Chapter 3

Marvin froze, disbelief flashing through his eyes.

“What did you say?”

He stepped forward and reached for Serena's hand, but Grace quickly intercepted him.

Stepping between them, Grace grabbed Serena's arm tightly.

“Serena, please don't do this.

“It's all my fault! If I hadn't come back and gotten myself hurt, Marvin would've gone looking for you, and you two wouldn't have ended up fighting.

“I know you're just saying this because you're upset. But after all these years together, how can you break up with him so easily?”

Marvin's expression grew increasingly dark.

Meanwhile, Grace tightened her grip on the bandaged part of Serena's arm.

A sharp pain shot through Serena, and she instinctively jerked her arm away.

But to her surprise, Grace let out a startled cry and went flying backward.

Thud!

Her back slammed into the corner of the wall.

“Ow! That hurts!”

She immediately collapsed into Marvin's arms.

Marvin scooped her up, looking utterly distressed.

“Serena Spencer! What the hell is wrong with you?

“Have you gotten so addicted to putting on an act that you can't stop? Grace hasn't done anything to you! Why are you taking your anger out on her?!”

Grace trembled in Marvin's arms, her eyes red and watery.

“Marvin, don't worry about me. I'm just afraid Serena will really break up with you.”

“Her?”

Marvin looked at Serena with open contempt.

“Not a chance.

“Serena, weren't you the one who swore you'd never marry anyone but me?

“You were even willing to sacrifice your life to save mine. You think you can just walk away from me now?”

He sneered.

“Besides, you're an orphan with no parents and no one else to rely on. Without me, where would you even go?”

A cold laugh escaped his lips.

“Enough with the act. I'm taking Grace to see a doctor. Go home and get dinner ready. And remember, Grace is allergic to green onions.”

Serena felt dizzy.

Yes, there had been a time when she would've gladly given her life to save Marvin.

He'd lost both legs saving her, and she'd donated one of her kidneys to save him.

They'd once sworn to love each other forever, believing nothing could ever separate them.

But now that they'd been given another life, Serena suddenly realized something she'd never noticed before.

Marvin had never been the one who couldn't eat green onions.

It had always been Grace.

Serena clearly remembered Marvin eating them when they first met.

That was why she'd found it strange when he'd later insisted that she never put green onions in their food.

Now she understood.

He'd memorized every little detail about Grace's likes and dislikes so thoroughly that they'd become second nature to him.

Even when she wasn't around.

Serena watched the two of them leave.

Then she staggered out of the hospital.

She couldn't bear to stay another moment in a place that had brought her so much pain.

Fighting through the agony of her injuries, Serena made her way home and began gathering everything that reminded her of Marvin.

But while searching through the closet, she unexpectedly discovered a safe hidden at the back.

It belonged to Marvin.

In her previous life, she'd once asked him what he kept inside.

“Just some old memories,” he'd replied casually. “You'll find out someday.”

Serena's hand hovered over the keypad.

Just then, a message from Grace arrived, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Serena, aren't you curious why Marvin chose you?

She opened an unfamiliar social media profile.

To her astonishment, it contained countless posts Marvin had written over the years, filled with tender declarations of love.

And every single one of them had been meant for Grace.

With trembling fingers, Serena scrolled all the way to the bottom.

There, she found a photograph of a university acceptance letter offering direct admission.

Click.

Serena entered Grace's birthday into the safe's keypad.

The lock opened.

Inside was a relationship chart.

A large photograph of Serena occupied the center.

Beside it, in Marvin's familiar handwriting, were several notes.

Serena Spencer. Orphaned. No friends. Desperate for love. Deeply insecure.

Easy to win over. Falls hard and fast. Lets her feelings cloud her judgment.

And suddenly, Serena remembered.

Years ago, after Marvin had won her heart, she'd given up a golden opportunity to study abroad on a guaranteed university placement.

She'd handed that opportunity to someone else.

And now she finally knew who.

Grace Grant.