After leaving the villa that night, Jasper proposed to Stella.

It was a sensational proposal that stirred the city to life. Its live stream dominated social media, prompting well-known influencers to share the news around.

Under a virtual sky covered with stars, Jasper went down on one knee as he sincerely presented the engagement ring. Feeling nervous, his voice shook as he asked, "Ella, will you marry me?"

The crowd erupted into cheers. Amid fluttering petals and thunderous applause, they chanted, louder by the second, "Say yes, say yes!" 

Stella's eyes reddened. Determined and gentle, she replied, "Yes, of course."

Dozens of drones soared into the sky, forming the image of a heart pierced with an arrow. The fireworks show, which cost a fortune, lasted for two hours.

That wasn't all—at the same time, Jasper and Stella's ten-year love story began playing on a continuous loop on ev

Stella thought she heard a resounding crash as she felt her heart shatter into pieces.

Now suffering a blow to her ego, she slapped Jasper with all she had and shoved him away. "Jasper Sullivan, take a good look at who I am!"

Jasper snapped back to his senses. When he realized who was standing before him, he actually felt disappointed.

Stella punched him repeatedly in the chest. "Jasper! You should just go back to Lisette if you've fallen in love with her! Why would you marry me?"

Upon hearing that, Jasper quickly grabbed her hands, feeling flustered. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Ella, the one I love is you. It always has been you. Please don't cry. My heart aches when you do."

His words seemed to have triggered Stella, for she suddenly burst out crying. With her arms wrapped around his waist, she demanded, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I swear." 

Watching as tears rolled down her fac

When Lisette woke up once more, she realized that she was lying on a bed in the villa.

There was a piercing scream from the living room. She got out of bed with difficulty and cracked the door open. She caught sight of Jasper sitting expressionlessly on the couch with the group of beggars kneeling opposite him.

They were covered with wounds and were trembling violently. Their bloody mouths pleaded incoherently, "Let us go!"

Jasper looked like the Grim Reaper himself. He ordered his bodyguards to cut off the beggars' hands and to slice off their tongues to feed to the dogs.

"Even if she's trash that I no longer want, you can't touch her!"

He gave the bodyguards a look, and the beggars were dragged out.

Lisette only felt as if it was surreal. Everything that had happened recently felt like a dream. 

However, the intense pain she felt made her falter on her feet. The scars on her back had all burst open, and she drew in a sharp intake of breath from the pain.

Jasper heard the noise and walked toward the room. His expression was unexpectedly gentle, but the words that came out of his mouth were still cruel and callous.

"Ella accidentally sent those videos out. I've already had them deleted. Anyway, you're fine. Don't hold it against her."

He flung a letter of understanding at Lisette and ordered, "Sign this letter of understanding and swear that you won't use this against Ella in the future. I can waive the 2.08 million dollars that you owe me, and I'll tell the doctors to do their best to save your mother."

Jasper seemed afraid that she would misunderstand, so he added. "Don't overthink this. Ella will always be the person I love, but since we've had five years together, I can make sure that you can live a carefree life for the rest of your days."

He sounded so high and mighty as he spoke. It was just like how he had humiliated her at the bar.

He had said, "It's just a small amount of money. Think of it as charity for a roadside beggar."

Was he treating her like a roadside beggar? Did he think that she would weep tears of gratitude just because of a casual favor?

Perhaps, it had been like that in the past. Lisette could have endured anything for Fiona.

However, she no longer had any weaknesses.

When she did not react for a long time, Jasper tossed the letter of understanding down. "Send it to my office once you've signed it."

He got up and left, looking proud and invincible. 

Lisette felt as if her heart had turned to stone. She tore the letter of understanding up contemptuously.

She called the police without hesitating and reported Stella for the crimes that she had committed.

When the clock struck 12, Lisette looked at the calendar and clock in the corner.

In 12 more hours, she would leave this place forever. 

Lisette packed her things and took a hot shower. 

Before she left, she went to the cemetery. She buried the urn in the earth and knelt at her mother's gravestone, where she bowed deeply three times. 

The emotions that she had suppressed for so long burst out of her, and her voice was thick with tears. "Mom, I'm going to pursue true freedom now. If you're watching up there, you'll feel happy for me too, won't you?"

A firefly landed on the tip of her finger, its wings fluttering. Its faint glow lit up the photo on the gravestone.

Fiona was smiling gently as always, and the warmth in her eyes seemed as if it was about to spill out.

She looked silently at Lisette from the photo on the gravestone.

Lisette felt like she had on the many occasions when Fiona had comforted her and said, "Our Lissie is a big girl now! Why are you still sniffling?"

Lisette slept well that night.

When she woke up, sunlight was spilling onto the floor.

Her future was about to arrive. 

Her phone vibrated. Stella had sent a wedding invitation. 

There was also a message from the police station. "Madam Jones, your case has been reviewed and is now under official investigation."

For the first time in a long time, Lisette smiled and deleted the electronic wedding invitation quietly. 

She blocked all forms of contact with Stella and Jasper. 

…

Half an hour later, Lisette boarded a plane.

The moment the plane flew up into the clouds, she finally felt herself relax.

She hoped to never see Jasper again. 

The world was vast, and she was free. 

After leaving the villa that night, Jasper proposed to Stella.

It was a sensational proposal that stirred the city to life. Its live stream dominated social media, prompting well-known influencers to share the news around.

Under a virtual sky covered with stars, Jasper went down on one knee as he sincerely presented the engagement ring. Feeling nervous, his voice shook as he asked, "Ella, will you marry me?"

The crowd erupted into cheers. Amid fluttering petals and thunderous applause, they chanted, louder by the second, "Say yes, say yes!" 

Stella's eyes reddened. Determined and gentle, she replied, "Yes, of course."

Dozens of drones soared into the sky, forming the image of a heart pierced with an arrow. The fireworks show, which cost a fortune, lasted for two hours.

That wasn't all—at the same time, Jasper and Stella's ten-year love story began playing on a continuous loop on every building-mounted LED display across the city.

Each and every one of those romantic moments clea

Chapter 8