- 8.
Gabe got me the best lawyer.
The lawyer found video of Sierra pulling
Mom’s oxygen tubes, and her running me off
the road.
He even found a witness who saw Sierra push
me into the lake.
Sierra panicked.
She looked at Chad, started crying.
“Chad, help me! You saw everything! It was
just a joke! I didn’t mean to!”
Chad ran out of the courtroom and slapped
her.
He was furious.
“It’s all your fault! You ruined everything! If you hadn’t killed Mrs. Jiang, she wouldn’t
have left me! It’s all your fault!”
Sierra cried harder. “I love you! I just wanted
to be with you!”
“What’s so great about Evie? I’m better than her! I should be Mrs. Lancaster!”
<
“Shut up! You’re nothing compared to Evie!”
Chad started crying.
“She’s the best person in the world. The one
who loved me most. Don’t think I don’t know
you’re all after my money. She’s the only one
who ever loved me for me!”
He was sobbing, hysterical.
The police held him back, afraid he’d do
something crazy.
The spoiled rich kid was crying like a baby.
Everything he said was about how much he
missed me, how much he loved me.
But I just felt empty.
I looked at Chad, with no emotion.
“So, you know.”
“I’m sorry, Evie.”
Chad slapped himself, drawing blood.
He looked at me, tears in his eyes.
“I was a jerk. I took advantage of you. But I
never wanted to lose you. I love you. No one
く
can take your place.”
“You don’t love me. You love a doormat who
would put up with anything.”
I looked away, not wanting to see Chad.
Gabe signaled for them to take Chad away.
Sierra was sentenced to ten years in prison.
As they dragged her away, she screamed at
- me.
Gabe covered my ears.
I smiled. “It’s okay, I’m used to it.”
I’d heard worse from Chad.
It didn’t matter anymore.
But Gabe looked serious.
He looked at me, and said,
“Things are different now. Now, you have
me.”
“I won’t let you go through that again. I won’t
let anyone hurt you.”
He was so young, so passionate.
I felt a warmth I hadn’t felt in years, like a
hole had been burned in my heart.
I looked away, embarrassed.
“Thank you. But Chad’s gone now. We don’t
need to pretend anymore…”
“I’m not pretending. Evie, me being here isn’t
an accident. I’ve been planning this for a long
time.”
Gabe told me everything.
He’d liked me for years.
When I married Chad, he’d kept his feelings
hidden. But he’d still followed my life.
That’s why he saved me.
Being my neighbor, liking orchids, it wasn’t a
coincidence.
He’d planned it all.
His love wasn’t like Chad’s big gestures. It
was quiet, but it had never faded.
I didn’t know what to say.
“Evie, you don’t need to rush things. You just
got out of a bad marriage. It’s hard to start
<
over.”
“I’m not trying to force you to make a
decision. I just wanted you to know. The rest,
we’ll let time decide.”
Gabe kept his word.
For a year, he stayed by my side.
He took care of Chad whenever he bothered
- me.
He cheered me up when I was sad.
His love stood the test of time.
The day we officially became a couple, Gabe
donated $50 million to charity.
Everyone praised his kindness, wished us
happiness.
We even got gifts from children in poor areas.
Among the simple gifts, one stood out.
It was from Chad.
The ring he’d given me when we got married.
He’d said it was a symbol of his eternal love.
I’d lost it in the lake. I don’t know how he
He’d said it was a symbol of his eternal love.
I’d lost it in the lake. I don’t know how he
found it.
Gabe tossed the ring in the trash.
Then he put a huge diamond ring on my
finger.
“Evie, don’t think about the past. I’m here.
We’ll move forward.”
I smiled.
“Yes. Together.”
You can find a lost ring, but you can’t get
back lost love.
I was moving on. With someone new.
