Share

Chapter 2

Author: Time Flies
East of Marina City, which also happened to be the heart of the city, stood two uniquely designed skyscrapers on some of the most expensive land in the country. From above, they looked like lovers embracing—hence the name, Gemini Towers.

This land was where our family estates once stood before the earthquake reduced them to rubble. It was also where I was buried for 48 hours—my worst nightmare.

To help me heal from the trauma, Dominic sketched design after design, even with his hands still wrapped in bandages. Then, he poured his entire fortune into buying this piece of land.

Gemini Towers stood as a symbol of Dominic's devotion to me and the bond we had shared since childhood. We were the classic story—a couple who grew up together and got married to each other.

Back then, he proposed, and I said yes. But he didn't have any money left to hold a wedding. So he said that every year on our anniversary, he would host a grand wedding at Gemini Towers—making up for the one we never had—to let us receive everyone's blessings.

"We'll walk through this life together, and the next, and the one after that. One day, we'll sit side by side and witness Gemini Towers become a historic landmark and a heritage building."

I felt a sudden tightness in my chest. "Dominic, I want to go up to the rooftop."

"I'll come with you."

"No, it's okay. You're afraid of heights."

As the elevator ascended, I glanced down and saw Dominic pull out his phone. Mine buzzed at the same time, and a screenshot of a chat appeared.

Rosa texted, "Hey honey, I'm so hungry for your carrot right now."

Dominic replied, "Wait for me."

The attached photo showed Rosa in black fishnet bunny lingerie, sitting suggestively on the floor, with a fluffy white tail peeking behind her. Her gaze was seductive as she stared into the camera.

Seconds later, my phone rang.

Dominic's voice was breathless. "Sorry, Yvonne. A big client just came—"

I cut him off, giving him one last chance. "Dominic, do you remember what I said to you the day you proposed to me? If you ever fall for someone else, just tell me. I won't cling to you. But if you lie to me, I'll leave you forever."

Dominic suddenly felt uneasy. Gripping the phone, he hurriedly replied, "Yvonne, I only love you, and I'll never fall for someone else."

In that moment, the last remnants of my love for him vanished. I descended from the rooftop, leaving a signed divorce agreement on the VIP lounge chair.

Dominic Cruz, my first gift to you was freedom.

Late into the night, Rosa sent me a new photo every hour. She didn't stop until dawn.

"He took me all night, trying every position. I could barely get out of bed after that. Has he ever done that to you?"

Before I could finish reading, Dominic opened the front door. He saw me packing up my clothes.

Panicked, he asked, "Yvonne, why are you packing? Where are you going?"

"Just reorganizing for the season," I said casually.

Dominic immediately stepped forward and crouched down beside me with a smile. "Yvonne, it was wrong of me to let you go home alone because of the client. Let's go try on the wedding dress today, okay?"

I smiled back at him but hid my hand behind my back. I was clenching it so hard that my nails nearly broke my skin.

The bridal shop staff were already waiting at the entrance when we arrived. Seeing Dominic help me out of the car, they quickly approached, their voices laced with admiration.

"The gown was personally designed by Mr. Cruz. It's the most exquisite and luxurious piece in our collection. Embellished with 150 diamonds and 1,000 pearls, it symbolizes your everlasting love for each other."

But their happy chirps lasted barely three minutes. I saw that the place where my wedding dress was supposed to be displayed was empty. And there, Rosa was wearing my wedding dress.

"Ms. Kerr, you can't wear this." The shop manager carefully held up the hem of the gown. "This dress was custom-designed by Mr. Cruz for his wife."
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App

Related chapters

  • The One Who Got Away   Chapter 3

    Rosa's long hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her smile was the perfect blend of guileless charm and feline cunning."I know, I know. But I just love this one," she said to the manager.She was about to say more when she suddenly spotted Dominic and me standing not far away from her. Her expression shifted to one of surprise before settling into a smile. "Hello, Mr Cruz, Ms. Baird!" She quickly approached me, reaching out to grab my hand. But then she paused when she noticed the lunchbox I was holding."Mr. Cruz, Ms. Baird, today marks the 1,000th day my boyfriend and I have been together. This wedding dress is absolutely gorgeous. It even has 1,000 pearls on it. Ms. Baird, you're not angry, are you? Sorry, I just couldn't resist trying it on."Rosa flashed an apologetic smile at me.Three months ago, on the very day I learned I had cancer, I received a WhatsApp message from Rosa for the first time.It turned out they had already been together for 1,000 days—two years and n

  • The One Who Got Away   Chapter 4

    "Mr. Cruz is truly the epitome of a devoted husband. Five years ago, during the earthquake, he ignored everyone's warning and dug through the rubble with his bare hands to save Ms. Baird. He even nearly crippled his hands in the process."Every year on their anniversary, he holds a wedding ceremony at Gemini Towers. He's put so much effort into restoring this painting. How many men in the world would go this far for their wives?"…Even though I was leaving tomorrow, the fact that he had spent five years restoring the painting still moved me to tears.Dominic tenderly reminisced with me. "Remember how all the adults laughed at me when I was little and told them I would marry you someday?"Back then, he would give me all of his money, saying that a man's money should be entrusted to his wife for safekeeping.I couldn't help but laugh and cry along with him as he recounted all of the memories we shared together.Just then, his phone rang. Without even glancing at the screen, he de

  • The One Who Got Away   Chapter 5

    The wedding day finally arrived—mountains of flowers adorned the venue, and colorful balloons floated in the air.The Gemini Towers were buzzing with high-profile guests, with even influencers livestreaming the event on their phones.Dominic appeared in the hall in a black suit. He was handsome and dignified, every inch the distinguished groom.But he kept nervously touching the tip of his nose, waiting for the host to finish narrating the love story of the bride and groom.…"Vanessa, do you think they're exchanging rings right now?""You're not having second thoughts, are you? If you go soft and start feeling for that jerk, you're going to regret it for the rest of your life.""No, no. I'm just curious when he's going to realize his mistake and wish he had treated me better while I was still alive."Vanessa Crosby laughed in exasperation."What's the rush? Let him enjoy his happiness for now."Because only then, when the truth finally hit, would it hurt even more.Dominic

  • The One Who Got Away   Chapter 6

    I shrugged helplessly. "I was just bored then."When I first left, I had been curious if Dominic and Rosa would really end up together. But seeing them tear into each other later only made me more grateful for my decision to walk away.Vanessa had the gossipy look on her face again."If I were you, I'd be laughing my head off seeing Rosa lose her mind."Yes, with a gossip-loving best friend like her, I was always on the frontlines of the drama.Rosa screamed in pain after Dominic kicked her hard in the stomach. But he assumed, as usual, that she was just trying to get his attention. So he left without a backward glance.Her cries grew weaker. It wasn't until blood pooled beneath her that the panicked security rushed her to the hospital.The emergency doctor informed her that she was eight weeks pregnant. But she had lost too much blood, so her fetus couldn't be saved.She stayed in the hospital for a week, and Tracy visited once. But after hearing the doctor say Rosa would neve

  • The One Who Got Away   Chapter 7

    No—to be more precise, Freddie had found his true love and was determined to divorce. And his so-called true love was only two years older than Dominic. Freddie was resolute—he would rather leave with nothing than stay in the marriage.Everyone was stunned.After all, Freddie and Tracy had always portrayed themselves as the picture of marital harmony.Yet Dominic's reputation had crumbled first, and Freddie's followed right after.Tracy, who had been so accepting of Dominic's mistress, now turned vicious. It was true—people never understood until the pain was their own.Some advised them to take control of the narrative through live streams.Freddie had become more fashionable as he got older. He openly declared his love for his young lover and felt as if he were reborn.Not to be outdone, Tracy rallied the audience, leading the charge against the homewrecker.In the end, more dirt was dug up on her. People accused her of being double-standard, and her public support for Rosa d

  • The One Who Got Away   Chapter 8

    "If your dad refused to divorce but cheated on your mom, would you cover for him or help your mom take down that homewrecker? And if your mom objected to your mistress during the wedding, would your dad have made his affair public?"Dominic fell into a long silence before finally exhaling. "Yes. My mom's and my attitude toward you influenced him. We all thought it wasn't a big deal for a man to have multiple mistresses. I was wrong for being so selfish, and that was how we ended up where we are right now."His hands trembled as he spoke. So did his voice."Men are such good actors. My dad included. How could he have cheated? He always listened to my mom. Even on the day he asked for a divorce, he still said good morning to her and gave her a goodbye kiss."He buried his face in his hands, tears seeping through his fingers. But his crying stirred no pity in me. In fact, it only disgusted me more."Yvonne, do you hate me a lot? Will you never forgive me?"I shook my head. The memor

  • The One Who Got Away   Chapter 1

    "Ms. Baird, this is the fake death service you booked with us. The time of death is set for three days from now, on your wedding day. The body will be delivered to the wedding venue, and you will be the deceased. Please confirm and sign here."I nodded and signed the end of the document without hesitation.On the way from the hospital to Dominic Cruz's company, I opened my phone and happened to come across a video interview of Dominic."I owe all my success to my wife, Yvonne Baird. She is my greatest support and motivation."The barrage of comments kept appearing at the bottom of the screen."I heard that when Mr. Cruz was 20 years old, he personally designed a blue diamond tiara for Ms. Baird. He said she was his queen.""When Ms. Baird was 23 years old, she was trapped under rubble after an earthquake. Mr. Cruz refused to believe she was dead and dug through the debris with his bare hands until his fingers were mangled just to save her.""We all know how important hands are t

Latest chapter

  • The One Who Got Away   Chapter 8

    "If your dad refused to divorce but cheated on your mom, would you cover for him or help your mom take down that homewrecker? And if your mom objected to your mistress during the wedding, would your dad have made his affair public?"Dominic fell into a long silence before finally exhaling. "Yes. My mom's and my attitude toward you influenced him. We all thought it wasn't a big deal for a man to have multiple mistresses. I was wrong for being so selfish, and that was how we ended up where we are right now."His hands trembled as he spoke. So did his voice."Men are such good actors. My dad included. How could he have cheated? He always listened to my mom. Even on the day he asked for a divorce, he still said good morning to her and gave her a goodbye kiss."He buried his face in his hands, tears seeping through his fingers. But his crying stirred no pity in me. In fact, it only disgusted me more."Yvonne, do you hate me a lot? Will you never forgive me?"I shook my head. The memor

  • The One Who Got Away   Chapter 7

    No—to be more precise, Freddie had found his true love and was determined to divorce. And his so-called true love was only two years older than Dominic. Freddie was resolute—he would rather leave with nothing than stay in the marriage.Everyone was stunned.After all, Freddie and Tracy had always portrayed themselves as the picture of marital harmony.Yet Dominic's reputation had crumbled first, and Freddie's followed right after.Tracy, who had been so accepting of Dominic's mistress, now turned vicious. It was true—people never understood until the pain was their own.Some advised them to take control of the narrative through live streams.Freddie had become more fashionable as he got older. He openly declared his love for his young lover and felt as if he were reborn.Not to be outdone, Tracy rallied the audience, leading the charge against the homewrecker.In the end, more dirt was dug up on her. People accused her of being double-standard, and her public support for Rosa d

  • The One Who Got Away   Chapter 6

    I shrugged helplessly. "I was just bored then."When I first left, I had been curious if Dominic and Rosa would really end up together. But seeing them tear into each other later only made me more grateful for my decision to walk away.Vanessa had the gossipy look on her face again."If I were you, I'd be laughing my head off seeing Rosa lose her mind."Yes, with a gossip-loving best friend like her, I was always on the frontlines of the drama.Rosa screamed in pain after Dominic kicked her hard in the stomach. But he assumed, as usual, that she was just trying to get his attention. So he left without a backward glance.Her cries grew weaker. It wasn't until blood pooled beneath her that the panicked security rushed her to the hospital.The emergency doctor informed her that she was eight weeks pregnant. But she had lost too much blood, so her fetus couldn't be saved.She stayed in the hospital for a week, and Tracy visited once. But after hearing the doctor say Rosa would neve

  • The One Who Got Away   Chapter 5

    The wedding day finally arrived—mountains of flowers adorned the venue, and colorful balloons floated in the air.The Gemini Towers were buzzing with high-profile guests, with even influencers livestreaming the event on their phones.Dominic appeared in the hall in a black suit. He was handsome and dignified, every inch the distinguished groom.But he kept nervously touching the tip of his nose, waiting for the host to finish narrating the love story of the bride and groom.…"Vanessa, do you think they're exchanging rings right now?""You're not having second thoughts, are you? If you go soft and start feeling for that jerk, you're going to regret it for the rest of your life.""No, no. I'm just curious when he's going to realize his mistake and wish he had treated me better while I was still alive."Vanessa Crosby laughed in exasperation."What's the rush? Let him enjoy his happiness for now."Because only then, when the truth finally hit, would it hurt even more.Dominic

  • The One Who Got Away   Chapter 4

    "Mr. Cruz is truly the epitome of a devoted husband. Five years ago, during the earthquake, he ignored everyone's warning and dug through the rubble with his bare hands to save Ms. Baird. He even nearly crippled his hands in the process."Every year on their anniversary, he holds a wedding ceremony at Gemini Towers. He's put so much effort into restoring this painting. How many men in the world would go this far for their wives?"…Even though I was leaving tomorrow, the fact that he had spent five years restoring the painting still moved me to tears.Dominic tenderly reminisced with me. "Remember how all the adults laughed at me when I was little and told them I would marry you someday?"Back then, he would give me all of his money, saying that a man's money should be entrusted to his wife for safekeeping.I couldn't help but laugh and cry along with him as he recounted all of the memories we shared together.Just then, his phone rang. Without even glancing at the screen, he de

  • The One Who Got Away   Chapter 3

    Rosa's long hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her smile was the perfect blend of guileless charm and feline cunning."I know, I know. But I just love this one," she said to the manager.She was about to say more when she suddenly spotted Dominic and me standing not far away from her. Her expression shifted to one of surprise before settling into a smile. "Hello, Mr Cruz, Ms. Baird!" She quickly approached me, reaching out to grab my hand. But then she paused when she noticed the lunchbox I was holding."Mr. Cruz, Ms. Baird, today marks the 1,000th day my boyfriend and I have been together. This wedding dress is absolutely gorgeous. It even has 1,000 pearls on it. Ms. Baird, you're not angry, are you? Sorry, I just couldn't resist trying it on."Rosa flashed an apologetic smile at me.Three months ago, on the very day I learned I had cancer, I received a WhatsApp message from Rosa for the first time.It turned out they had already been together for 1,000 days—two years and n

  • The One Who Got Away   Chapter 2

    East of Marina City, which also happened to be the heart of the city, stood two uniquely designed skyscrapers on some of the most expensive land in the country. From above, they looked like lovers embracing—hence the name, Gemini Towers.This land was where our family estates once stood before the earthquake reduced them to rubble. It was also where I was buried for 48 hours—my worst nightmare.To help me heal from the trauma, Dominic sketched design after design, even with his hands still wrapped in bandages. Then, he poured his entire fortune into buying this piece of land.Gemini Towers stood as a symbol of Dominic's devotion to me and the bond we had shared since childhood. We were the classic story—a couple who grew up together and got married to each other.Back then, he proposed, and I said yes. But he didn't have any money left to hold a wedding. So he said that every year on our anniversary, he would host a grand wedding at Gemini Towers—making up for the one we never had—

  • The One Who Got Away   Chapter 1

    "Ms. Baird, this is the fake death service you booked with us. The time of death is set for three days from now, on your wedding day. The body will be delivered to the wedding venue, and you will be the deceased. Please confirm and sign here."I nodded and signed the end of the document without hesitation.On the way from the hospital to Dominic Cruz's company, I opened my phone and happened to come across a video interview of Dominic."I owe all my success to my wife, Yvonne Baird. She is my greatest support and motivation."The barrage of comments kept appearing at the bottom of the screen."I heard that when Mr. Cruz was 20 years old, he personally designed a blue diamond tiara for Ms. Baird. He said she was his queen.""When Ms. Baird was 23 years old, she was trapped under rubble after an earthquake. Mr. Cruz refused to believe she was dead and dug through the debris with his bare hands until his fingers were mangled just to save her.""We all know how important hands are t

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status