Chapter 10

On the night the deal was proposed, Chris acted quickly. The hospitalization procedures were carried out swiftly, even before the person involved realized it.

Sabrina stepped out of the car, her smile dazzling as if blinded by the beautiful natural scenery.

“Thanks to you, I get to visit places like this. The view is truly wonderful.”

“Do you like it?”

“Of course.”

Gabrielle smiled faintly and linked arms with Sabrina. It had been a long time since she’d held her mother’s arm like this. Her mother was much thinner and more gaunt than before.

The woman who had grumbled the whole way to the nursing hospital about not being allowed to drink was nowhere to be seen; now, she was simply excited like a young girl.

“But why did you bring me here? It’s pretty, but it’s a bit far for just a walk.”

“No reason. Sometimes it’s nice to get some fresh air.”

Gabrielle answered calmly and led Sabrina toward the gazebo. Following Gabrielle, Sabrina sat on the bench under the gazebo and gazed around in awe.

“This garden is so beautifully arranged. I don’t know who the gardener is, but they must have put in a lot of effort.”

“Yes. Except for winter, there are always flowers in bloom. There aren’t many now since it’s early spring.”

“I always wanted to make a small garden and live like this, even if it wasn’t this grand.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I used to talk about it all the time with your father at the orphanage. We’d save money, buy a pretty country house, and live with a garden.”

Sabrina murmured with dreamy eyes. Gabrielle watched her with mixed feelings and bowed her head deeply.

“You can still do it.”

“What?”

“It’s not too late, Mom.”

“What are you talking about?”

Sabrina frowned at the cryptic words, then, sensing something ominous, shook off her daughter’s arm.

“That’s enough. Let’s go back.”

“I’m the only one going back.”

“What do you mean!”

Before she could sharply retort, men in white uniforms, who had been waiting at a distance, immediately closed in and surrounded them.

“Gabby?”

Sabrina, her face pale, called Gabrielle desperately.

“What’s happening? I really don’t understand.”

“Mom, you need treatment.”

“What?”

The men approached and grabbed Sabrina’s arms.

“What is this! Let me go right now!”

Sabrina struggled for a moment, then glared at her daughter as if struck on the back of the head.

“Gabrielle! How could you do this to me!”

“Mom, you have a serious alcohol addiction. You need treatment.”

Gabrielle repeated the same words like a parrot.

“I’ll come visit you often. Please stay healthy. Get good treatment.”

Gabrielle gave her advice firmly and turned her back. As she walked away, a voice filled with rage echoed in her ears.

“You wicked girl! How could you betray me!”

“Betrayal?”

The word pierced Gabrielle’s heart, making her turn around.

“Betrayal?”

Gabrielle asked again in a trembling voice, stepping up to Sabrina.

“Do you have the right to say that? Mom, you’ve always betrayed me.”

“When did I ever…”

“Don’t deny it. I’ve always lived being betrayed. Always.”

Her voice, spat out bitterly, was inevitably tinged with anger and sorrow.

“I tried so hard to be loved. By you, by him. If you hadn’t betrayed me, I wouldn’t have clung to him so desperately, and I wouldn’t have been betrayed.”

Sabrina, frozen at the sight of her daughter like she’d never seen before, reached out her hand.

“Don’t go… Gabby. Please?”

“…….”

“I’m your mother. I love you.”

“Ha…”

Gabrielle let out a hollow laugh and lifted her head. Tears streamed down her cheeks—not from sadness, but from anger. She was furious at her past self for being fooled by such false confessions again and again.

“I love you too, Mom.”

Gabrielle reached out and hugged Sabrina. Sabrina’s eyes sparkled with a glimmer of hope. She was about to say something.

“So get treated and get better. I’m saying this because I love you.”

Gabrielle withdrew her hand coldly, then turned away without looking back.

“Gabrielle! Gabrielle!”

Ignoring the desperate calls behind her, Gabrielle walked quickly away.

She didn’t even know how she managed to leave the garden; Gabrielle searched for her car. But no matter how much she looked around, the car she had parked earlier was nowhere to be seen. Flustered, she looked around, and someone approached from behind.

“Gabrielle.”

“…….”

Gabrielle, frozen, slowly turned around.

“How did you know I was here?”

“Get in my car.”

“Did Chris tell you?”

“You shouldn’t drive today. You’re unstable right now. A staff will drive your car home.”

The answer was roundabout, but sufficient.

“Just stop. Where’s my car?”

“Ten times.”

A low voice cut off her sharp questioning.

“You agreed to meet me. I’m using one of those times.”

“…….”

He was still an unreadable man. Gabrielle calmed her ragged breathing. As she settled down, the exhaustion she had kept at bay flooded in. She felt like she might collapse.

She nodded.

Julian said nothing while driving. Gabrielle also quietly gazed out the window. A peaceful silence immediately followed.

As the car sped along the sunset road, Gabrielle closed her eyes. She only meant to rest for a moment, but when she woke up, the car was already parked in front of her house.

“Gabrielle.”

At the gentle call, Gabrielle slowly opened her eyes.

“How did you know my house? I moved.”

“That…”

“Chris must have told you. Just like he gave you the nursing hospital address.”

Gabrielle interrupted Julian and got out of the car. She confronted Julian, who followed her.

“How did you meet Chris in the first place? Did you have a purpose from the start?”

It was too perfect to be a coincidence, and his obsession with her was also strange. Julian listened calmly to her sharp questioning and replied softly.

“I told you. I came back from hell to see you.”

“What hell!”

He was the man who had left her coldly and without a word.

Betrayal, shame, self-loathing. The whispers and mockery disguised as sympathy from others. She had to bear it all alone.

“Were you kidnapped? Were you locked up and just released now?”

She almost wished that was the case. She hoped he hadn’t abandoned her, but had disappeared due to unavoidable circumstances. But the world went on without a hitch.

“Or did you get some incurable disease? Are you trying to get forgiveness out of guilt?”

He looked a bit worn, but was still healthy. That’s why she couldn’t forgive him. He had left her so coldly, and who knew if he’d been living well or flirting with another woman.

After a long silence, he spoke a single word.

“…Tea.”

“What?”

The voice was so small she couldn’t catch it.

“I want tea.”

“What?”

“I drove you here. I’m tired. I can’t go back right away.”

He spoke as if he was sulking.

“Brew me some tea, Gabrielle.”

He whispered like a puppy abandoned in the rain.

“You’re not in your right mind…”

Gabrielle shook her head and stepped back. But she stopped after only a few steps. The desperate gaze on the back of her head made it impossible to walk away.

If she just turned around and went upstairs, he’d probably stand there stupidly until morning. More than anything, she felt guilty for making him drive for so long. If he ended up collapsing after standing in the cold all night, she’d feel uneasy.

“Just one cup of tea, then go. No more.”

As soon as she gave permission, he nodded quickly, as if afraid she’d change her mind.

* * *

Gabrielle’s house wasn’t big, but it was spacious enough for one person. A small living room and kitchen, with a cozy bedroom attached.

Gabrielle carefully brewed tea leaves and poured the tea into a cup.

“It’s jasmine tea. I don’t know if you’ll like it. You always drank coffee.”

He was a man who always drank coffee so bitter it made his mouth pucker. She knew it well from all their time together.

“Keria Mountain, huh. I like tea. I just didn’t drink it often.”

“…Really?”

Even though they’d been engaged just a few years ago, there was so much she didn’t know.

“How did you know it was from Keria Mountain?”

“I’m from Keria.”

Something felt off. It was a strange, unsettling feeling, like she’d experienced this before. Frowning in confusion—

“Technically, I was an orphan from Keria.”

“An… orphan?”

Gabrielle froze at the unexpected words.

He had landed an executive director position at a solid mid-sized company at a young age. His clothes and manners were all upper-class, so everyone assumed he was from a wealthy family.

That was her first impression, too.

“There was a war. My parents died in it.”

Gabrielle recalled the story he’d once told about his younger sister, who was the same age as her.

“So you grew up in an orphanage…”

“It wasn’t an ordinary orphanage. It was the Cold War era for a long time. Orphans were the most useful tools.”

Tools? What kind of tools?

Her mind was in chaos. It felt like she was standing before a giant box she shouldn’t open. If she reached out and opened the lid, she’d never be able to go back.

Gabrielle, shocked, hesitated about asking more, while Julian finished his tea and stood up.

“My name really is Julian. In Verti, I used the alias Dominic Moore.”

“…….”

“I’ll go now. Thanks for the tea, Gabrielle.”

Julian grabbed his coat and kissed her hand. Gabrielle instinctively pulled away and avoided his gaze.

Through the window, she saw him smiling bitterly. Julian turned and left the house.