Chapter 8

Jason's voice was earnest. "Diana, I watched you two grow up together. "You two made it to marriage from childhood sweethearts. That kind of love isn't easy to come by, let alone hold onto for so many years. Are you ready to let all of that go? "I know you've always had a kind heart, Diana. And I know you still care about that bastard. So why not hold on just a little longer? "Let me speak up for him one last time. Please, wait for him. Give him another chance." When love encountered obstacles, they were meant to be faced, moved, even shattered if necessary. Diana blinked as her hands tightened slightly on her lap. Jason's words struck something deep, and her eyes began to sting. Jason sighed heavily. "Sweetheart, I'm begging you. Vincent lost his parents so young. I'm old, and my days are numbered. Who knows if I'll just be gone like that one day? "By then, you're not just the love of his life, but you'll be the only family he has. If even you leave and turn your back on him… he'll have no one. "You two have always been inseparable since young. That's why, back then, I was so sure you were meant to be part of this family, as my granddaughter-in-law." Jason's voice turned pleading. "Don't fall out of love with him, okay?" Diana slipped her hands into the wide sleeves of her clothes, trying to hide her trembling hands. She was struggling to stay composed. Just as Jason had said, Diana had always held back her emotions and would never express them. She had grown used to suppressing and carrying everything alone. The spacious, antique living room fell into an oppressive silence. Diana lowered her head, forcing herself not to quiver. She wanted to tell Jason that that wasn't the case and that he had gotten it all wrong. She still loved Vincent. That had never changed. Vincet was the one who changed. It was Vincent who grew distant, whose feelings became uncertain, who began treating her and Gabriella differently. If she hadn't been driven to the edge, and if their relationship hadn't become so suffocating and filled with misery… If this marriage hadn't felt like a slow burn of disappointment and pain, she would never have considered divorce. But the pathetic truth was, no matter how much she tried to deny it, her heart never learned how to lie. She could have fooled the world, but not herself. She still loved Vincent deeply like before. What was the point, though? She had suffered enough and had been terribly hurt. All the love and affection she had once harbored had turned into disappointment. So now, to protect herself, she chose to let go, to step away, and to wish them well. "Diana… have you really made up your mind?" Jason sighed. This time, Diana looked up, her eyes red and glistening with tears. But her lips curled into a faint smile. She looked at Jason and muttered, "I'm sorry, Grandpa." Jason clutched his chest and let out a rough cough. His face flushed a worrying crimson. Diana immediately stood up and panicked. "Grandpa! What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" She rushed forward, ready to call for help, but Jason stopped her. Jason waved his hand weakly. He pressed a palm to his chest as he tried to steady his breathing. Then he gave her a gentle, affectionate smile. "Look at me. I've scared you. My bad." "Grandpa, what's wrong? Please let me call the family doctor." Diana was still worried. Diana's biological grandfather had passed away before she was born. To her, Jason had always been the one to fill that role. He was truly an important person in her life. "Just the same old illness acting up again," Jason said, brushing it off and tugging her gently back down to sit. "Nothing worth calling anyone over." Jason stared at Diana and asked, "Do you remember the fire when you were 18?" Jason's words instantly brought Diana down her memory lane. Of course, she remembered. That fire was etched into her bones. She knew she would carry that terrifying nightmare with her for the rest of her life. The air had been thick with acrid, suffocating smoke. The sharp crackle of flames echoed around her like the roar of a beast. She had run with everything she had, desperate to escape. But the black smoke engulfed her like a wave, searing her eyes until she couldn't even open them. The smoke from the fire had been thick with toxins. It was deadly and suffocating. It didn't just choke the lungs, but it burned the eyes, too. Her eyes stung so badly that tears kept streaming down, but even they couldn't ease the pain. She stumbled forward blindly, running for her life, but she stumbled over and over again. She couldn't remember how many times she had hit the ground. All she knew was that she had to keep going, no matter what. The flames were relentless. Back then, Diana felt like the world had turned into a furnace, devouring everything. Her consciousness began to fade with the rising heat. All around her, there were only the sounds of burning and the cries of those who didn't make it. And she knew that each time a voice grew fainter, it meant someone else had fallen. In that moment between life and death, she realized just how fragile life could be. Terrified, she could only watch as the fire inched closer until she lost consciousness. As she collapsed, she thought despairingly that it must have been the end. However, she had survived. She remembered the first thing that flashed through her mind when she regained consciousness. "Those who survive great hardship are destined for greater things." Vincent had carried her on his back, running through smoke and flame until they were safe. She remembered resting her face against his narrow shoulder. Back then, Vincent hadn't been as strong as he was now. He had been young and full of spirit, but maybe slightly immature. To Diana, it felt as though time had frozen. His back had been so warm, so steady. She felt like it could shield her from the world, carry her across the ends of the earth, and show her all the tenderness life had to offer. From that moment on, every love, every heartbreak in her life had started and ended with him. A tear slid silently down her cheek and fell onto the glass table. She wavered. Jason saw it too and pressed on. "I know he's been a bastard lately. But he was sick, and he lost two years of memories. He lived a completely different life. That would change anyone. "Don't give up on him, alright? A shattered mirror can still be mended. My eyes may be old, but my heart still sees clearly. And I see the truth—there's still love between you two." People often said it was better to break ten promises than to break one true marriage. If two hearts had managed to find each other in this world, that wasn't something people should simply let slip away.