Chapter 28
Before leaving, Gianna happened to encounter Emily, who had arrived to
mourn.
“Gianna, it’s been a long time. I’ve heard about what’s happened, and I must say, I’m very pleased. You‘ ve become more admirable, more courageous than before.”
Gianna politely greeted Emily but completely ignored Steven, who was standing nearby.
Having experienced the trials of life and death, Gianna now realized that the love and affection she once had no longer held any sway over her. It was as though her heart had sealed itself, leaving no room for feelings.
“Thank you, Aunt Emily. I owe much of my transformation to your advice. It was through joining Médecins Sans Frontières
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that I realized life is so much more important than just love.”
After Gianna left, Steven looked at his mother with an expression of disbelief, a trace of fear creeping into his heart.
“Mom, what did Gianna mean by her last words? Did you really encourage her to join Médecins Sans Frontières?” he asked.
Emily’s face was expressionless, and she sighed softly. She couldn’t help but wonder how her son had turned out this way. Aside from his accomplishments in medicine, everything else in his life was a
mess.
“It was just my way of giving her an exit,” she replied. “Steven, I really didn’t expect you to shut off all of Gianna‘ escape routes.”
S
She looked at her son, who had become a shadow of his former self, and sighed again. “You don’t deserve Gianna.”
“You‘ re not even worthy of Callum,”
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she added.
Steven suddenly fell silent. The light in his eyes faded, and the words his mother had spoken echoed in his mind, eating away at him.
Overcome by the pressure, he finally collapsed, fainting from the weight of it all.
In his dazed state, he felt as if he had returned to the past. He was back in the days when he had first met Gianna.
It was a rainy night when she had carried him back to the small village, staying by his side, grinding herbs, and feeding him Those days had been filled with happiness. soup.
Until the day he confessed his feelings to her once again.
He had crafted a rough, clumsy grass ring. “Gianna, I like you. Will you be my girlfriend? Trust me, I will always love
you.”
Steven was filled with confidence. This was
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a moment he had envisioned countless times–a scenario he was certain would play out just as he imagined.
But in the very next second, reality shattered his expectations. Things did not unfold the way they had in his memory.
As his lips curled into a smile, the grass ring was tossed far away by Gianna.
“I’m sorry, I don’t want to be your girlfriend. I won’t believe your words anymore. Your promises to me will always. be lies.”
Gianna walked further and further away.
Steven reached out, but he could no longer grasp her sleeve. She vanished completely from his world.
Steven lost his mind.
In the empty, desolate world, he screamed.
“No, this isn’t right! You promised me! You promised!”
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“Gianna, give me another chance. I swear I’ll treat you well. If you want my life, take it. Just stay by my side, please, stay by my side!” Steven begged desperately. But Gianna never looked back, not even once.
“Gianna… Gianna…”
Steven closed his eyes, his pale face drenched in cold sweat, his body trembling uncontrollably. His head shook in denial.
His mother stood in front of him, watching as he repeatedly whispered Gianna‘ name in a hoarse voice.
Finally, Emily sent Gianna a video of Steven and then called her.
S
“Gianna, Aunt Emily is asking you one last
thing. Please, find a way to end things with Steven once and for all. Sever any remaining ties to him.”
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