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.