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!"