Gemma thought that Murphy would surely remember and know she would never lie about something that had caused her so
much pain.
“Mentally deranged? Gemma, what are you talking about?” Evangeline asked with a bewildered expression. “What happened to your parents? All I know is that they passed away when you were very young. I don’t know anything else.”
Murphy offered Evangeline a few soft words of reassurance before turning to Gemma with a cold, piercing stare.
“Gemma, I never thought you’d stoop so low as to say such things just to slander Eva.” His voice carried a sharp edge of disappointment. “Eva doesn’t know anything. I’ve never told her about your past.”
“You didn’t tell her, but couldn’t she have looked it up online?” Gemma said defensively. “It’s not exactly hard to find-”
“Enough!” Murphy interrupted her harshly, cutting her off mid–sentence. “Do you think everyone has a malicious heart like you? Always stirring up trouble?”
Gemma froze.
Malicious heart and constantly stirring up trouble? So, this was how he saw her?
At that moment, any explanation she might have offered felt meaningless.
“Apologize to Eva. Now,” Murphy commanded. His expression was cold and unyielding.
Gemma bit her lip and stayed silent. She would not apologize for this. After all, she was not in the wrong. The one who owed her
1/2
Chapter 4
an apology was Evangeline.
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“I’ve spoiled you too much,” Murphy said, his tone growing colder. “But this time, I won’t let it slide. Starting today, you’re
confined to your room. You won’t step out until you’ve reflected on your behavior and are ready to apologize.”
For as long as she could remember, Gemma had always been the one Murphy favored and protected. But today, he chose someone
else.
Locked in her room, Gemma curled up on her bed and hugged her knees to her chest. Even so, she could not shake the cold that
seeped into her bones.
Her phone vibrated suddenly, breaking the silence. It was a message from the cryogenic experiment team:
[Ms. Kirk, your test results are in. Based on our analysis, your optimal freezing window is between the 7th and 21st of next month.
Please select a date within this range for the procedure.]
Next month was December. Gemma’s chest tightened painfully. December…
She sat in the darkness for a long time, her hands trembling as she typed in her chosen date: [December 12th.]
December 12th was her birthday. It was also the day Murphy would marry Evangeline.
She decided she would not attend their wedding. Murphy was already so tired of her presence, so going would only make things
worse for them.
Instead, she would leave quietly without disturbing anyone ever again.
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