로그인Thalia's POVGabriel's handwriting was crooked and uneven, as if his hand had been shaking badly when he had written it. I read it once before tossing the note and the ring into the trash.Camille wasn't doing well either.Without Gabriel's financial support, the bookstore soon became impossible to keep afloat. She tried reaching out through mutual acquaintances several times, but was turned away at the company entrance each time.Later, I heard she had found another man to support her. That was the last I heard of her.When Susanne told me about it, I caught a hint of schadenfreude in her voice. "Serves her right. She deserves everything coming to her.""It's none of my business anymore," I said.Susanne looked at me, making sure I wasn't pretending to be unbothered but genuinely carefree, then laughed and slung an arm around my shoulders."Well, look at you, Thalia. Nothing can get through that armor of yours anymore."I laughed along with her. It wasn't that I was invincibl
Thalia's POVGabriel held the flowers out to me, but I didn't take them. His hand stayed there for a moment before slowly dropping back to his side."Gabriel," I said, "let's talk."He nodded, the corners of his eyes already reddening. In the past five years, he probably hadn't teared up as many times as he had over the past month.We found a quiet cafe nearby. Once we sat down, I spoke first. I didn't mention Camille or the bookstore, or dredge up the past. I only brought up one thing."Do you remember the time I was pregnant?"Gabriel's hand jerked violently, sending coffee splashing onto his sleeve. He didn't wipe it away. I knew he remembered.That baby had come into our lives unexpectedly and left just as suddenly. The doctor said many reasons could've contributed to the miscarriage, and emotional stress was one of them.At that time, Gabriel and I were giving each other the silent treatment because of the flirty texts I found on his phone.I hadn't told him about the pre
Thalia's POVWhen Susanne heard about it, she rolled her eyes. "Why is he pretending to be some devoted husband? Where was all this effort before?"Unfortunately, Gabriel didn't give up just because I gave him the cold shoulder. Instead, he seemed convinced that if he persisted long enough, I would eventually give in, just like I always had.Little did he know, the human heart wasn't a spring—the harder it was pressed, the harder it bounced back. Instead, it was more like a candle. Once it burned out, there simply was nothing left.Gabriel also started sending me things. Not expensive luxury goods, though, for he knew those wouldn't win me over.Instead, he sent me my favorite fruit tarts from that little shop tucked away in an alley, a signed book by my favorite author from college, and a blind-box figure from a collection I had casually mentioned wanting to collect on New Year's Eve.I had to say, he nailed every single gift. Too bad, they all came far too late.Susanne looked
Thalia's POVI nodded. "Fine. I'll file for divorce, then."I took Susanne's hand and walked around Gabriel toward the door. As I passed him, he reached out and grabbed my wrist.His grip wasn't hard. If anything, his hand was trembling. It was nothing like the way he had held me that day at the bookstore, where he strongly defended Camille. Back then, it felt like my wrist was about to be crushed."Thalia," he muttered hoarsely, "I messed up."I stood there without turning around.It had taken him five years to realize he had messed up terribly. Unfortunately, even time could erode my longing for the things I once desired. In this case, I didn't need his remorse anymore.I pried his hand away and walked out of the bar without looking back.…Susanne spent the entire cab ride cursing Gabriel. She called him shameless, crazy, and reckless for showing up at the bar and starting a fight.Then, all of a sudden, she went quiet and turned to look at me. "Thalia, if you want to cry,
Third-Person POVThe bar was filled with pounding music and hazy, shifting lights.Gabriel pushed through the crowd and spotted Thalia immediately. She was sitting on a barstool, wearing a little black dress he had never seen before, her hair cascading loosely over her shoulders.A man was sitting beside her, leaning close to whisper something in her ear. They were both smiling. Two glasses sat on the table. Hers was pink.The anxiety that had been holding Gabriel hostage for eight days finally spiraled into something ugly. He stormed over, grabbed the man by the collar, and drove his fist into the man's face.With a heavy thud, the man and his chair went crashing to the floor. The music drowned out the startled screams as the crowd scattered, leaving a clear space around them."Stay away from my woman."Gabriel's voice was low, so low that only the man on the floor could hear him. The man covered his face and stared up at him, startled and confused. "Who the hell are you, you s
Third-Person POVWhenever Gabriel and Thalia argued, she either stayed at her relatives' place for a few days or took a trip with Susanne. Eventually, a few days later, she would come back on her own.The longest they had ever gone without speaking was ten days. Even then, she was the one who broke the silence."Gabriel, don't you miss me?" she had asked.He did, but he never said it. He didn't think there was any need. In his mind, that was something she should've already known.This time, Gabriel decided to wait for Thalia to calm down. One way or another, she would come home on her own.As for the statement, he decided not to release it yet. Camille had only just calmed down, and if he went public with his relationship with Thalia now, he was afraid it might upset her again.Besides, Thalia had waited for him for five years. Surely, a few more days wouldn't matter.One day passed. Then two, then five. There was still no word from Thalia.Gabriel started checking his phone m







