Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Catherine was dumbfounded. She genuinely didn’t remember texting Emily. The memory of last night was as faint as a dream, leaving behind only the ache and the traces of dried tears on her pillow. She wondered if, in the haze of her anguish, she had unconsciously sought comfort from her best friend without even realizing it.

Seeing her blank face, Emily clicked her tongue and said:

"Stop babbling, let’s go shopping."

Without waiting for Catherine to respond, Emily dragged her out of the house, not caring that she hadn’t even brushed her teeth or changed clothes. The strength radiating from Emily was intense, as if she were determined to pull Catherine out of the swamp of despair she was sinking into, no matter the cost. Catherine let her friend lead the way, her body dragged along like a lifeless shell, while her mind remained trapped somewhere far away.

At first, Catherine thought shopping might lift her spirits, but had she known she would run into Gabriel and Juliet, she would have preferred to stay locked inside, never showing her face outside again. To her at that moment, the four familiar walls - stifling as they were - still felt safer than the outside world, which was filled with hidden wounds waiting to be reopened.

But in this world, when has “if” ever mattered?

Not wanting to face the two of them, Catherine quickly tugged Emily in the opposite direction. But her friend resisted, saying:

"Where are you going? There are some really nice dresses over here."

Catherine hastily replied, "There are new designs over there, let's go check them out." Her voice now sounded faint and feeble, like that of a sinner desperately trying to escape.

Emily clicked her tongue, clearly reluctant, "New designs or not, we should be buying clothes that suit us." She refused to relent, like a stern mother guiding her timid child out of its shell, convinced that it was for the best.

While talking, Emily absentmindedly glanced around the store, and then, suddenly, her eyes widened.

"Isn't that Gabriel, your husband? Who’s that girl next to him?"

Emily nudged Catherine, calling her name, but there was no response. When she looked over, she saw that Catherine was staring at the couple with teary eyes. In that moment, time seemed to stand still. All the noise of the shop faded away, leaving only the image of the two of them within her tear-blurred vision.

Gabriel was holding Juliet tightly in his arms, patiently helping her choose beautiful clothes, every gesture as tender and gentle as possible. That tenderness - something Catherine had once received - was now devoted entirely to another woman, right before her eyes.

He used to look at her with that same deep affection, but that was a long time ago. Back then, he had said that in this lifetime, he would only be gentle to her. Yet now, everything had changed, and all the tenderness that once belonged to her was now directed toward her foster sister. That old promise now echoed like a bitter mockery, squeezing the life out of her bleeding heart.

While Catherine was lost in her own sorrow, Emily beside her fiercely dragged her toward Gabriel and Juliet.

As they walked, she gritted her teeth and said, "I used to praise him as the perfect husband, but in the end, he's just a scoundrel. Come on, let's confront him." Emily’s fury was like a blazing fire, completely at odds with the numbness and cold that enveloped Catherine.

"Wait... wait, Emily, I don't want to, I don't want to see him," Catherine tried to resist, but Emily was too strong, quickly pulling her to the nearby store. She felt like a puppet, completely stripped of control over what was happening.

Emily stormed up to Gabriel and shouted, "How dare you openly hold another woman when you already have a wife!"

Gabriel, who had been smiling, suddenly turned sour when he heard the insult. The smile in his eyes faded, replaced by the familiar coldness of a businessman facing his adversary.

At that moment, Catherine rushed over and said hastily, "My friend doesn't know about us yet. Please don't take it personally; I'll take her away immediately." She tried to lower her voice, pleading in hopes of avoiding an unnecessary scandal.

Upon seeing Catherine, the anger in Gabriel's eyes gradually faded, but Emily, unaware of the danger she was in, fearlessly continued:

"Are you even human? How can you still hold that wicked woman in front of Catherine?"

Catherine tugged at her friend's hand, signaling her to stop talking, but she ignored it and kept yelling, "Catherine, divorce him! Don't be afraid, I'll help you hire the best lawyer to sue him for adultery."

As she finished, Emily even raised her phone to take pictures for evidence, all the while cursing, "A scumbag matches perfectly with a shameless witch. You're so young yet you're stealing someone's husband. Someone like you deserves to be struck by lightning or hit by a car with no place to be buried..."

"We're already divorced."

Emily, who was in the middle of her tirade, was suddenly silenced by Gabriel's words.

He glanced at Catherine, who was still tugging at Emily's sleeve, and asked, "You haven't told your friends and family that we're divorced yet?" His voice was icy, devoid of any emotion, as if he were speaking about a complete stranger.

Then he moved closer, raising one hand to grip her chin tightly and whispered, "Or do you think you can still win me back, which is why you haven't said anything?" That touch held no warmth anymore, it was cold and possessive, sending a shiver down Catherine’s spine.

This action cornered Catherine, making her feel incredibly trapped. She finally turned her head away from his piercing gaze without saying a word. She didn’t dare meet the eyes that had once made her heart race, for now, they held nothing but contempt.

However, Gabriel didn't let her off, continuing to sneer, "Cartherine, even delusions have limits, don't they?" Every word he uttered felt like a knife stabbing into her pride.

Catherine pushed him away, trying to remain strong as she said, "You're the one who's delusional." But her trembling voice betrayed the surge of weakness rising within her.

Gabriel didn't like what he heard, but outwardly, he smirked and said, "It’s best if you stop bothering me." His words sounded like a final declaration—a confirmation of the unfamiliar distance that now lay between them.

Catherine stood there, suppressing the excruciating pain tearing through her heart, and finally grabbed Emily to pull her away. Her steps were heavy, each one draining the last remnants of her strength.

"Wait."

Juliet, who had been clinging tightly to Gabriel, suddenly spoke up, calling the two back. With teary eyes and a trembling voice, she said to her: "Your friend just insulted me like that. Aren’t you going to apologize?"

The girl’s youthful, fragile face instantly drew Gabriel’s attention and protection. Then she nestled into Gabriel's chest, her tears flowing like a river, looking utterly pitiful. That act was performed so perfectly it made Catherine feel sick to her stomach.

"Gabriel, just now Catherine's friend called me a flirt and cursed me to have an accident. I'm so scared... Could it be that Catherine misunderstood me, which is why her friend treated me like this?" Juliet’s tone - innocent yet cunning - only added fuel to the fire.

Gabriel held the girl tightly in his arms, then looked at Catherine with anger in his eyes. He shouted: "Apologize to Juliet right now!"

His command came without a trace of hesitation, as if Catherine were the guilty one and Juliet the pitiable victim. Catherine had no intention of being involved with the Sterling family anymore, but she never expected him to disregard their past like this. His betrayal went beyond matters of the heart, it was in the contempt he showed her.

She sneered, "Apologize for what? Was my friend wrong? Less than a month after our divorce, you're already all cozy with my adopted sister. If that’s not shameless, then what is?"

Her laughter was laced with bitterness and despair, ringing out like a defiant challenge to him.

Slap!

Gabriel raised his hand and slapped Catherine across the face. She widened her eyes in shock, unable to believe it. He hit her? His slap hurt not only physically, but also delivered a fatal blow to the last beautiful memories she still held of this man.

The burning sensation on her cheek reminded Catherine that the man who once swore to love her for a lifetime had now struck her for another woman. The sweet memories of the past had now shattered, turning into sharp shards of glass that pierced her heart.

"You despicable pair of scum!"

Slap!

Gabriel slapped her again.

"Sooner or later, you two will face karma!"

Slap!

Three powerful slaps from a man caused Catherine's face to swell and bleed. Gabriel grabbed her by the shoulder, gritting his teeth as he said, "Apologize to Juliet."

His gaze was razor-sharp and menacing, stripped of any trace of affection for the woman who had once been his wife.

Ha, look at him standing up for his new love, willing to hurt his ex-wife. What a awful joke. In that instant, Catherine’s heart shattered completely. All the love, longing, and lingering regret dissolved, leaving behind nothing but a cold, hollow emptiness.