Chapter 1

Gemma Hart's husband, Daniel Webb, was known throughout Aloport's legal circles as the undefeated courtroom legend.

To outsiders, they were the perfect couple. But the man who personally sent her to prison—was Daniel.

All because his first love, Monica Tomlinson, in a moment of reckless passion, accidentally killed Gemma's father.

And Daniel, who should've fought for Gemma's justice, sat on the opposing side and handed over the evidence that got her charged with murder.

She spent three years behind bars, enduring every kind of suffering. And all he left her with was an apology and a promise that he was waiting for her.

"Inmate 3527, you're up. Try to stay out of trouble once you're out."

The prison gates creaked open, and a black sedan was already parked by the curb, waiting.

But the man who stepped out of the car wasn't Daniel but his assistant, Jason Coleman.

"Mrs. Webb, Mr. Webb had something come up. He asked me to bring you home."

Gemma's eyes were dull with exhaustion. She didn't react at all and simply walked toward the back seat of the car.

"Wait. Mrs. Webb, hang on." Jason called after her, then hurriedly reached into the front seat and pulled out a sage stick. He looked visibly uncomfortable.

"Mr. Webb said the sage stick is just to clear out the bad energy. Please don't take it the wrong way."

Before she could respond, he awkwardly waved the sage stick around her.

Gemma flinched, her eyes sharp with bitter contempt. "He thinks I'm bad luck? Has he forgotten who's the one that threw me in prison?"

She had been locked up for three years. And she would never forget that particular day.

Monica had a full-blown psychotic episode. She ran out of Gemma's house with a gas can, trying to set Gemma on fire.

But instead, by some twisted accident, she burned Gemma's father, Vincent Hart, to death.

Gemma told Daniel everything. But when it came time for court, he sat on the opposite side.

While Gemma's lawyer fought tooth and nail to defend her, backing it with a whole stack of evidence, Daniel remained composed as he calmly pulled out a document envelope.

He declared, "There's something no one knows—I'm also Gemma's husband. I also know that when she was a child, her father molested her. And when she was an adult, he tried to assault her again. The photos in this folder prove it. They show she had both motive and intent to commit the crime."

The courtroom erupts in gasps.

Even Gemma's attorney can't help but glance at her.

Gemma's eyes widened. Her mind went blank, like someone had pulled the plug.

Everything around her blurred. She couldn't see the pointing fingers from the gallery and couldn't hear the rising buzz of whispers echoing through the courtroom.

She never imagined that the person she loved most would be the one to rip open the deepest wound she'd spent her life hiding.

And for the next 15 minutes, Daniel's new evidence and defense strategy firmly positioned her as the prime suspect in the murder.

When the judge finally struck the gavel, it felt like a hammer to the head.

Her voice came out broken. "Why?"

Daniel looked torn for a second.

"Monica was assaulted at a bar after we broke up. It made her mental health worse. I promised her I would make it up to her by granting her five wishes. She said she didn't want to go to prison… I couldn't say no. Gemma, I'm sorry. But don't worry. No matter how long it takes, I'll wait for you."

Gemma let out a laugh.

She laughed until tears slipped into the corners of her mouth, tasting bitter like betrayal. She spent seven years quietly loving Daniel.

After he broke up with Monica and started drinking himself into a haze at bars, she was always the one who stayed by his side, quietly making sure he got home safe.

When he threw himself into work and forgot to eat, she always made sure to have his favorite meals ready, even before he realized he was hungry.

She waited for him quietly, for so long. And in the end, all she got was one sentence. "Gemma, marry me."

After they got married, he treated her well. Anything she so much as glanced at, he would get it for her. He memorized all her favorite dishes by heart.

She truly believed that maybe her years of quiet devotion had finally been rewarded.

But then, with just one sentence from Monica saying that she didn't want to go to prison, Daniel didn't hesitate and chose to let Gemma take the fall.

He didn't even hesitate to rip open the pain she had buried deep inside, the kind she never wanted anyone to see. He had laid it out in front of everyone.

"Gemma, I'll defend you. I'll prove it wasn't premeditated. As long as you plead guilty and behave well in prison, we can push for a reduced sentence."

"Trust me. You'll always be my wife, Gemma."

He wanted her to trust him? With tears streaming down her face, she looked at the man across from her… and smiled.

"Mrs. Webb, we're here."

The memory stopped.

Gemma blinked slowly, her eyes sore and burning.

How long had it been since she last cried?

She had already cried everything out behind bars. The doctors said her body couldn't produce tears anymore.

Gemma stared at the unfamiliar street in front of her, then shifted her gaze to the upscale restaurant by the roadside, saying nothing.

Suddenly, someone opened the car door from the outside. Daniel appeared with a smile on his face. "Come on, Gemma. Monica planned a whole celebration just for you. You're the guest of honor!"

Chapter 2

Daniel still looked just the way Gemma had remembered him. He still wore that pleasant look, but the smugness had become more obvious.

Gemma blinked, her lashes barely fluttering as she stared at his fingers resting on her shoulder.

Before she could push him away, a voice suddenly called out from across the street.

"Gemma, you're here!"

The moment Monica's voice rang out, the hand resting on Gemma's shoulder quietly slipped away.

Gemma didn't respond. The tension in the air was almost suffocating.

With teary eyes, Monica stepped forward and gently reached for her hand.

"Gemma, everything that happened before was on me. I genuinely want to apologize."

Seeing Monica in tears, Daniel finally spoke up, too.

"Monica has been planning this all morning to celebrate your release. She picked the restaurant, set everything up, and has been running around all day. She hasn't even eaten yet. She genuinely wants to make things right with you."

They each took turns speaking, as if blaming Gemma for being completely unreasonable. No one cared that she had been framed, forced to carry the label of a murderer, or how she survived those three years in prison.

Just as Gemma was about to speak, Daniel grabbed her arm and pulled her into the restaurant. They hadn't even made it through the door when voices from inside reached Gemma's ears. People were talking about her.

"If it weren't out of respect for Daniel and Monica, I wouldn't be here. Who celebrates a murder? What are we even celebrating—that she killed someone?"

"Exactly! I warned Daniel before that she's from a low-class family. Who knows what kind of upbringing she had? With a background like that, how could she be decent?"

"Speaking of which, I heard she killed her father because he tried to rape her. He had already molested her when she was a kid. And when she got older, he tried to take it further, but he didn't succeed."

"Are you serious? Given her background, I'm amazed that Daniel actually went for her. She's nothing compared to Monica. Back then, he and Monica were doing great. If it weren't for his parents, they would probably have a baby already."

Hearing those words, Daniel's expression shifted instantly.

He instinctively pulled Gemma into a tight embrace, pressing his hand firmly over her ear. It was a reflex and an instinctive gesture that had been etched deeply into Daniel's memory.

But Gemma didn't tremble like before.

Instead, she gently pushed him away with her thin and bony hands.

Daniel stared at Gemma, completely taken aback.

But Gemma knew exactly what he was thinking.

What Vincent did to her as a child had always been a hidden scar buried deep in Gemma's heart.

Every time the memories came back to haunt her, it was always Daniel who stayed by her side, comforting her in the only way he knew how to.

He had been like armor, carefully guarding her deeply wounded heart.

And he even promised he would protect her, that he wouldn't let anyone harm her again.

But it wasn't until that day in court that she realized—what she thought was protection had only hurt her over and over again, breaking her down with no chance to rest.

She had already endured all the judgment and disgust the world had to throw at her.

Gemma no longer needed the so-called protection tossed her way by the very man who started it all.

Daniel's heart sank. A feeling he couldn't quite name settled in his chest. It was suffocating and unbearable.

In that moment, all his frustration shifted to the people inside the room.

The next second, he lifted his foot and kicked the door open. The chatter inside came to an immediate halt.

With a dark expression, he looked at the group that had been openly talking trash about Gemma.

He said, "Gemma is my wife. Eveyrything she's been through wasn't something she chose. If you've got a problem with her, take it up with me. I'm not forcing anyone to stay, but don't be two-faced."

The people seated exchanged uneasy glances and immediately fell silent.

When Monica saw the look on Daniel's face, jealousy flashed in her eyes. But in the next second, she put on a pitiful expression, picked up a glass of wine, and walked over to Gemma.

She downed her own glass in one gulp, then held the remaining glass out to Gemma as she said, "This is all my fault. I just wanted everyone to have a good time. Gemma, I am here to offer you a formal apology. Would you be willing to forgive me?"

Chapter 3

Gemma pushed the glass away without a word.

Immediately, someone nearby spoke up indignantly. "What's her problem? Monica swallowed her pride and apologized. What more does Gemma want?"

"Right. We didn't come here to watch Monica be humiliated. What is Daniel thinking? She stood by him for three years, ruining her own reputation, and this is how he repays her?"

Daniel's jaw tightened. He glanced at Monica's aggrieved face, then turned to look at Gemma beside him.

In the end, Daniel took the wine glass Monica was still holding out and brought it to Gemma. He urged, "Come on, Gemma. Don't make a scene in front of everyone."

Gemma couldn't stop the laugh bubbling inside her.

Make a scene? Whose scene, exactly—Monica's?

Seeing that Gemma still didn't take the glass, Daniel leaned in close, his dark eyes fixed on her. He spoke softly by her ear. "You haven't visited your grandma in a long time, Gemma. Be good, don't embarrass Monica. Drink this, and I'll take you to see your grandma."

A flicker of emotion finally stirred in Gemma's eyes the moment Daniel mentioned her grandma.

Staring at the swirling wine in front of her, Gemma felt a faint metallic bitterness rise in her throat.

Without another thought, she grabbed the glass and downed it in one go.

The tension in the room eased. But almost immediately, the crowd erupted again. This time, one by one, they approached her with raised glasses, urging her to drink.

Instinctively, Gemma turned to look at Daniel.

He simply gave her a nod, signaling her to drink it all.

Under the table, Gemma's hand trembled as she clutched her pants tightly.

Her knuckles were white from how tightly she clutched her pants, and her face was just as pale.

But Daniel didn't notice any of it. He was too busy peeling shrimp for Monica.

It was Monica who kept glancing over at Gemma now and then, giving Gemma a smug look.

After a few drinks, Gemma lost track of how many shots they had pushed on her.

A burning pain tore through her stomach, leaving her drenched in cold sweat.

"Another toast, Gemma!" Monica said with a bright smile as she handed her another drink.

But before Gemma could respond, her throat tightened. And suddenly, she coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Daniel instinctively stepped in front of Monica, shielding her just as the blood splattered across his white shirt.

Gemma's eyes fluttered shut as her body collapsed backward, completely out of her control.

"Gemma!"

When she came to, Gemma was already in the hospital, and bright lights pierced through her eyelids.

Daniel didn't even know how long he had been sitting next to Gemma.

As soon as he saw she was awake, his eyes turned cold.

"So this is how far you would go just to avoid drinking? Gemma, when did you become so calculating? Such a good actress now, are you?"

A sudden ache gripped her chest.

"You think I'm faking it?"

That was the first thing she said to Daniel since they reunited. And it made his brows instantly furrow.

Her voice sounded nothing like the soft, gentle voice he remembered.

He looked at Gemma, and was stunned by how much weight she had lost. It wasn't until he picked her up earlier that he realized she had gotten so thin. She was so light in his arms, it was like holding air.

Guilt crept back in.

Daniel let out a long sigh and sat back down next to Gemma.

He gently placed his warm hand over hers, trying to warm her up.

"Gemma, I've already done three of the five things I promised Monica. Just two more to go. Once I've fulfilled my word to her, I'll finally be able to let go of the past. If you don't want to stay in Aloport, we'll go abroad. You said you wanted to live in a place filled with flowers…

"I'll buy an entire estate and plant flowers all over it, just for you."

He went on, full of hope and excitement, describing the life he imagined for them. He didn't realize how empty and drained Gemma looked as she lay there.

"Where's my grandma?" Gemma asked. She interrupted his wishful thinking.

Daniel was momentarily taken aback.

He had just come to his senses and was about to speak when the door was suddenly slammed open.

"Mr. Webb, Monica is having another episode. You should go check on her!"

Daniel's hand quickly pulled away from Gemma's, and without so much as a glance at her, he rushed out of the room.

Gemma watched his retreating figure and let out a scornful laugh.

Chapter 4

Just then, the door creaked open again. A nurse in scrubs peeked around cautiously before slipping a folder into her hand.

"Ms. Hart, did you piss someone off? You've got some serious internal injuries, but we were told to hand over a fake report to that man. This is your real report. You've got scarring in your throat, and there's something lodged in your stomach that needs to be surgically removed before they can run tests."

Without waiting for a response, the nurse slipped out.

Gemma stared blankly at the stark white wall.

The injury to her throat happened right after she got to prison. A group of inmates had forced her to swallow food laced with sharp fragments. She bled a lot that day.

Her mind drifted back to before all of it started, when her purse had been stolen and her leg had been slashed during the struggle.

Looking at the scar on her leg, Daniel's eyes had been clouded with guilt and sorrow.

That night, he had held her tightly and kept apologizing over and over again.

After that, he started driving from the opposite side of town just to pick her up from work every single day. It was a 40-minute drive every single day, and he never once complained.

But now, Gemma let out a bitter laugh as she glanced down at the medical report.

It was foolish of her to believe Daniel when he said he would love her forever.

Gemma needed surgery now, but she couldn't afford it. With no other choice, she gave Daniel a call.

After all, all the money she'd earned from her previous job was still with Daniel. But the moment he heard the word "surgery", he let out a bitter and sarcastic laugh.

"Gemma, are you seriously still putting on a show? It was just a few drinks, and now you're saying you need surgery? Things are already a mess on my end. Can you not make it worse?"

The call was filled with background noise, and just seconds later, the same man who had just snapped at her turned and spoke to Monica in the softest voice. "Monica, you're on your period. Don't eat that, okay? Be good."

Even though Gemma had completely given up on Daniel, a deep, suffocating ache still clenched in her chest, tight and unrelenting.

She couldn't cry, All she could do was let out a bitter laugh that went on until exhaustion took over and the laughter faded.

In the end, it was one of her former cellmates who paid for her surgery.

Jennifer Reyes lit a cigarette and shoved it between Gemma's lips as she took in her wrecked state. After a long silence, she finally snapped, frustration flaring in her voice. "Are you serious right now? That piece of crap did you dirty, and you're still running back to him after everything?"

With dark circles under her eyes, Gemma just stared blankly.

After a long pause, Gemma's lips curled into a faint smile. She asked, "You think I still love him?"

"What else am I supposed to think? If I were you, I would've slapped the hell out of both those scumbags a long time ago."

Gemma's smile reached her eyes as she said, "Oh, where's the fun in that?"

Daniel had destroyed her life. He threw her under the bus and left her to be humiliated and hated by everyone.

Meanwhile he stayed on his pedestal—still the golden heir of the Webbs, still the accomplished attorney he always was.

In just three years, Monica had risen to match Daniel's status as a top lawyer.

They became who they are today by walking over everything Gemma lost. She would never forget the humiliation they put her through. One day, she would drag both Daniel and Monica down and grind them into the ground where they belong.

"Jennifer, do you still know someone who works in the admnistrative department?"

Jennifer blinked in surprise before she nodded.

"Jennifer, I need one more favor. In a month, I want you to help me wipe out everything tied to the name Gemma Hart."

…

As soon as Daniel found out that Gemma had actually gone through with the surgery, he rushed to the hospital.

He even brought in a specialist to run tests on the tumor that had been removed from her stomach.

From her meals to her recovery, Daniel handled everything like he was trying to spoil her.

Then the test results came back—benign.

He was so shaken, he pulled Gemma into his arms without thinking. Only then did she realize he was trembling.

She couldn't help but find it ridiculous. With a scoff, she said, "Didn't you say you didn't believe I even needed a surgery? So what are you so scared of now?"

Daniel knew she was angry. He grabbed both her hands and pressed them to his lips. There was worry in his eyes, along with something torn and unsettled.

"Gemma, I found out who faked the report. She's a friend of Monica's. She said she did it trying to stand up for Monica, but it was a stupid move. I already took care of it, made her pay for what she did. You've got your justice now, so—"

Gemma suddenly lifted her gaze and locked eyes with him. "How exactly did you make her pay?" she cut him off.

Chapter 5

Daniel choked on the words he hadn't finished. The flicker of emotion in his eyes vanished almost instantly.

"She will cover your hospital bills—triple the cost. I've arranged for extra compensation to be transferred to your account for the pain and care. I've already spoken to her family, and she's being told to reflect on her actions for a week."

Gemma let out a dry laugh, her lips curling into a tight, bitter smile as she looked at him.

Daniel's jaw tightened. He dropped his gaze, refusing to look her in the eyes as he said, "She's Monica's closest friend. If the punishment is too harsh, Monica won't be able to handle it."

Gemma was speechless.

He was all about Monica.

Laughter racked her body, and she was shaky, on the verge of madness. She was seconds away from falling apart and screaming her lungs out.

But her throat was wrecked. She couldn't even scream.

In despair, her fingers dug into her own skin.

Daniel opened his mouth, wanting to explain himself, but no words came. He didn't even know where to start.

After a long pause, something seemed to click. He finally spoke. "Gemma, just trust me. I only have two promises left to fulfill. Once I do, we can—"

She cut him off, saying, "Daniel, I'm tired. I need to rest."

Behind that still gaze, something dark was starting to surface.

Until the door quietly clicked shut, Gemma kept her eyes tightly closed.

She had overcome every obstacle on the path chasing after Daniel. She once believed that as long as she married him, she would be the happiest woman in the world.

But reality taught her a cruel lesson—some things were never meant to be hers, and reaching for them only led to pain.

On the day she was discharged from the hospital, Daniel took her home.

It had been three years since she last stepped foot inside.

Gemma stood in the doorway, staring out at the yard. The vegetables she used to grow were gone, replaced by bright and flaming red roses.

In the entryway, she couldn't find her old pair of slippers. Instead, there was a new pair of pink slippers with a pink bear on top.

Daniel froze for a second, then awkwardly kicked the pink slippers aside and pulled out a pair of guest slippers from the cabinet for her instead.

He glanced at her, looking slightly embarrassed. "I thought our old ones were too worn out, so I tossed them. I just haven't gotten around to buying new ones yet."

Gemma kept her gaze low and didn't respond.

Swapping out her old slippers was easy, but she knew it wasn't just the slippers he wanted to replace.

There were a few pieces of women's clothing scattered messily across the living room couch.

Daniel spoke up again, trying to explain. "Monica had another episode a couple days ago. It happened so fast, her friend brought her here. But don't worry, she stayed in the guest room."

Afraid she might get the wrong idea, he even walked her over to show her the exact room Monica had stayed in.

But Gemma's complete indifference rattled him.

He suddenly pulled her into his arms, trying to ease the growing panic in his chest.

"Gemma, I missed you so much. When you refused to see me while you were locked up, I couldn't sleep. Every night I dreamt of you being angry with me, blaming me—"

"I don't want to talk about the past."

Gemma pulled herself firmly out of his embrace, cutting him off mid-sentence.

Daniel's fingers trembled slightly before he instinctively tightened his grip on her hand. "Alright. It's all in the past now."

Gemma gave a bitter laugh. She was just about to ask about her grandmother, Sally Turner, when the front door suddenly opened.

Monica strolled in like she owned the place, dropping her bag by the door. When she saw Daniel holding Gemma in his arms, the jealousy in her eyes was impossible to miss.

"Daniel, let's head to the mall and pick up some fresh clothes for Gemma," Monica said, looping her arm around Gemma with fake warmth.

That was when it finally clicked for Daniel. He turned to Gemma and said, "Your old clothes were sitting in storage too long. Monica figured they would be no good by now, so she threw them away."

Gemma yanked her arm away from Monica.

Monica clearly expected her to lose it, but Gemma only gave a cool, indifferent reply. "Sure."

Right before they left, Gemma excused herself to use the restroom.

Instead, she quietly slipped into Daniel's study, and then into Monica's bedroom. She carefully hid the hidden cameras.

Once they got to the mall, Monica found an excuse to send Daniel off. Then she cornered Gemma. Her expression twisted with venom as she glared at her.

"Gemma, I swear, nothing seems to break you. After everything, you're still not dead! But that's fine. I'll make sure you finally see for yourself who Daniel would choose between us."

The second she finished, Monica reached up and slammed her hand against the fire alarm.

The mall exploded into chaos.

Screams broke out. People shouted. Alarms blared. In seconds, the crowd turned into a stampede, scattering everyone.

Daniel caught a glimpse of Monica being shoved to the side by the rushing crowd. Without thinking, he ran straight toward her.

But just as he turned to look for Gemma, Monica grabbed his arm with both hands, tightly. Her face was streaked with tears, and there was panic in her eyes. "Daniel, I'm scared," she whimpered.