Chapter 3

3.

"That is why I chose Nina. She is only twenty-three," Garrett continued smoothly.

His calm voice felt like a blade slowly twisting in my heart.

"Besides, she is a rising star in the spotlight, which fits my social status much better as a wife."

"So, Gemma, you understand what I mean, don't you?"

I took a step back, staring at the man before me.

I wished with all my soul that this was just a nightmare.

Yet the harsh reality was undeniable: he had thrown me away.

He had completely discarded the promises he made ten years ago.

He was no longer the Garrett I once knew.

"Then what about the last ten years of my life? How do you plan to compensate me for that?"

My emotions finally broke through my composure, anger lacing my words.

He paused, visibly surprised by my confrontation.

I had always been reserved and gentle, swallowing every hardship without complaint during our years together.

Whenever he used to notice, he would tenderly say, "You never have to pretend to be strong around me."

"Gemma, seeing you act like this is quite pathetic," he sneered, looking at me with distaste.

"The woman I remembered was quiet and elegant, not someone obsessed with money."

"Now you want financial compensation for waiting? I never forced you to put your life on hold."

"Besides, a decade has passed. You cannot realistically expect me to feel the same way."

How utterly absurd his words sounded.

He was the one who had begged me to wait for him.

He was the one who had pursued me relentlessly in college.

Now, he twisted the truth without a shred of remorse.

Before I could speak, his phone rang loudly on the table.

The caller ID lit up with the name: Nina.

The coldness on his face instantly melted into a warm, gentle smile as he answered.

"Garrett," Nina's voice chimed through the speaker. "I arranged dinner with my parents tonight. Can you join us?"

"Of course," Garrett agreed without a moment's hesitation.

After hanging up, he stood up and adjusted his collar.

"I have places to be. I have made my stance clear, so please do not pester me anymore."

He walked toward the exit, brushing past my shoulder.

"By the way, I bought this place," he added, pausing by the door.

"Make sure you pack your things and move out soon."

The final thread holding my heart together snapped.

When he loved me, he swore he would cherish me forever.

Now that I had reached my mid-thirties, his love had vanished into thin air.

I wanted to scream at him that everyone grows old eventually.

"Garrett Cole, I will remember the kind of man you are today for the rest of my life."

Without another word, he slammed the door behind him and walked away.