Lahat ng Kabanata ng Love, As Fleeting as the Breeze: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

At dawn, Christina was startled awake by a commotion.She opened the door and saw, in the garden of the neighboring villa, a haggard woman clutching a man's shirt with trembling hands. Her voice tore through the morning air."Dirk, I've loved you for ten whole years and bore you several children! When we got married, you promised to love me forever! It hasn't even been that long, and you dare to keep a mistress behind my back?"Despite the early hour, many people had already gathered by the lakeside for their morning walks. The scandalous scene unfolded before them, drawing more curious eyes with each passing second.Dirk, clearly someone of status, noticed the growing crowd. His expression shifted immediately as he grabbed the woman and dragged her toward the villa."What are you making a scene for? I've told you many times, no man in this world can stay completely faithful!"Christina stood frozen, unable to look away, until a warm hand gently covered her ears from behind."Ch

When they arrived home, Lucien went to park the car while Christina entered the house. She stopped at the doorway, her eyes falling on Vanessa, who was curled up on the sofa in a nightgown, surrounded by snacks, and watching TV.Christina paused deliberately and said, "Didn't you say you wouldn't be home tonight because of a mixer?"Vanessa glanced up, curling her lips into a sly smile. "Oh, Christina, I forgot to tell you. I actually had a fight with my boyfriend, so I decided to go to the mixer to make him jealous."She stretched out her neckline, revealing a scatter of hickeys across her skin, then looked at Christina with a provocative gaze. "I told him about it, and he didn't seem to care at first. But as soon as I arrived at the party, he showed up and dragged me away."Laughing lightly, she added, "I didn't expect him to be so jealous. He went at it with me three times in the car." Christina's nails dug into her palms, the sharp sting spreading through her body. She forced

Christina's feet felt nailed to the ground.The voices inside continued without pause."Is Lucien and Vanessa still not done? It's been, what, five hours already?""Why rush? Lucien's a beast, and Vanessa's irresistible. They won't stop until they're completely spent.""But doing it right next door? That's a bit much. I even heard moaning earlier. Good thing I turned up the music just in time, or his wife might've caught on. You have no idea how tense I was.""What's there to be tense about? You'll get used to it after a few times. Lucien finally found someone who caught his eye. At least he's not glued to his wife anymore. As his bros, we've got to cover for him and let him enjoy some wildflowers. Haha!""Sure, his wife's pretty, but she's way too uptight. Probably a dead fish in bed. Men want excitement, you know?"Christina couldn't make out the rest.A buzzing filled her ears as she stumbled out. Her world spun.So everyone knew. Everyone. And they'd all kept it from her.

That evening, as Christina returned home, she received a call from Lucien, who was still at the hospital."Christina, I'm sorry, Vanessa… she isn't feeling well, she needs to stay in the hospital for a few more days," he said. "Her brother asked me to take care of her. I can't go back on my word. I'll stay at the hospital with her for a few days and won't be able to accompany you."Christina's voice was calm. "It's fine, take good care of her."Inwardly, she thought, 'Lucien, from now on, feel free to stay with her.'There were still three days left before she would leave.Suddenly, Vanessa sent Christina a video.The video showed the same birthday party venue. Vanessa was wearing a princess dress, a crown on her head, standing in the middle of a pile of gifts. Lucien hugged her from behind, affectionately kissing her earlobe."Happy birthday, my princess," he said. "What wish do you have?"Vanessa lifted her chin arrogantly. "I want to be like Christina. No matter what wish I

Lucien took a deep breath and gestured for the servants to place the gifts on the table beside him.The butler and servants quietly set the gifts down and left the room.Lucien stared at the pile of gifts on the table, his eyes clouded with darkness. It was at that moment that he noticed a piece of paper pressed beneath the stack.He pulled the paper out, ready to discard it, but the words on it suddenly caught his eye.The handwriting was delicate, just like Christina herself—always gentle and calm. No matter what difficulty she faced, she remained composed.But the paper was marked with several punctures, as if the pen had been pressed hard against it in frustration. It contained only the details of the places, times, and frequency of his affair with Vanessa.There was nothing else. No explanations, no words of accusation—just that cold, stark information.It felt as if everything that needed to be said had already been said in those few lines.As he finished reading the last