Fiona, standing beside him, asserted her dominance by wrapping her arms around his shoulder.
“Adeline, Gideon and I are about to get married. Anyone with a bit of self–respect wouldn’t come looking for an ex at this point.”
Gideon’s face darkened slightly, and he couldn’t help but advise me.
“Stop holding onto the past. Even if you wait for me for another ten years, I won’t love you.”
“When I was with you, it was a mistake. Now that I have the chance to correct it, I hope you can let go of the past soon.”
Fiona looked me up and down, a mocking glint in her eyes.
“I understand why you would seek out Gideon. After all, he’s a renowned entrepreneur now, and there’s no shortage of people trying to cozy up
to him.”
Perhaps my wrinkled pajamas gave her confidence, Fiona added arrogantly.
“You’re a prestigious university graduate, yet you’ve ended up like this? If I were you, I wouldn’t even show my face!”
Gideon frowned, pulling out his phone, his tone growing impatient.
“If you feel like you were wronged by our breakup, I can compensate you now.”
“Is five hundred thousand enough?”
His fingers moved over the screen, then suddenly froze.
“You deleted me from your contacts?”
2
I was puzzled, not understanding why he reacted so strongly.
Isn’t it normal to delete an ex’s contact after a breakup?
Besides, I have someone at home who’s particularly jealous. If he knew I still had my ex’s contact, he’d probably make a fuss.
“Didn’t you say you hoped I wouldn’t come looking for you after our breakup?”
Gideon’s face turned cold, as if he wanted to say something but held back.
I spoke calmly, adding.
“I don’t need the breakup compensation.”
After facing setback after setback, Gideon’s face darkened further, and he spoke coldly.
“What are you pretending for? If it weren’t for your current misfortune, I wouldn’t even bother talking to you.”
Fiona quickly soothed him with a gentle voice.
“Well, she is a prestigious university graduate. Given her current miserable state, let’s just consider helping her.”
“Oh Fiona, you’re still so kind. Why bother with a woman like her? Look at her pathetic state, just get lost.”
His tone was disdainful, as if forgetting that ten years ago, he was in a worse state than I was.
In the previous life, Gideon’s family didn’t agree with their son being with Fiona because she was a dubious woman who liked shortcuts.
The first time I saw Gideon in college, he had just picked Fiona up from a club, forced by his family to break up.
During Gideon’s most depressed times, I stayed by his side, helping him through.
He loved photography, so I used the money I planned to start a business to buy him expensive equipment.
Through freezing winters and scorching summers, I, with my frail frame, carried dozens of pounds of gear following him, just hoping to see him smile sincerely.
Who would’ve thought it was Gideon who confessed to me first?
I knew about his past with Fiona and had seen him occasionally stare at their photos in a daze.
So when Gideon confessed, I seriously asked him.
Have you truly moved on from Fiona?
At that time, he held me tightly, his tone firm.
“Actually, I never loved her. I just saw her as a good friend. It’s you I love, Adeline; let’s be together.”
We dated for seven years, even his friends were surprised.
“He liked Fiona so much, I thought you two wouldn’t last.”
But no one knew, Gideon repeatedly refused to answer my prompts about marriage.
“Adeline, I’m against marriage. Can’t we just be like this forever?”
Until later, when Gideon’s parents pressured him about marriage, he agreed to marry.
During our honeymoon, after hearing about Fiona’s car accident, he jumped off the cruise ship, leaving only a note.
The note was filled with love for Fiona, not a single word for me.
At the end, he wrote in blood.
“Fiona, you’re the only one I want to love in this life. Now, I’m coming for you.”
My love for him turned to ashes at that moment.
So, after being given a second chance, when Gideon wanted to break up, I didn’t stop him.
Because I knew, I couldn’t stop it.
Watching them get back together, I deleted all of Gideon’s contact information, thinking there’d be no chance to meet again in this life.
But I didn’t expect to encounter them here.
I wanted to leave, but Fiona wouldn’t let it go, insisting on humiliating me in front of everyone.
“Do you even deserve to speak to me? Look at how you’re dressed, it’s embarrassing!”
“Here’s the deal, I’ll introduce you to work as a waiter here. If you learn to serve people, you can earn a five–figure salary a month.”
Someone trying to curry favor with her added with a grin.
“This is a hotel in the prime location of Ocean City. Working here is a once–in–a–lifetime opportunity for you. You should thank Miss Fiona.”
Surrounded by people, I couldn’t leave, so I replied helplessly.
“Thank you, but I already have a job.”
“As a photographer.”
I wanted to leave, but Fiona was relentless, determined to humiliate me in front of everyone.
“Do you think you’re even worthy of talking to me? Look at what you’re wearing–it’s such an embarrassment!”
“Here’s an idea: I can get you a job here as a waiter. If you learn to serve people, you could earn a five–figure salary.”
Someone nearby, eager to curry favor with her, chimed in with a smile.
“This hotel is in a prime Ocean City location. Working here is a rare opportunity for you. You should thank Miss Fiona.”
Surrounded and unable to move, I reluctantly replied, “Thank you, but I already have a job.”
“Photography”
As soon as I mentioned photography, Gideon glanced at me with a complex expression, his lips twitching slightly.
He averted his gaze, his tone indifferent. “How much can you really earn from photography? Hobbies don’t pay the bills. Since we’re all acquaintances, I can set you up with a job.”
I was taken aback, then realized he misunderstood me.
My love for photography wasn’t because I still harbored feelings for Gideon. In fact, when I saw that suicide note in my previous life, I had already given up completely.
