foolish man, who's willing to risk his own life for the sake of love."

Gabriella was the only one who hung back. She tipped her head back to stare at the blinding lights above her, barking out a laugh.

Chapter 7

Owen only regained consciousness the next afternoon. He wasn't fully lucid yet, but the first thing that came out of his mouth was related to Samantha.

"Was her surgery a success? How is she? Is she awake?"

Gabriella took in his anxious expression. She hadn't slept a wink the entire night, so her voice was a little hoarse when she nodded and answered, "The doctor said that she's fine. She'll make a full recovery after resting for a few months."

Owen felt as if a heavy weight had fallen off his shoulders when he heard her words. However, he was still feeling uneasy. He tossed his blanket aside and tried to get off the bed, telling Gabriella that he wanted to see Samantha with his own two eyes.

Gabriella advised him to stay put, but he refused to listen. In the end, he was stopped only by the nurse, who, coincidentally, showed up to change his IV.

Panic flickered in his eyes as he looked at the large bag of medicine that the nurse was carrying with her. His heart was filled with nothing but concern for Samantha's well-being. After getting lost in his thoughts for a few moments, he was struck with an idea when his eyes strayed to the fruit basket on the cabinet.

"I called Samantha's parents yesterday, Gabriella. They flew back to the country last night and should be in the hospital right now. Deliver that fruit basket to them and send them my regards. You can check on Samantha's condition while you're there, too."

Gabriella stared steadily at Owen for a long time before finally humming in agreement. She picked up the fruit basket and left the ward.

Samantha's ward was located one floor above Owen's.

Gabriella was just about to knock on the door when she realized that it was ajar. She peeked through the gap and saw Samantha curled up in an unfamiliar man's embrace as she spoke sweetly to him.

"Didn't you say that you wanted to introduce your parents to me, Nate? Why are you alone?"

"I do want to introduce you to my parents, but this isn't a good time since you haven't recovered yet. I'll take you to meet them once you're discharged from the hospital, okay?"

Gabriella clenched her fists tightly upon hearing their exchange.

Samantha was already dating someone else? And their relationship was stable enough for her to meet his parents?

Coincidentally, a doctor dropped by to check on Samantha, startling her and the man when he pushed the door open.

Samantha's face twisted in an instant when she looked up and saw Gabriella standing in the doorway. "Why are you here?" she asked.

Gabriella didn't answer her. Instead, she strode into the ward and placed the fruit basket on the floor before turning around and heading back downstairs.

Samantha dragged her still-injured body out of the ward and chased after Gabriella, grabbing the latter just as she was about to descend the staircase.

"You're going to snitch on me to Owen, aren't you?"

Gabriella turned to look at Samantha, taking in the panic that flickered across her face. Her voice was cold when she asked, "Why are you still clinging to Owen like a leech if you already have a boyfriend?"

Samantha arched her brow. She quickly regained her composure and answered, "I want to have two boyfriends. I want to toy with them in the palm of my hand and enjoy myself as they spoil me with their affections. Can't you tell?"

"Do you have to trample over their feelings like this?"

Samantha snickered at Gabriella's indignant expression. She sounded extremely proud of herself when she said, "I have what it takes to make them go crazy over me. Even a prestigious scion like Owen isn't immune to my charms.

"What's wrong? Are you jealous? If you admit that you are, I wouldn't mind teaching you some of my tricks if I'm in a good mood."

Gabriella was rendered speechless by her arrogance.

On the other hand, Samantha grew more smug as Gabriella remained silent. She scrutinized the latter, her eyes lingering on the wedding band around her ring finger.

"You're just someone who benefited from the situation that I orchestrated. You have no right to challenge me. In fact, I'll let you in on a secret. The truth is, I didn't actually move abroad. I just drank too much while fooling around with my friends the night before the wedding, so I couldn't get up in time.

"You would never have gotten the chance to be 'Mrs. Wendell' if Owen hadn't thrown a tantrum when I stood him up at the wedding."

The fury that Gabriella had been suppressing all this time finally exploded at that moment. Unable to control her anger any longer, she raised her hand and slapped Samantha across the face.

She hadn't actually slapped her that hard, but Samantha reacted as if Gabriella had channeled all her strength into her slap, toppling to the side and rolling down the stairs.

Gabriella was shoved aside by Owen, who had just stepped out of the elevator, before she could wrap her head around the situation.

Owen hurried down the stairs, looking utterly heartbroken as he picked up Samantha, whose entire body was covered in bruises. His eyes were burning with fury as he glared at Gabriella.

"Why did you hurt her when she didn't do anything to you?" he demanded.

Samantha intentionally turned her head to the side where Gabriella had left a bright red handprint on her cheek. Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed in Owen's arms.

"Forget it, Owen. She must be angry at me because I'm your ex-girlfriend. I don't blame her. Let's just go."

Her words caused Gabriella's retort to get stuck in her throat.

Gabriella knew that explaining the situation to Owen would be a pointless endeavor at that moment as she watched his face darken.

Meanwhile, from Owen's perspective, Gabriella's silence meant that she was admitting to her transgression against Samantha. Disappointment spread through him as he averted his gaze and carried Samantha away, not even bothering to spare a single glance back at Gabriella.

Chapter 8

Gabriella received a call from the embassy after she left the hospital, informing her that her visa had been approved. She stopped by the embassy to pick up her documents before heading home to pack her belongings.

She had a calendar on her desk that she tore a page from every day. It wouldn't be long before she reached the last page.

The year was about to end, after all, and she was about to leave this city that she had lived in for more than two decades.

Owen didn't return home even once that week.

Meanwhile, Samantha sent Gabriella messages every day, obviously meant to provoke her.

Seven days before Gabriella's departure, Samantha sent her a video of Owen kneeling on the floor, gently massaging her calves.

As Gabriella watched the video, she threw all the gifts that she had bought for Owen over the years into the trash.

Five days before Gabriella was scheduled to leave, Samantha sent her a few photos of Owen giving her a box of jewelry and personally slipping a ring onto her finger.

Gabriella tore her wedding photos with Owen to shreds and threw the pieces into the fire.

She received an audio recording from Samantha three days before her departure.

Owen was mumbling Samantha's name as he slept. His voice was colored with genuine affection even in his dreams.

Gabriella packed up all the presents Owen had given her after they got married and donated them to a charity.

The villa that she had once called home slowly became empty while she finished packing what little belongings she had into her suitcases.

The maids grew worried as they watched Gabriella remove all traces of her existence from the villa. Some of them even approached her and asked her what was going on.

Gabriella simply smiled and replied, "We're divorced now."

"Did Mr. Wendell agree to the divorce?"

The truth was, Gabriella didn't know whether Owen agreed or disagreed, but she guessed that he would be over the moon when he finally saw the divorce agreement. After all, Samantha was the only one in his heart.

Two days before Gabriella's departure, Samantha sent her another message.

This time, the camera wasn't aimed at Owen but at his parents.

Gabriella felt nothing as she looked at the photo that showed Owen and his parents gathered around Samantha's bed, smiling at her. As always, she ignored the message. She tapped into her contacts and deleted Samantha's and Owen's numbers, along with everyone else connected to them.

On the day of Gabriella's departure, she was greeted with the first snow of the year. She headed to the garden, carrying a stack of diaries and love letters she had never sent.

As she threw the stack of papers into the fire, the flames cast a golden glow on her face. She watched as the items that recorded the feelings of a young woman in love turned to ash.

Gabriella tipped her head back to look at the fluttering snowflakes, wondering how long it would take before the ashes were covered up by the snow. She was still caught in a daze when the door was suddenly thrown open.

Owen, whom she hadn't seen for a week, had finally returned, seeming to be in a hurry. He only spared her a brief glance before disappearing into the living room. When he returned, he stopped next to her.

His thoughts strayed to Gabriella's letter, read aloud at the class reunion, as he gazed at the pink envelopes she held.

His heart, hardened by anger toward her, finally softened at that moment.

"I've been really busy recently. I'll be done in the next two days. Let's talk then."

Gabriella wondered what Owen wanted to talk about. Did he want a divorce?

She chuckled and looked up at him. "We don't need to talk. I've already given you the thing that you want the most a month ago," she said indifferently.

The thing that he wanted the most?

Owen didn't understand what Gabriella was talking about. He was just about to ask her to elaborate when his phone chimed.

Mirth sparkled in his eyes as he read through the messages.

Gabriella tossed the last stack of letters into the fire as she stared at him. She then rose to her feet. Her skirt flared around her as she did, blocking the flames from Owen's view.

Owen finished replying to the messages just as the last letters turned to ash. He had also forgotten what he wanted to ask Gabriella.

Gabriella walked him to his car and opened the door.

A cold gust of wind blew past them.

Noticing Gabriella's rather thin clothes, Owen gently told her to go back into the villa, not wanting her to catch a cold. However, she insisted on seeing him off.

Owen watched through the window as Gabriella waved at him. She also seemed to be saying something. He couldn't hear her, but he guessed that she was just telling him to be careful while driving. He had heard her give him the same reminder for the past three years, so he didn't think too much about it.

The car hummed to life, and it didn't take long for it to disappear from Gabriella's sight. She stood alone in the snow for a long time before heading back to the bedroom to put on her coat. She then carried her suitcases downstairs.

The snow began falling in earnest then.

The snowflakes clung to Gabriella's hair, making it seem as if she had white hair if one were to look at her from a distance.

The cab stopped in front of the villa. Before she slipped inside, she took one last look at the villa before repeating what she had whispered to Owen earlier.

"Goodbye forever, Ruthbelle. Goodbye forever, Owen Wendell."