07
Gideon’s steps halted abruptly. But Nora became more hysterical. “To tell you the truth, the fire five years ago was also my doing, Vera deserved it, always overshadowing me.
Whenever I appeared, all the media would say I was just a shadow of Vera, but why!
<
“So I set the fire to kill her! Only with her gone could I have my day!”
“It’s been five years, and yet you still won’t come near me. Even when I got you drunk, you were calling out Vera’s name!
“So what am I to you, Gideon? You’ve made me feel like a joke!”
Gideon stopped abruptly.
But Nora became even more frantic.
“Let me tell you the truth. I started the fire five years ago. Adeline always overshadowed me, and whenever I appeared, the media only mentioned me as her shadow. Why her!
“So I set the fire to get rid of her! Only with her out of the way could I have a chance to shine!
“Unfortunately, her unlucky sister got caught up in it too. You saw it happen, and I used your influence to climb higher than Adeline. Even her sister had to serve me. I was living the high life.
“My greed grew insatiable. I wanted not just your connections and resources, but all of you, your entire heart! Yet, you were always thinking about Vera. Why is she worthy of your love?
“So, I destroyed her the same way! She deserved it! If she wanted to blame someone, she should blame herself for not dying with her sister in
the fire!”
Gideon’s face grew increasingly pale:
“Enough, Nora! So it was you all along… you killed them!”
Nora laughed maniacally:
“Gideon, you’re not innocent either!
“You hesitated between the two sisters. You loved the younger sister but didn’t end your engagement with the elder one.
“When the elder sister had an accident, you were the first to blame Vera for not saving her, using her guilt to make her work for me willingly.
“You never asked for the truth, just blamed Vera for everything, tormenting her until now!
“Maybe you suspected, but you didn’t dare to investigate! Because if you found but it wasn’t Vera’s fault, you couldn’t keep torturing her!”
Gideon staggered back a couple of steps, mumbling:
“No… that’s not it! She never explained to me, so I blamed her…
“I just wanted to punish her a little, I never really wanted her to die…”
Nora’s laughter was sharp and piercing:
“Gideon, you’re just deceiving yourself! You’re the most hypocritical one!”
“Shut up!”
Gideon’s eyes were bloodshot as he ordered the bodyguards angrily:
“Take her away now!”
The bodyguards immediately restrained Nora, but she kept shouting:
“Gideon, that woman is already burned beyond recognition like Adeline! You’ll never see her again!”
When the firefighter hoses finally extinguished the towering flames.
<
Gideon, ignoring all warnings, rushed into the ruins to search for me with his bare hands.
His assistant cautiously approached:
“Mr. Gideon, the firefighters said the hanging columns might fall. Please come out with me!”
Gideon acted as if he didn’t hear, stubbornly searching through the ashes.
Until his fingers touched a charred ring, and he was struck as if by lightning.
The ring was deformed, but the inside still clearly showed the engraving “J&L.”
He had carved it himself five years ago.
I once pretended to disdain it:
“Your engraving is so ugly, I don’t want to wear it!”
But Gideon held my hand and forcefully put it on, proudly saying:
“I don’t care, you’re never taking it off in this lifetime.”
Though I complained, I wore it every day without taking it off.
Gideon remembered my question in the hospital room.
“If that fire hadn’t happened, would we still be like we used to be…”
Gideon clutched the ring tightly and finally broke down.
His voice was shattered:
“Vera, I was wrong! Please come back, let’s go back to how we were…”
But he got no response from me, only a firefighter’s sigh:
“The temperature was too high, I’m afraid Miss Lin is already…”
Gideon’s blood surged, and he suddenly spat out blood, fainting on the spot.
I thought I would never wake up again.
But the strong smell of disinfectant reminded me of my survival.
Opening my eyes, an unfamiliar handsome face came into view.
The man’s eyes were red, and seeing me awake, he exclaimed excitedly:
“Hey, you’re awake!”
He hugged me suddenly, but hearing my gasp of pain, he quickly let go, electrified:
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I was just too happy, I forgot you were still hurt.”
The man stood at the bedside, at a loss.
I smiled with teary eyes and asked hoarsely:
“Who are you? Did you save me?”
The man looked sad, like a wronged puppy:
9:26 AM d
<
“It’s Finn, don’t you remember me?”
I tilted my head in confusion, Finn gritted his teeth:
“Well… it’s okay if you don’t remember me, as long as I remember you!”
I struggled to sit up and took his hand:
“Thank you for saving me.”
Finn suddenly turned his face away, his ears visibly reddening.
Later, I found a stack of photos Finn kept in a metal box.
They were pictures of me from middle school to college.
Finn finally admitted he was a junior a year younger than me.
Because I once helped chase away bullies after school, he secretly liked me from middle school.
For ten years until now.
I asked him why he didn’t show up sooner.
Finn’s eyes flashed with regret and pain:
“I thought you were always happy with him all these years.
“I regret realizing too late. I should have taken you away from him earlier!”
Gideon’s men obtained my elder sister’s cell phone from Nora.
On it was a recording my sister left during the fire.
Gideon played it, and the content felt like a dagger piercing his heart.
In the recording, my sister’s voice was weak:
“Vera, sis might not make it back… please don’t blame me, okay?
“Vera, don’t blame yourself, it’s because I was too scared, the pain was too much…
“Promise me, you will live well.”
Gideon’s hand trembled, barely holding the phone.
It turns out, I never abandoned my sister.
I escaped to seek help desperately.
But fate’s cruel twist made me witness my sister’s fall.
All these years, 1 endured everyone’s curses and accusations, never explaining.
Because I blamed myself too.
Gideon felt like a boulder pressed on his chest, making breathing difficult.
He remembered Vera’s repeated short–sighted attempts.
She was crying for help.
<
Seeking release.
Yet, he cursed her with venomous words each time.
Pushing her deeper into the abyss.
“Vera…”
Gideon knelt, dejected, his heart felt torn into millions.
Firefighters searched the ruins for three days, never finding my body.
Gideon stubbornly insisted they continue.
“Keep looking! Alive, I must see her, dead…”
The latter words choked him, Gideon dared not speak them.
This recording, sealed for five years, was uploaded by Gideon onto online platforms.
Media headlines raced to report the last words of the deceased star Adeline.
The recording swept the internet.
But Gideon’s aim was for me to hear it and return.
He firmly believed I was still alive.
In the hospital room, Finn flusteredly searched for the remote control to turn off the TV playing the recording.
When he turned, he met my puzzled gaze.
“What’s wrong?”
Finn instinctively blocked the TV with his body, but couldn’t stop the sound.
“Vera, sis might not make it back… please don’t blame me, okay?
“Vera, don’t blame yourself, it’s because I was too scared, the pain was too much…
“Vera, promise me, you will live well.”
I froze on the spot.
For a long time, a tear fell on Finn’s hand.
I angrily scolded the air:
“Sis, you’re such a coward! Wait till I get down there and see how I deal with you!”
But in truth, the shackles weighing me down for years quietly loosened.
Regaining my senses, Finn was frantically at a loss:
Sis, don’t cry!”
I laughed through tears.
Finn suddenly squatted by my bed, his eyes wet like a puppy in the rain:
“Sis, after hearing the recording, are you going back to Gideon…
9:26 AM
<
I was amused by his pitiful look, messing up his already tousled hair:
“Why would I leave? I’m not going anywhere.”
“Really, sis!”
Finn’s eyes brightened instantly.
I’m not leaving, I promised my sister to live well.
Three years later, Finn and I held our wedding in Switzerland.
Before the wedding, Finn was clumsily helping me arrange my veil.
His awkwardness was just like the boy three years ago who stood by my bed, red–eyed like a puppy.
The wedding officiant suddenly rushed in, breaking the peace.
“Miss Lin, a Mr. Gideon is looking for you.”
Gideon had somehow found out about me.
I frowned.
Finn’s fingers trembled, he immediately held my hand, red–eyed asking:
“Sis, do you want to see him?”
Finn embraced me from behind:
“Sis, please don’t go?”
I comforted him.
In the end, I didn’t go to see Gideon.
But at the wedding, Gideon barged in.
His eyes were bloodshot, no longer the aristocratic figure he once was.
Gideon stepped forward, gripping my wrist painfully:
“Vera, I finally found you! I’ve uncovered the truth from back then, come back with me, okay?”
I frowned.
Finn’s fingers trembled slightly as he quickly grasped my hand, his eyes red with emotion:
“Are you planning to see him?”
Finn wrapped his arms around me once more from behind:
“Please, don’t go.”
I sighed and tried to comfort him.
In the end, I didn’t go to see Gideon.
But at the wedding, Gideon forced his way in.
His eyes were bloodshot, a stark contrast to his usual composed demeanor,
9:26 AM
<
Gideon stepped forward and gripped my wrist tightly, causing me pain:
“Vera, I’ve finally found you! I’ve uncovered the truth from the past. Will you come back with me?”
I cried out from the pain, and Finn immediately stood in front of me, his normally gentle eyes now filled with anger:
“Mr. Gideon, please have some respect.”
But Gideon seemed oblivious, his hands shaking as he pulled a ring from his pocket:
“Vera, look, I repaired it. You promised you’d wear it forever!”
Gideon’s voice quivered with desperation.
“Vera, can you give me another chance? I promise I’ll make it right.”‘
I was silent for a moment.
Until I felt Finn’s hand shaking as he held mine.
I squeezed his hand and showed my wedding ring to Gideon:
“Gideon, do you think a few words can erase all the pain you caused me?
“Go back. We’re done. I’ve moved on to a new life. Let’s not drag each other down anymore, okay?”
“No… I can’t accept that, Vera, you’re my wife!
“Can you really leave behind all those years to marry someone you’ve known for less than three years?”
“Gideon, you’re mistaken. This man in front of you, whom I’ve known for less than three years, has brought me more happiness than I ever
had.
“But did you ever consider if I was truly happy with you all those years?”
Gideon was left speechless.
This time, Finn called for the bodyguards directly.
As Gideon was taken away, still shouting, my mind was solely focused on comforting the dear person in front of me.
When Finn turned around, his eyes were red, resembling an abandoned puppy:
“I thought you didn’t want to marry me anymore.”
Feeling a bit exasperated, I pulled his tie and kissed him:
“Finn, are we still getting married or not?”
He held my head to deepen the kiss.
“Of course! You’re not leaving me in this lifetime!”
That night, I couldn’t escape his repeated affections, until my voice was hoarse.
Years later, I saw a small obituary in the newspaper.
Gideon had sold all of Gideon Corporation’s assets and donated billions to the Burned Children Charitable Foundation.
But then, Gideon vanished.
When he was found again, it was in the old burnt–out building.
mat mynt, I couldn’t escape nis repeated affections, until my voice was hoarse.
Years later, I saw a small obituary in the newspaper.
Gideon had sold all of Gideon Corporation’s assets and donated billions to the Burned Children Charitable Foundation.
But then, Gideon vanished.
When he was found again, it was in the old burnt–out building.
He and Nora perished together there.
The cell phone left behind contained this recording:
“Vera, being consumed by the flames hurts so much…
“Vera, may you be happy forever.”
When Finn hugged me from behind, his eyes also fell on this news.
“Do you want to go back for a visit?”
I shook my head and hummed:
“If I leave, who will make sure you look after our daughter? She’s quite the handful.”
Our little daughter, who had just learned to walk, tilted her head and wobbled toward us.
Finn and I exchanged smiles.
“Let the past be the past, and let new beginnings start.”
(The End)
