Chapter 6
Yunia stood frozen: “What are you saying?“]
“You must have had someone put it there!” Joannie sobbed. “When they were tuning earlier, you were the only one who touched the piano!“[]
“It wasn’t me,” Yunia said coldly. “I didn’t tune anything, and no one forced you to play.“[]
“Matteo…” Joannie tugged pitifully at Matteo’s sleeve. “Are you just going to watch her bully me like this?“[]
Matteo frowned: “Today is Yunia’s birthday. Let’s just forget about a small injury.“[]
“No!” Joannie suddenly raised her voice. “You’re in your alternate personality now! You said the person you love most is me!“[]
She pointed at Yunia: “I want her to feel what it’s like to have her hand cut too!“]
Matteo fell silent for a moment, then finally compromised: “…Hold her down.“[]
The bodyguards immediately stepped forward, restraining Yunia from both sides and forcing her hand onto the piano keys![]
“Matteo!” Yunia struggled in disbelief. “Are you insane?!“]
The blade in the piano keys glinted coldly as the bodyguards pressed her hand down hard.[]
“Ah!”
Excruciating pain instantly shot through her entire body. Yunia’s fingertips were cut to shreds, blood staining the black and white keys.
“Is that enough?” Matteo asked Joannie.
Joannie pouted: “Not satisfying enough.“]
She looked around: “I want you to destroy this birthday party! Watching you celebrate with another woman makes me jealous!“]
Matteo closed his eyes and waved his hand.[]
The bodyguards immediately went to work–toppling champagne towers, smashing the cake, tearing up photos…
The entire banquet hall was instantly in ruins. Guests huddled by the door, ready to flee.
Only then was Joannie satisfied, linking arms with Matteo: “Let’s go Take me to the hospital to bandage this!”
Matteo glanced at Yunia one last time but said nothing, leaving with Joannie.[]
Yunia stood there with blood dripping from both hands, hearing the guests‘ sympathetic murmurs:
“How pitiful.”
“CEO Jackson is too cruel!“]
“This isn’t split personality–he’s clearly just fallen out of love…“]]
Chapter 6
She looked at the ruins of her birthday party and suddenly laughed.[]
Yes, fallen out of love.
All the promises seventeen–year–old Matteo had made to her–the current Matteo had forgotten them all.[]
Yunia went to the hospital alone to treat her hand wounds. When the doctor asked how she got hurt so badly, she could only say it was an accident.
Returning home, she began packing.
Matteo’s shirts in the closet, his ties in the drawer, the stuffed animals he’d given her by the bed… She took them out one by one and threw them in the trash.]
“Yunia, what are you doing?“]]
Matteo’s voice suddenly came from behind her.]
Yunia didn’t turn around, continuing to pack: “Since you don’t come home anyway, these things take up space. I’m throwing them out.“[
e…“]
Matteo strode over and grabbed her wrist: “I told you, I’ll recover someday. Please wait for me…‘
Yunia shook off his hand and was about to leave when Matteo turned to call outside: “Bring the things in.”
Several bodyguards carried in a hundred exquisite gift boxes, stacking them from floor to ceiling.]
“Yunia, these are makeup birthday gifts for you,” Matteo said gently. “From age 0 to 100, one for every year.“[]
Opening one randomly, she found a rare record she’d casually mentioned wanting at eighteen.[]
Opening another revealed an antique brooch she’d lingered over in a magazine…
“Why prepare these?” she asked calmly. “Are you feeling guilty?”
Matteo paused, clearly not expecting this reaction.
“I know you’ve suffered a lot lately…” He reached to touch her face but she avoided him. “But we’re both forced into this situation. I want to prove that you’re the one I’ve loved from beginning to end, the one I want to grow old with.“]
Yunia looked at this man who had once made her heart race, feeling nothing but numbness.
He had changed long ago.
Those promises of forever should have been scattered to the wind.
…0
Before leaving, Yunia met her best friend Leila for a farewell dinner.
They chatted until dark. When Leila’s boyfriend came to pick her up, Yunia wandered the mall alone, clearing her head.]
Turning a corner, she suddenly froze.
Matteo was shopping with Joannie.
He was holding up a dress against Joannie’s body, his expression tender. When Joannie complained her legs hurt, he knelt to massage her ankles. He even took her drink and sipped from it without hesitation.[]
The old Matteo had severe germaphobia–except for her, he’d never touch anything used by others.
Watching from a distance, Yunia couldn’t tell if he was acting or genuinely smitten.[]
Perhaps after sleeping together so many times, feelings had developed in bed?]
She turned to leave but ran into Joannie at the restroom entrance.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Yunia,” Joannie’s red lips curved in a smirk. “Shopping alone? Your husband is helping me buy lingerie!“[]
Yunia ignored her, washing her hands and preparing to leave.
But Joannie followed persistently: “I have to ask–how can you stand it? You’re obviously dying inside every time you see Matteo doting on me, but you still won’t leave. Aren’t you embarrassed clinging to your position…“]]
Yunia’s face darkened. Just as she was about to respond, two masked men burst in, pressing gleaming knives to their throats!
“Don’t move! Hand over everything valuable!“]
Neither Yunia nor Joannie had expected to encounter robbers in the mall. Both froze, quickly removing earrings and necklaces.
The robbers were about to release them when Joannie spotted Matteo in the distance and screamed: “Matteo! Help!“[]
The knives instantly returried to their throats![]
Matteo rushed over, his face changing dramatically: “Let them go!“]
Seeing his expensive clothes, the robbers demanded an enormous ransom and made various excessive demands.[]
Matteo agreed to everything, only asking them to release the hostages.
“We can only release one!” the robber snarled. “The other stays as collateral until we’re safe!”
