Chapter 2

The urgent voice rang in his ears, and Zoran rushed to the hospital without even changing his shoes.

Ever since Genevieve's car accident, when doctors declared her a vegetable, Zoran had lost his former vigor, becoming a shadow of his former self.

My heart ached, but I understood that Genevieve would always be that indelible light in his heart.

I followed Zoran into the car.

Even as a departed soul, I knew my place and sat in the back seat.

This was Zoran's order.

He never allowed me to sit in the passenger seat, saying that spot would always be Genevieve's. Him letting me in his car at all was already a great blessing.

As the car sped along, I gazed at Zoran's handsome, fair face, suddenly curious: if one day he discovered Genevieve was faking it, that all of this was an elaborate charade of her own making, would he still be this desperate?

The car raced quickly, soon arriving at the hospital.

The moment he saw Genevieve, Zoran hurriedly cradled her in his arms, his eyes filled with the joy of regaining something lost.

"Genevieve, you're finally awake! You don't know how worried I was during the time you were unconscious. Thank goodness, thank goodness heaven has eyes, and let you return to my side again. This time, I will never let you leave me."

He held Genevieve tightly, his excited demeanor resembling a child who had just received candy.

I smiled bitterly and quietly retreated from the hospital room.

In the empty corridor, there was only a touch of afterglow cast by the setting sun.

I sat on the bench, suddenly remembering three years ago.

Three years ago, when I first met Zoran, he was immersed in the grief of Genevieve's sudden departure, unable to pull himself out.

That day, it was pouring rain outside, and he was disappointed and desolate, like a child who couldn't find his way home.

I cautiously approached, trying to comfort and encourage him in my own way.

Effort pays off for those who try, and he gradually emerged from the gloom.

And in our long-term companionship, our feelings quietly grew warmer.

From then on, we were together day and night, inseparable.

At that time, he was full of solemn vows, "Melody, I will definitely treat you twice as well, and forget about Genevieve."

I was overjoyed and accepted his confession. On the day of their engagement, Genevieve suddenly called, sobbing and begging Zoran not to leave her, pleading for him to forgive for the sake of their past relationship.

My knuckles turned white as I clenched my fists, desperately imploring Zoran to stay. But just as he hesitated, the hospital called, saying Genevieve had been in a car accident and was now in a vegetative state.

Upon hearing the news, Zoran's eyes immediately welled up with tears. He blamed me entirely for everything that had gone wrong.

He said if it weren't for my interference, Genevieve wouldn't have become distraught, the accident wouldn't have happened, and she wouldn't be in a coma. It was all my fault, he claimed.

I gazed into those cold, resolute eyes, feeling as if a thousand needles were piercing my heart.

But Zoran didn't care. Every day, he made me kneel in the chapel and repent.

Repent for my unreasonable behavior, repent for my lack of empathy, repent for my selfishness, repent for hurting Genevieve.

I couldn't sleep at night or eat properly. My body eventually couldn't take it anymore, and not long after, I was diagnosed with stomach cancer.

The irony was that I didn't have money for medication or chemotherapy.

Ever since Genevieve's accident, Zoran had frozen my bank account. I was wracked with pain, barely able to withstand it any longer. Crying, I begged Zoran, "Could you please give me some money for medicine? I'm in so much agony."

Zoran snorted with laughter at my words. "Haven't you had enough of playing the victim and acting innocent? Melody, you make me sick."

As he spoke, he snatched up my medical report and started frantically photographing it with his phone.

"Aren't you in terrible pain? Didn't you say you had cancer? The public's eyes are sharp. Let's show everyone just how good you are at faking it!"

He posted the medical report online. Overnight, I was viciously attacked, becoming an object that everyone wanted to beat.

Zoran, however, was all smiles. "Genevieve, I've avenged you!"

But what he didn't know was that his Genevieve was never in a vegetative state, and that so-called accident was no accident at all.