Chapter 1

The dishes that were steaming hot cooled down gradually as time passed. Sitting at the dining table, Gwendolyn Lane's heart grew cold as well.

At 2:30 am, the tightly shut bedroom door finally opened. Enzo Tate walked out, bringing with him a chill that seemed to fill the entire room.

"Why are you still up?" he asked, his expression turning even colder when he saw Gwendolyn. "Didn't I tell you I'd be with Eunice tonight and wouldn't be back anytime soon?"

Gwendolyn lowered her head and remained silent for a long time before murmuring softly, "Happy birthday…"

It was already past midnight by then, so it was no longer Enzo's birthday.

"Gwendolyn, stop doing meaningless things," Enzo rebuked impatiently.

Then, he went on an annoyed tirade. "Eunice is my girlfriend. She has every right to celebrate my birthday with me.

"But what about you? Who are you to me? I'm your uncle! Can't you figure out your place? There's zero possibility of us ending up together! Those improper thoughts in your head disgust me!"

With that, he slammed the door as he left.

Gwendolyn kept her head lowered, staring at her feet. In a barely audible voice, she said, "I'm sorry, Uncle E. It won't happen again. This is the last birthday I'll ever spend with you."

The room felt so cold. Gwendolyn couldn't help but wonder, "Is the freezer colder, or is this empty, hollow room colder?"

She had been afraid of the cold since she was a child. Whenever winter came, she clutched a stuffed bunny in her tiny hands and made her way to Enzo barefooted. She had formed the habit of sleeping with him when it got cold.

Back then, Enzo was very kind to her and never spoke to her harshly. Instead, he would smile and pick her up. Then, he would tuck her into bed and tell her bedtime stories to help her fall asleep.

The sudden ringing of the phone pulled Gwendolyn out of her wandering thoughts. She answered it.

"Gwendolyn, have you really thought this through?" Edward Smith's voice came from the other end of the line. "I know that being diagnosed with cancer has been a heavy blow for you. Even so, it is still treatable—"

"I have late-stage lymphoma, Mr. Smith. There's no cure," Gwendolyn said calmly.

There was a long silence on the other end of the line before Edward sighed and spoke again.

"Even so, you must think carefully before making a decision. You need to understand that the cryogenic technology is not yet mature. The research team has never experimented with it on living humans. There's a high chance you'll die the moment you undergo the freezing!"

Gwendolyn smiled. "I've thought it through, Mr. Smith."

With that, she ended the call.

Enzo's embrace used to be so warm. After leaving it, everywhere she went felt like the Arctis, freezing her to her core.

Suddenly, a notification popped up on her phone. Gwendolyn tapped on it, and a photo appeared on the screen.

In the photo, Eunice Lyle and Enzo were holding hands, their fingers intertwined. On Eunice's ring finger was a blue diamond ring. Even through the screen, the blue diamond radiated a dazzling brilliance. Its glow was especially glaring to Gwendolyn's eyes.

She bit her lip hard but failed to stop the tears that streamed down her face as she lamented inwardly, "Must it be like this, Uncle E? Do you hate me this much?"

The ring on Eunice's finger was designed by Gwendolyn herself. They were a pair of rings meant for a couple, so there were two matching rings.

"The little mermaid turned into sea foam in the end, disappearing along with the first ray of morning sunlight…"

She still remembered how Enzo read her fairy tales to help her sleep when she was young.

Her favorite story was "The Mermaid's Promise". To her, the little mermaid symbolized the purest and most selfless form of love. Using that as her inspiration, she designed the pair of blue diamond rings. She named them "Mermaid's Heart".

Then, she gifted those rings to Enzo and subtly confessed her feelings to him.

"Are you insane? I'm your father's good friend who raised you! So, I'm practically your adoptive father!

"Stop those inappropriate thoughts! If I notice it again, you can pack your things and leave. I don't ever want to see you again if you keep harboring those feelings for me." Enzo rejected her mercilessly.

Even though they weren't related by blood, he still thought her love for him was filthy and repulsive.

In the present time, Eunice posted the photo of her and Enzo's intertwined hands with "Mermaid's Heart" on her ring finger with the caption, "We're engaged!"

Just then, Gwendolyn received an electronic experiment consent agreement from the cryogenic research team.

She didn't sign it immediately. Instead, she called Enzo.

Her call was declined, so she called again. After declining the call five times in a row, he finally answered.

"What is it now?" Enzo's impatient and clipped voice came from the phone's speaker.

Gwendolyn pursed her lips for a moment before saying softly, "I just wanted to congratulate you."

"Heh." Enzo let out a mocking laugh. "I hope you're being sincere."

Gwendolyn lowered her gaze. After a brief silence, she asked, "When's the wedding?"

"December 12th." His voice was colder than the biting winter wind.

Those two simple words dealt a crushing blow to Gwendolyn's wounded heart.

December 12th was her birthday.

Chapter 2

Gwendolyn's parents both passed away when she was very young.

An old newspaper once published a shocking headline: "Wife Suffers Mental Breakdown and Stabs Rich Husband Over 100 Times While He Sleeps. She Hangs Herself, Leaving Behind a Five-Year-Old Daughter."

Gwendolyn was that five-year-old girl.

In the bitter cold of winter, she hid in a closet, wearing only her pajamas. Even when she was shivering so badly that she was on the brink of losing consciousness, she was still too scared to come out.

Later, it was Enzo who found her and carried her out of the closet.

"Don't be afraid, Gwendolyn. Uncle E is here. As long as I'm here, no one will ever hurt you." That was what Enzo said back then.

Nestled in his arms, Gwendolyn felt a fleeting sense of safety.

Enzo took her home. Perhaps out of pity for her tragic circumstances, he spoiled her silly after that. He would find a way to give her anything she wanted—he would even pluck the stars from the sky and give it to her if he could.

And sometime later, he really did give her a star.

Traumatized by her parents' horrific deaths, Gwendolyn developed severe psychological issues. In the early days after Enzo brought her home, she was very insecure and refused to leave his side even for a minute. If she couldn't see him, she would have a panic attack.

One quiet night, Enzo carried her up to the rooftop and pointed at the brightest star in the night sky.

He said, "Gwendolyn, do you see that star? I bought it for you."

He handed her the ownership certificate for that star. Then, he gently booped her nose and added, "From now on, this star is yours. When I'm not around, the star will watch over you for me."

Gwendolyn walked to the window and pulled back the curtains, wanting to see her star again. But thick clouds covered the sky, and her star was nowhere to be seen.

The next morning, the head of the cryogenic research team, Gordon Brown, called to ask her to come in for a physical examination.

"Is this really necessary?" Gwendolyn's smile carried a faint touch of desolation. She was dying—what was the point of a physical examination? No matter how many tests they ran, the cancer cells wouldn't disappear.

"Ms. Lane, we need to determine the appropriate cryogenic method and optimal freezing time based on your physical condition. This will help improve your chances of survival. Please cooperate," Gordon explained.

Gwendolyn couldn't find a reason to refuse, so she drove over.

After an entire day of tests, the physical examination was finally over. Before she left, Gordon handed her a stack of documents.

"The shape of the cryogenic pod and its future storage location can be customized. These are the relevant materials for you to review," he said.

Gwendolyn nodded, thanked him, and took the materials with her.

When she arrived back home, she saw that the living room lights were on. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Is Uncle E back?" she wondered.

At that moment, she couldn't help but feel utterly pathetic. Despite how cruelly he spoke to her and treated her as of late, she still desperately wanted to see him.

After steadying her erratic heartbeat, Gwendolyn walked into the living room with eager steps—only to see Eunice standing inside in a silk nightgown.

"You're back, Gwendolyn," Eunice greeted her warmly. "Have you eaten yet? Enzo is cooking in the kitchen. Let me know what you'd like to eat. I'll ask him to make it for you."

From her tone and demeanor, she seemed to be completely immersed in the role of being the lady of the house.

A pang of bitterness welled up in Gwendolyn's chest. She shook her head and was about to say she wasn't hungry when Enzo emerged from the kitchen, holding a plate of freshly cooked food.

"You're back just in time," Enzo said. "Eunice and I are engaged now. Starting today, she is the lady of the house. From now on, all household matters—big or small—will be up to her."

Lowering her head, Gwendolyn replied in a muffled voice, "I understand."

Enzo was expecting her to throw a tantrum. But to his surprise, she accepted it so calmly. For a fleeting moment, a hint of confusion flashed across his deep-set eyes.

Eunice chimed in shyly, "Lighten up. You're scaring her. Don't mind him, Gwendolyn. Let's go eat."

With that, she reached out and pulled Gwendolyn toward the dining room. Gwendolyn was caught off guard and ended up dropping the stack of documents she was holding.

Enzo bent down and picked up a design sketch of a cryogenic pod from the floor with a frown. His voice turned icy as he demanded, "What is this?"

Although her heart was pounding violently, Gwendolyn forced herself to remain calm.

Without betraying a hint of emotion, she explained, "It's a sketch I did of a cryogenic pod for my assignment. Before the break, we were tasked with designing a product of our choice. I thought of designing a pod to preserve bodies, so I looked up some references online and printed them out."

She was a first-year design student in college, so her explanation sounded plausible.

Still, Enzo wasn't fully convinced. His expression was still austere as he asked, "Are you out of your mind?"

Chapter 3

Back then, Enzo took care of the funeral arrangements for Gwendolyn's parents himself.

On the day of the funeral, Gwendolyn locked herself in the closet again. Enzo found her but didn't force her to come out. Instead, he opened the closet door and climbed in to accompany her.

"Uncle E, is it just as dark and cold inside a coffin?" she asked, looking up at him with reddened and teary eyes. "I dreamed that Mom asked me to go into the coffin with her. She said it's so cold and lonely being there by herself…"

"That was just a dream. Don't be afraid. You're not going anywhere. I won't let anyone take you away from me," Enzo said comfortingly.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered softly into his ear, "As long as you're with me, I won't be scared even if I'm in a coffin."

…

It seemed that Enzo still remembered that moment vividly. That was why he misunderstood. He thought Gwendolyn was once again subtly confessing her feelings for him through her cryogenic pod designs, which were reminiscent of a coffin.

"If you don't like it, I'll change my design," Gwendolyn said softly. "It's just an assignment. Don't be upset."

Enzo's face remained cold and expressionless, but Eunice quickly smoothed things over with a laugh.

She suggested, "Yeah, I think it's better if you change it. Coffins are so morbid. A young lady like you shouldn't be all doom and gloom. Be more positive and cheerful!"

Gwendolyn picked up all the scattered documents from the floor and threw them into the trash can with Enzo watching on intently. Only then did his expression soften slightly.

Later that night, Gwendolyn got up quietly and retrieved the documents from the trash after everyone went to bed. As she was returning to her room, she saw Eunice stepping out of Enzo's bedroom, wearing a flimsy silk nightgown.

Her shoulders and back were covered in marks. It was clear evidence of the intimacy she shared with Enzo. Gwendolyn didn't need to think twice to know what they were doing.

She forced herself to look away and repeatedly reminded herself not to look or think about it. Eunice was Enzo's fiancée. It was normal for them to be physically intimate.

Enzo loved Eunice, and she could make him happy. That was all that mattered.

"Why won't you look at me, Gwendolyn?" Eunice showed a taunting expression, which was completely different from her friendly demeanor from earlier. "Is it because you still can't accept the fact that the one Enzo loves is me and not you?"

Gwendolyn looked down and mumbled, "No, I've already accepted that."

Eunice sneered and said, "Stop pretending. Do you think I can't see through you? The way you look at Enzo is abnormal and inappropriate!

"He's your uncle, and don't forget that he raised you. So, he's practically your adoptive father. And yet, you're in love with your own adoptive father. Are you sick in the head or something?"

Gwendolyn bit her lower lip so hard that it nearly bled, but she said nothing.

Was she sick in the head like Eunice said?

No wonder Enzo was so disgusted with her after discovering her feelings. To the rest of the world, her love for him was shameful and unthinkable.

"I heard you became an orphan because your mother went insane and stabbed your father over a hundred times in the middle of the night," Eunice said, stepping closer with deliberate malice.

"No wonder you're so twisted. It's in your blood. Your mother was a deranged lunatic, and so are you."

Gwendolyn could endure Eunice insulting her, but she couldn't tolerate any slander against her late parents.

"Shut up!" she shouted, lunging forward and grabbing Eunice by the throat. "You don't know the whole story. You have no right—"

Before she could finish, a cold and piercing voice rang out. "Gwendolyn, what are you doing?"

Enzo was awake and standing at the doorway. His expression was filled with fury as he glared at Gwendolyn.

Chapter 4

Eunice staggered and collapsed into Enzo's arms weakly. Tears shimmered in her eyes as she choked out, "Enzo, don't blame Gwendolyn. This is all my fault. I was thirsty and wanted some water, but I shouldn't have come out dressed like this.

"I thought it was late and that Gwendolyn must have already gone to bed. That's why I didn't put on a robe and came out wearing only this.

"But the moment I opened the door, I ran into her. She saw the marks on me and started calling me a slut, saying that a woman as indecent as me doesn't deserve to be with you."

Eunice's creative recounting of events painted Gwendolyn as a twisted, jealous woman. She made it sound as if Gwendolyn stayed up late at night, lurking by the bedroom door to eavesdrop on them. Subsequently, she was overcome by jealousy and assaulted Eunice, who was now Enzo's fiancée.

"She's lying. I didn't call her that!" Gwendolyn shouted with reddened eyes. "She deliberately provoked me by bringing up my parents and… and calling my mother crazy!"

When Gwendolyn was in elementary school, she was bullied because of her mother's horrific actions. Her classmates surrounded her and pelted her with trash while chanting she was the crazy daughter of a madwoman.

It was Enzo who stepped in to resolve the situation back then.

Gwendolyn assumed that Enzo would know she would never lie about this. After all, it was a significant childhood trauma that left an indelible scar on her heart.

"What crazy woman? What are you talking about, Gwendolyn?" Eunice asked with an innocent and lost expression.

"What happened to your parents? I only know they passed away when you were very young. I don't know anything else."

Enzo murmured a few words of comfort to Eunice before turning his cold, piercing gaze on Gwendolyn.

"I didn't think you'd stoop so low as to make up something like this to frame Eunice. She knows nothing about your family, and I never told her anything about your past," Enzo rebuked, his voice heavy with disappointment.

Gwendolyn protested, her voice filled with grievance, "And you think she couldn't look it up herself? It's not exactly a secret that—"

"Enough!" Enzo interrupted her sharply before she could finish. "Do you think other people are devious and enjoy stirring up trouble like you?"

Gwendolyn froze, stunned by his words.

He accused her of being devious and deliberately stirring up trouble. Was that how he saw her now?

At that moment, all her explanations felt utterly meaningless.

"Apologize to Eunice immediately," Enzo ordered, his tone icy and commanding.

Gwendolyn bit her lip and stayed silent. She refused to apologize, as she didn't do anything wrong. The one who should apologize was Eunice!

"I guess I've spoiled you too much," Enzo remarked, his voice growing even colder.

"But this time, I won't let it slide. Starting today, you're grounded in your room. Stay there and reflect. When you've thought things through and are ready to apologize, then you can come out."

All her life, Enzo favored and sided with Gwendolyn. But today, he chose to stand by someone else.

With that, Gwendolyn was locked in her room. She curled up on her bed, hugging her knees tightly to her chest. Even so, she couldn't shake the overwhelming chill.

Her phone suddenly vibrated. It was a message from Gordon. "Good evening, Ms. Lane. Your physical examination results are out. After a thorough review, our team has determined your optimal freezing window to be between the 7th and 21st of next month. You may select a date within this range that is convenient for you."

Next month would be December.

Gwendolyn's heart twisted painfully as she pondered, "Next month, huh?"

In the silent darkness, she sat for a long time. Finally, with trembling hands, she typed her chosen date.

"December 12th."

December 12th was her birthday. It was also the day Enzo would marry Eunice.

There was no point in attending their wedding since Enzo was already sick of her presence. If she went, she would only be in their way.

It was better to leave quietly without disturbing anyone.

Chapter 5

December was approaching, and Gwendolyn's time was running out.

She still had so much to do. Because of that, she didn't want to waste her precious remaining days locked in her room.

So, the once-proud little rose lowered her head. She approached Enzo, biting her lip, and admitted her fault. "Uncle E, I've thought it through. I behaved terribly, and I apologize for it."

However, Enzo's expression remained chilly. His gaze no longer held the indulgence and warmth it once did. "The person you should apologize to isn't me; it's Eunice."

Gwendolyn bit her lower lip so hard that it bled. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth instantly. Amid the bitterness, she realized with despair that all the tenderness and affection he once showed her were now reserved for another woman.

"Fine! I'll apologize to her," she said, trembling uncontrollably from the intensity of her emotions. "Sorry, Aunt Eunice!"

The phrase "Aunt Eunice" caused Enzo to stiffen for a moment.

His gaze shifted slightly at the sound of it. For a moment, he couldn't believe what he just heard.

"Will that do, Uncle E?" Gwendolyn forced a self-deprecating smile. But as she smiled, her eyes reddened with tears. "Are you satisfied now?"

Enzo should have felt satisfied. But for some reason, when he saw his proud little rose bow her head and heard her address Eunice as "Aunt Eunice", he felt troubled deep inside.

He averted his gaze, unwilling to look at Gwendolyn any longer. He replied coldly, "Starting today, you'll move downstairs."

Gwendolyn froze, but she quickly understood the reasoning behind his demand. Enzo had believed Eunice's accusations.

Upon realizing that, Gwendolyn thought in dismay, "Uncle E, do you think I'm the kind of person who would lurk outside your bedroom door to eavesdrop on you and another woman? Is that how you see me?"

The cold feeling returned, and Gwendolyn felt the world spinning around her. She nearly collapsed but managed to steady herself by leaning against the wall.

Clenching her teeth, she forced herself to stay upright and utter, "Fine."

If Enzo wanted her to move downstairs, then she would move. After all, she didn't have much time left to live anyway.

That evening, Gwendolyn drove to the cryogenic lab again. She wanted to discuss with Gordon where her cryogenic pod would be stored after she was frozen.

"I read in the materials that some of your cryogenic storage facilities are underwater. Is that true?" she asked.

"Yes," Gordon replied. "In fact, most of our storage facilities are underwater. Maintaining the extreme sub-zero temperatures needed on land requires a tremendous amount of energy. The natural low temperatures underwater significantly reduce energy consumption."

"That's perfect," Gwendolyn said with a smile. "I'd like my cryogenic pod to be stored underwater."

"May I ask why?"

With a sad smile, Gwendolyn replied, "The star can't find me when I'm down there."

The star was a gift from Enzo. He said that no matter where she went, the star would follow her, watching over her forever on his behalf.

But now, Enzo didn't like her anymore.

And soon, she would die. It seemed too sad for the star to guard a corpse no one cared for. So, she decided to free the star and let herself sink down to a place where it couldn't see her.

She would go to a quiet, faraway place—someplace where she wouldn't trouble anyone.

To avoid running into Eunice, Gwendolyn deliberately stayed out late. But when she returned, the villa was brightly lit. Enzo was sitting in the living room, pulling a long face.

"What's the matter, Uncle E?" Gwendolyn asked in confusion. She didn't understand what she did wrong this time. After all, she spent the entire day outside.

Enzo threw a stack of documents in front of her. He tried hard to suppress his anger as he demanded, "Gwendolyn, explain this is!"

Gwendolyn looked down and saw her cancer diagnosis among the scattered papers.

Chapter 6

"How could you go through my things?" Gwendolyn panicked and avoided answering Enzo's question.

Instead, she changed the subject. "I'm already 18 years old! You can't just barge into my room and go through my stuff!"

Enzo lost his temper and slammed an ashtray on the table. "Should you even be concerned about that now?"

The ashtray hit the floor with a dull thud, causing Gwendolyn to flinch in fear.

"Gwendolyn, you've misunderstood Enzo," Eunice interjected with feigned concern and stepped in to mediate as the situation escalated.

"He didn't go into your room. It was me—I didn't have any clothes to change into. The ones I wore yesterday were…"

She blushed, pausing for a moment as if she were embarrassed. Then, she continued, "Well, the main point is I didn't have anything else to change into. I thought since it was an emergency, I'd borrow something old of yours.

"But when I went into your room, I accidentally saw the cancer diagnosis on your desk."

Eunice was lying.

Gwendolyn was sure of it because she locked the cancer diagnosis away the day she received it. However, Eunice made it sound as if she deliberately left it in plain view, like she was waiting for someone to discover it.

"How could you possibly have cancer, Gwendolyn? You're so young!" Eunice placed a hand over her heart, her face a mask of sorrowful beauty. "Tell me the truth. Is this diagnosis real, or is it just a prank?"

Gwendolyn turned her to look at Enzo. It was only then that she realized the fury in his eyes far outweighed any concern.

It was clear that Eunice already poisoned Enzo's ears with lies before Gwendolyn returned. He didn't believe she had cancer—he thought she was pretending to be sick to get his attention.

Gwendolyn thought bitterly that this misunderstanding might be for the best. This way, at least her secret would remain safe.

So, she took a deep breath and admitted in a barely audible voice, "It was a prank. I was just joking around with a friend. I didn't think you'd—"

Before she could finish, Enzo, who was silently sitting on the couch with a grim expression, suddenly stood up. "We're going to the hospital right now for a checkup."

Whether it was a prank or not, the hospital would provide a definitive answer.

"Uncle E…" Gwendolyn resisted weakly, reluctant to go.

But one icy look from him silenced her weak protest. She knew Enzo well enough to understand there was no avoiding this. The checkup that night was inevitable.

By the time they arrived at the hospital, it was already midnight. Normally, only the emergency department would be open at that hour. But Enzo called the hospital director ahead of time.

Not daring to offend or displease Enzo, the hospital director summoned a doctor to conduct a full examination on Gwendolyn.

It took more than two hours to produce results for cancer tests. For Gwendolyn, every minute of those two hours was pure torment.

She couldn't help but wonder if Enzo would feel sad for her if he knew she was about to die.

Or was she just a burdensome presence in his eyes now? Was she a twisted, jealous nuisance he long wanted to rid himself of?

The wait seemed to take forever. At long last, the doctor emerged with the diagnostic report. "Mr. Tate, the results are in. Ms. Lane is in excellent health, and she does not have cancer."

Gwendolyn was stunned. After all that agony, she never expected this outcome. She whipped her head around to look at Eunice. It wasn't hard to guess who was behind this "miraculous" result.

"Thank goodness." Eunice breathed a long sigh while putting on a fake expression of relief. "Thank God it was just a prank and Gwendolyn is fine… Enzo and I can finally stop worrying."

Enzo said nothing. He stared at Gwendolyn intently and suddenly noticed how deathly pale she was. Now that he took a good look at her, he realized her face seemed to be drained of all color.

The rose he nurtured so carefully seemed to be slowly withering before his eyes.