Chapter 20
Three days later, Murphy finally saw the Gemma he had been longing for day and night.
Gemma lay in the cryo–casket with her eyes closed. Her expression looked serene, as if she were simply asleep.
Looking at his small, slumbering rose inside the cryo–casket, Murphy could not help but recall countless nights spent coaxing
her to sleep. Back then, she would lie in his arms just like this, with her long lashes curling upward, making her look as beautiful
as a porcelain doll.
The only difference now was that frost clung even to her eyelashes.
Her complexion was so pale. It had to be freezing inside the cryo–casket.
“Gemma, don’t be afraid. I’ll join you soon. Gemma, I’m sorry I lied to you,” Murphy said softly, reaching out as if to caress her
pale cheek. But all he felt was the icy barrier of the cryo–casket’s lid.
He could not touch her—just as, so many times before, she had tried to reach his heart, only to be turned away.
“The truth is, Evangeline was never my girlfriend. I never loved her. The person I’ve always loved… is you,” Murphy admitted.
“But I was afraid to acknowledge it. I thought that if I admitted my love for you, it would be a betrayal—a betrayal of your
parents. Your father was my closest friend, and your mother had always treated me as her own brother. How could I allow myself to have such sinful thoughts about their daughter?
“So, I couldn’t admit it. I kept convincing myself you didn’t really love me. You were too young to understand love. As your
guardian, I told myself it was my duty to guide you, to stop you from making a mistake.
“That’s why I paid Evangeline to pretend to be my girlfriend, to make you give up. But it was all fake. She’s just a makeup artist.
The marks you saw on her body were created with makeup and props. I never even touched her.
“The wedding? It was fake too. I didn’t participate at all. I just provided the money and let Evangeline handle the rest however she wanted. The wedding might have looked grand, but I didn’t care about any of it.
“My mind was entirely on ending that farce as quickly as possible so that I could celebrate your birthday with you.”
Murphy let out a bitter laugh as he spoke, his eyes reddening. For someone who rarely shed tears, this moment overwhelmed
him.
“Gemma, I’m sorry. I promised to celebrate your birthday with you, but in the end, I broke my promise,” he said, his heart aching
as if it were being torn apart.
