He Got Blissfully Married While I Sank Beneath the Waves

Loving Murphy Townsend was a secret Gemma Kirk could never share. Murphy was not just anyone—he was her uncle. She was the cherished rose he nurtured, but he was the forbidden love she could never confess to. Chapter 1 "Dr. Lee, I've decided to participate in the cryogenic experiment. Please sign me up," Gemma Kirk said calmly. On the other end of the line, her professor, Taylor Lee, sounded hesitant. "Gemma, have you really thought this through? I know the cancer diagnosis has been devastating for you, but there's still hope for treatment—" "But it's late-stage lymphoma. It's untreatable," Gemma interrupted. Taylor sighed deeply. "But cryogenic technology isn't fully developed yet. They've never experimented on a living person before. There's a high chance you'll lose your life the moment they freeze you! Please think it over…" Gemma smiled faintly. "Dr. Lee, I've already made up my mind." With that, she hung up. A headline notification had appeared on her phone screen just minutes earlier. The photo showed Evangeline Morris and Murphy Townsend holding hands, and there was a sparkling blue diamond ring on Evangeline's ring finger. Even through the screen, the blue diamond radiated a brilliance that stung Gemma's eyes. She bit her lip hard, but tears still streamed down her face. Today was his birthday, yet the man she loved the most had given the ring she designed to someone else. Did it have to be this way? Did he hate her that much? The steaming dishes on the table grew colder by the minute. As she sat by the dining table, Gemma felt her heart grow as cold as the room. At 2:30 am, the tightly shut door finally creaked open. Murphy entered, bringing with him the chill of the night. "Why are you still awake?" Murphy's expression grew even colder when he saw her. "Didn't I tell you I'd be with Eva tonight and I'd be back late?" Gemma lowered her head, staying silent for a long time before quietly saying, "Happy birthday..." It was late now, even past midnight. So technically, his birthday was already over. "Gemma, what's the point of doing this?" Murphy said impatiently. "Eva is my girlfriend. It's only natural for her to celebrate my birthday with me. Who do you think you are? I'm your uncle! Can't you recognize your place? Whatever improper thoughts you have about me, they disgust me!" With that, he slammed the door as he left. He was probably going back to Evangeline. After all, he just said she was his girlfriend. Gemma kept her head down as she stared at her feet. She whispered so softly it was almost inaudible, "Uncle Murphy, I'm sorry. It won't happen again. This is the last birthday I can spend with you." The room felt freezing, and Gemma could not help but wonder which was colder, the cryo-casket or this empty room? She had always hated the cold. As a child, she would run barefoot in winter while clutching her stuffed bunny just to find her Uncle Murphy and sleep in his bed. Back then, Murphy was kind to her. He would not speak harshly. Instead, he would smile, lift her onto the bed, tell her stories, and lull her to sleep… At this moment, Evangeline posted a photo on social media of her and Murphy holding hands. While wearing the 'Mermaid's Heart' ring that Gemma had designed, she proudly announced to everyone: [We're engaged!] At the same time, Gemma received an electronic consent form from the cryogenic experiment team. She did not sign it immediately. Instead, she called Murphy. The call was rejected, but she tried again. It was declined five times in a row before it finally connected. "What do you want now, Gemma?" Murphy's impatient voice came through the line. Gemma pressed her lips together, her voice soft as she said, "I just wanted to congratulate you." Murphy let out a cold laugh. "I hope you truly mean that." She lowered her eyes. She was silent for a moment before asking, "When's the wedding?" "December 12th," he replied, his tone colder than the harshest winter wind. Those words pierced Gemma's heart like a thousand arrows. After all, December 12th was her birthday. Chapter 2 Gemma's parents passed away when she was very young. An old, tattered newspaper still bore the tragic headline: "Socialite Suffers Mental Breakdown, Stabs Husband Over a Hundred Times While He Sleeps, Then Hangs Herself—Leaves Behind a Five-Year-Old Orphan." She was that five-year-old orphan. On a freezing winter night, she hid in a wardrobe wearing only her pajamas. The cold seeped into her small body until she was nearly numb, but she did not dare come out. It was Murphy who eventually found her and carried her out. "Be good, Gemma. Don't be scared. I'm here. As long as I'm around, no one will ever hurt you," he said gently. She nestled in Murphy's arms, feeling safe for the first time in what felt like forever. Murphy took her home. Perhaps he pitied her tragic circumstances, but he spoiled her endlessly. Whatever she wanted—no matter how impossible—he would give it to her, even if it meant reaching for the stars. In fact, he truly did reach for the stars for her. The horrific death of Gemma's parents left her with severe psychological trauma. During her early days living with Murphy, she clung to him desperately, unable to be apart from him for even a minute. If she lost sight of him, her anxiety attacks would spiral out of control. One quiet night, Murphy carried her onto the rooftop, pointed to the brightest star in the sky, and said, "Gemma, do you see that star? I bought it for you." He handed her a certificate of ownership for the star, then gently tapped her nose and said, "From now on, this star is yours. When I'm not around, the star will watch over you instead." Now, as she stood by the window, Gemma pulled back the curtains, hoping to catch one last glimpse of her star. However, the sky was blanketed with thick clouds, and her star was nowhere to be seen. … The next morning, the head of the cryogenic research team, Andre Freeman, called, asking Gemma to come in for a physical examination. "There's no need for that," Gemma replied with a faint, sorrowful smile. She was already on the brink of death. What good would another examination do? No number of tests would make the cancer disappear. "Ms. Kirk, we need to assess your physical condition to determine the freezing process and the optimal freezing time," Andre explained. "It's also to improve your chances of survival. Please cooperate." Gemma had no reason to refuse, so she got in her car and drove to the facility. After a long day of tests, the physical examination was finally over. Before she left, Andre handed her a thick stack of documents. "The shape of the cryo-casket and its future storage location are customizable. Here's the relevant material for you to review," he explained. Gemma nodded, softly thanked him, and carried the documents back home. When she stepped inside, she noticed that the living room lights were on. Her heart skipped a beat as she thought, 'Is Uncle Murphy back?' Despite how cruelly he had treated her, she still wanted to see him. How pathetic was that? Trying to steady her racing heart, Gemma quickly walked into the living room, only to find Evangeline dressed in a silk slip dress. "Gemma, you're back!" Evangeline greeted her warmly. "Have you eaten dinner yet? Your Uncle Murphy is busy in the kitchen. Let me know what you'd like, and I'll have him make it for you." Her demeanor was every bit that of a lady of the house. A wave of bitterness surged in Gemma's chest. She shook her head and was about to say she was not hungry. Just then, Murphy emerged from the kitchen carrying a freshly prepared dish. "You're just in time," Murphy said. "Eva and I are engaged. Starting today, Eva is the lady of this house. So, from now on, she'll handle everything—big and small." Lowering her head, Gemma replied quietly, "I understand." He had expected Gemma to lash out, but to his surprise, she accepted his words calmly. This unexpected reaction even brought a rare flicker of astonishment to Murphy's usually dark, inscrutable eyes. "Don't be so stern. You're scaring Gemma," Evangeline said playfully. "Come on, Gemma, ignore him. Let's eat." With that, Evangeline grabbed Gemma's arm to pull her toward the dining room. Caught off guard by Evangeline's sudden gesture, Gemma fumbled, and the stack of documents in her arms scattered to the floor. Murphy frowned as he bent down to pick up one of the papers. It was a design sketch of a cryo-casket. His tone turned cold as he demanded, "What's this?" Though her heart pounded in panic, Gemma kept a calm exterior. She casually explained, "It's a cryo-casket design. I'm researching it for a summer project. Before the break, my professor assigned us to freely design a product, so I've decided to create a crystal coffin that can preserve bodies. I printed some materials from the internet as references." She was currently a freshman studying design, so the excuse sounded plausible enough. However, Murphy's expression remained grim. "Gemma, are you insane?" he snapped. Chapter 3 Gemma's parents were also buried by Murphy. On the day of their burial, Gemma locked herself in the wardrobe again. Murphy found her but did not force her to come out. Instead, he opened the wardrobe door and climbed inside to stay with her. "Uncle Murphy, is it as dark and cold inside a coffin as it is here?" she asked with reddened eyes. "I dreamed that Mom told me to join her in the coffin. She said it's cold and lonely being in there all by herself…" "That was just a dream," Murphy reassured her. "Don't be afraid. You're not going anywhere. I won't let anyone take you away from me." She wrapped her arms around Murphy's neck and softly whispered in his ear, "As long as you're with me, I wouldn't even be scared of being in a coffin." … It seemed Murphy still remembered that moment. He had misunderstood. He thought Gemma was using the cryo-casket project as a subtle way to confess her feelings to him again. "Uncle Murphy, if you don't like it, I'll change my design," Gemma said quietly. "It's just a summer project. Don't be upset." Murphy's expression remained cold and silent, but Evangeline chimed in with a smile to ease the tension, "Yes, change it. Coffins are so morbid. You're a young girl, so don't involve yourself in such grim matters. Be more cheerful!" Gemma gathered the scattered documents from the floor. Then, in front of Murphy, she threw them all into the trash. Only then did his expression soften slightly. … Late that night, once everyone was asleep, Gemma crept out of bed and retrieved the documents from the trash. As she returned to her room, Evangeline stepped out of Murphy's bedroom wearing a silk slip dress. Her shoulders and back bore unmistakable marks of intimacy. It was not hard to imagine what she and Murphy had been doing in that room. Gemma forced herself to look away and silently reminded herself over and over, 'Don't look. Don't think about it. She's Uncle Murphy's fiancée. Whatever they do, it's only natural.' Murphy loved her, and she could make him happy. That was all that mattered. "Gemma, why won't you look at me?" Evangeline's eyes glinted with provocation, a stark contrast to her earlier demeanor. "Are you still unable to accept that Murphy loves me and not you?" Gemma lowered her gaze. "No, I've accepted it." "Stop pretending. Do you think I can't see through you?" Evangeline sneered. "The way you look at Murphy is not normal at all. Even though you call him Uncle Murphy, he raised you. Technically, he's more like your foster father. And yet you've fallen in love with your foster father… Gemma, are you mentally unwell?" Gemma bit her lip hard, refusing to respond. Was she… truly broken? It was no wonder Murphy had grown so disgusted with her after learning about her feelings. To the world, this love was nothing but shameful. "I heard the reason you're an orphan is that your mother lost her mind, grabbed a knife in the middle of the night, and stabbed your father over a hundred times—killing him on the spot." Evangeline stepped closer, her words deliberately cruel. "Well, it's no wonder you're mentally unstable. It's hereditary. Your mother was a deranged lunatic, and you're just like her." Gemma could endure Evangeline's insults toward her, but she could not tolerate anyone speaking ill of her deceased parents. "Shut up!" she shouted, lunging forward and grabbing Evangeline by the throat. "You don't know the whole story! You have no right—" Before she could finish, a cold, sharp voice cut through the air. "Gemma, what are you doing?!" Murphy had woken up at some point. He stood in the doorway, his face filled with fury as he glared at Gemma. Chapter 4 Evangeline stumbled weakly, collapsing into Murphy's arms as though she could not stand on her own. With tears brimming in her eyes and a trembling voice, she said, "Murphy, don't blame Gemma. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have come out dressed like this to get some water. "I just thought that it was so late and Gemma would already be asleep, so I didn't bother putting on a robe and just stepped out in my slip dress. But as soon as I opened the door, I ran into Gemma. She saw these marks on me and called me shameless, saying that a woman as indecent as me has no right to be with you." With just a few words, she painted Gemma as a mentally twisted troublemaker who stayed up in the middle of the night. Evangeline said Gemma had eavesdropped outside Murphy's door and, after getting consumed by jealousy, resorted to attacking his fiancée. "She's lying. I didn't insult her," Gemma said with slightly reddened eyes. "She deliberately provoked me by bringing up my parents… And… And she even called my mother mentally deranged!" Back in elementary school, Gemma was bullied by her classmates because of her mother's story. They surrounded her in a circle, throwing trash at her while calling her the child of a madwoman. Murphy had been the one to step in and resolve it back then. Gemma thought that Murphy would surely remember and know she would never lie about something that had caused her so much pain. "Mentally deranged? Gemma, what are you talking about?" Evangeline asked with a bewildered expression. "What happened to your parents? All I know is that they passed away when you were very young. I don't know anything else." Murphy offered Evangeline a few soft words of reassurance before turning to Gemma with a cold, piercing stare. "Gemma, I never thought you'd stoop so low as to say such things just to slander Eva." His voice carried a sharp edge of disappointment. "Eva doesn't know anything. I've never told her about your past." "You didn't tell her, but couldn't she have looked it up online?" Gemma said defensively. "It's not exactly hard to find—" "Enough!" Murphy interrupted her harshly, cutting her off mid-sentence. "Do you think everyone has a malicious heart like you? Always stirring up trouble?" Gemma froze. Malicious heart and constantly stirring up trouble? So, this was how he saw her? At that moment, any explanation she might have offered felt meaningless. "Apologize to Eva. Now," Murphy commanded. His expression was cold and unyielding. Gemma bit her lip and stayed silent. She would not apologize for this. After all, she was not in the wrong. The one who owed her an apology was Evangeline. "I've spoiled you too much," Murphy said, his tone growing colder. "But this time, I won't let it slide. Starting today, you're confined to your room. You won't step out until you've reflected on your behavior and are ready to apologize." For as long as she could remember, Gemma had always been the one Murphy favored and protected. But today, he chose someone else. Locked in her room, Gemma curled up on her bed and hugged her knees to her chest. Even so, she could not shake the cold that seeped into her bones. Her phone vibrated suddenly, breaking the silence. It was a message from the cryogenic experiment team: [Ms. Kirk, your test results are in. Based on our analysis, your optimal freezing window is between the 7th and 21st of next month. Please select a date within this range for the procedure.] Next month was December. Gemma's chest tightened painfully. December… She sat in the darkness for a long time, her hands trembling as she typed in her chosen date: [December 12th.] December 12th was her birthday. It was also the day Murphy would marry Evangeline. She decided she would not attend their wedding. Murphy was already so tired of her presence, so going would only make things worse for them. Instead, she would leave quietly without disturbing anyone ever again. Chapter 5 The new month was approaching quickly, and Gemma's time was running out. There was still so much she needed to do, and she refused to waste her precious remaining days confined to her room. So, the once-proud young woman lowered her head. She approached Murphy, biting her lip as she apologized, "Uncle Murphy, I've thought it through. It was all my fault. I'm sorry." However, Murphy's expression remained cold. The tender indulgence he once held for her was gone. "I'm not the one you should apologize to—it's Eva." Her lip bled as she bit down harder, and the metallic taste filled her mouth. In that bitter moment, she realized the warmth and affection he used to reserve for her had long since been given to another woman. "Fine, I'll apologize to her!" she said, her voice trembling as her entire body shook with emotion. She turned to Evangeline and choked out, "I'm sorry, Aunt Eva." The term "Aunt Eva" made Murphy freeze for a moment. His dark eyes flickered briefly, as though he could not believe what he had just heard. "Is that enough now, Uncle Murphy?" Gemma asked with a self-deprecating smile. But as she forced herself to smile, tears welled up in her eyes. "Are you satisfied?" Murphy should have felt content, but for some reason, hearing his cherished rose apologize and call Evangeline "Aunt Eva" left a bitter taste in his mouth. He responded with cold detachment while avoiding her gaze. "From now on, you'll move downstairs." Gemma was momentarily stunned but quickly understood his reasoning—he believed Evangeline's accusations. She thought to herself, 'Uncle Murphy, do you really think I'm the kind of person who would stand outside your bedroom door to eavesdrop on you and another woman? Is that how you see me?' A wave of cold swept over Gemma again. Her vision spun, and she nearly collapsed, but she steadied herself against the wall. She bit her lip to keep from falling. "Fine," she said quietly. If Murphy wanted her to move downstairs, she would. After all, she only had a few days left to live. … Later that evening, Gemma drove to the cryogenic experiment lab. She needed to discuss where her cryo-casket would be stored after the procedure. "I read in the materials that you have cryo-casket storage facilities under the sea. Is that true?" Gemma asked. "Of course," Andrea replied. "In fact, most of our cryo-casket storage facilities are underwater. Maintaining the sub-zero temperatures necessary for long-term storage requires enormous energy on land. But under the sea, the naturally low temperatures significantly reduce energy consumption." "That's perfect," Gemma said with a smile. "I want my cryo-casket stored at the bottom of the sea." "May I ask why?" Still smiling, Gemma replied, "Because the stars can't find me there." Murphy had gifted her a star. He once told her that no matter where she went, the star would follow her, always watching over her in his place. Yet now, Murphy did not care for her anymore. Plus, she was about to die. It was too sad to let the star guard an unloved corpse. So, she decided to give the star its freedom—by sinking to a place where it could not see her. She would quietly disappear without burdening anyone or anything. To avoid seeing Evangeline, Gemma deliberately stayed out late, only returning home when she thought everyone would be asleep. However, when she arrived, the villa was brightly lit. Murphy sat in the living room, his face full of anger as he waited for her. "Uncle Murphy, what's wrong?" Gemma asked, feigning confusion. She had no idea what she had done this time. She had spent the entire day away from the house. Murphy threw a stack of documents onto the floor in front of her, barely containing his fury as he demanded, "Gemma, explain to me what this is!" Gemma looked down, and among the scattered papers, she saw her cancer diagnosis. Chapter 6 "Why'd you go through my things?" Gemma panicked as she avoided Murphy's question entirely. "I'm 18 now. You can't just barge into my room and rummage through my stuff!" Murphy's expression darkened as he slammed the ashtray on the table. "Is that the main point here?!" The ashtray hit the floor with a dull thud, and Gemma flinched in fear. "Gemma, you've misunderstood your uncle." At the height of the tension, Evangeline stepped in with a false air of concern. "He didn't go into your room. It's my fault. I didn't have any clean clothes, and the ones I wore yesterday… Well, they got ruined by your Uncle Murphy…" She blushed, feigning shyness as she paused for effect before continuing, "I had nothing to wear, so I went into your room to borrow an old outfit of yours. But while looking, I accidentally came across this cancer diagnosis on your desk." She was lying. Gemma had locked the cancer diagnosis away on the very first day she received it. Yet in Evangeline's story, it sounded as if Gemma had deliberately left the diagnosis in plain sight, waiting for them to find it. "Gemma, you're so young. How could you possibly have cancer?" Evangeline clutched her chest, her expression a delicate mix of sorrow and beauty. "Be honest with me. Is this diagnosis real, or is it some cruel prank?" Gemma turned to Murphy, realizing for the first time that his gaze held more anger than concern. Clearly, Evangeline had whispered enough poison in his ear before she got home. Murphy did not believe she was sick; he thought she was pretending to have cancer just to get his attention. Gemma thought maybe it was better this way. At least her secret would remain hidden. "It's a prank," she admitted softly. "I was just messing around with my friends. I didn't expect you to find it and—" Before she could finish, Murphy, who had been sitting silently on the couch with a grim expression, stood up abruptly. "We're going to the hospital right now for tests." Whether it was a prank or not, the hospital would reveal the truth. "Uncle Murphy…" Gemma protested weakly. She did not want to go. Yet one cold, piercing look from Murphy crushed her resistance. She knew him well enough to understand there was no escaping this. By the time they arrived at the hospital, it was midnight. Normally, no departments except the emergency room would take patients at this hour. However, Murphy had called the hospital director beforehand. Unwilling to offend someone as powerful as Murphy, the director arranged for a team of doctors to conduct a full examination on Gemma. Cancer tests would take at least two hours to yield results. For Gemma, every second of those two hours was sheer torment. She could not help but wonder—if Murphy found out she was dying, would he feel sad for her? Or was she merely a burden to him now? A jealous, twisted nuisance he could not wait to be rid of? She did not know how long she waited, but eventually, the doctor came out with the results. "Mr. Townsend, the tests are complete. Ms. Kirk is in excellent health. She doesn't have cancer at all." Gemma was stunned. After all that agonizing waiting, this was the result she received? She turned sharply to look at Evangeline. She did not need to guess to know that this had to be one of her manipulative schemes. "Oh, thank goodness." Evangeline exhaled a long breath, her tone one of exaggerated relief. "So, it was just a prank? Gemma's fine… Murphy and I can finally stop worrying." Murphy said nothing. He looked at Gemma intently, his gaze lingering as if he was seeing something for the first time. Gemma's face was deathly pale, completely devoid of color. The cherished rose he had nurtured so carefully seemed to be wilting right before his eyes. Chapter 7 "Although there's no sign of cancer, Ms. Kirk is currently in poor health and severely malnourished," the doctor said, as if sensing Murphy's doubts. He added calmly, "Has she been dieting to lose weight recently? It's normal for young women to want to look their best, but extreme dieting is harmful—especially for someone like Ms. Kirk. Her health is already seriously affected. "Look at how pale her face is. No wonder you mistook it for something as serious as cancer." Murphy's expression darkened immediately. Gemma had not been eating properly recently, which was not surprising. She was sick, after all, and Murphy was cold and dismissive toward her. She felt unwanted. How could she be in the mood to eat well? Yet in Murphy's eyes, this painted a very different picture. "You've gone so far as to destroy your health just to fake an illness and deceive me?" His gaze turned icy, cold enough to freeze the heat of summer. "What's your goal? To make me pity you and agree to be with you? Gemma, wake up!" "That's not true…" Tears slipped uncontrollably down her cheeks. She knew he would not believe her, but she still tried to deny it, saying, "I really didn't do that." Her denial, however, seemed feeble in the face of the evidence. Murphy looked at her with deep disappointment. "How did I raise you to become like this?" At that moment, Gemma felt as though her heart had been pierced by a thousand arrows. Murphy left her alone at the hospital as he walked away with his arm around Evangeline. For the next week, he did not speak a word to her. Gemma tried several times to mend their relationship, but each attempt ended in failure. It was not until the day before Murphy and Evangeline's wedding that she spoke to him again. "Uncle Murphy, you're getting married tomorrow. Are you still unwilling to talk to me?" Gemma's long lashes cast faint shadows under her sorrowful eyes, her expression filled with sadness. Murphy's gaze remained cold. "Have you given up yet?" Gemma's eyes reddened as she nodded. "Yes, I have. I swear I'm not lying this time." This time, she truly was not lying—because she would soon be gone. Once she was gone, surely, her heart would give up too. Murphy glanced at her tearful eyes, clearly skeptical of her words. Nonetheless, he softened. After all, she was the rose he had nurtured. How could he truly ignore her forever? "Come to the wedding tomorrow and sincerely give us your blessing. If you do that, I'll forgive you," Murphy said coldly. "Don't try any tricks. I'm marrying Eva no matter what you do, and nothing will change that!" Gemma kept her gaze down. "I won't make a scene." Her calm, submissive demeanor pricked at his heart. An inexplicable irritation swept over him, and he turned his gaze away, unable to look at her any longer. At that moment, Gemma spoke up again, "Uncle Murphy, I'll attend your wedding, but could I ask for one thing after it's over?" Murphy and Evangeline's wedding was a garden-style ceremony, with all events expected to conclude by noon. "Tomorrow is my birthday. You've always spent my birthday with me. Could you celebrate it with me one last time? "I know it's selfish to ask this on your wedding day, but I won't interfere with the ceremony. Just come by at 4:00 pm when everything's over and have a slice of cake with me. Just wish me a happy birthday—that's all I'm asking for." Her request was so humble that Murphy could not bring himself to refuse. In a stiff tone, he gave a curt, "Fine." Gemma barely slept that night. She lay awake until dawn, then got up, dressed carefully, and prepared to attend Murphy's wedding. Chapter 8 The wedding was lively, filled with notable elites and socialites who came to celebrate. Dressed in a voluminous, grand wedding gown, Evangeline leaned happily into Murphy's embrace. Murphy wore a sleek black suit that day. "Uncle Murphy looks so handsome," Gemma thought. He was mature, composed, and exuded an air of elegance, seemingly untouched by time. Thirteen years had passed, yet he looked just as he did when he carried her out of the wardrobe—still so handsome and dashing. Her gaze lingered on him, and she was unable to look away. She watched him with a quiet longing for several moments before finally stepping forward to present the wedding gift she had prepared. "Uncle Murphy, congratulations on your marriage," she said sincerely. She truly wished him happiness and peace in the future. Murphy accepted the gift and took a deep look at Gemma. He did not say a word, but something unspoken stirred within his eyes. It was an emotion he could not allow to surface, and he left it to roil beneath his composed exterior. However, Gemma did not notice it. After giving her gift, she slipped quietly away from the wedding. She was a coward. She simply did not have the courage to witness her Uncle Murphy marrying Evangeline with her own eyes. She was sorry, but she was not strong enough for that. She truly wished Uncle Murphy well, but she could never bring herself to accept Evangeline. After leaving the wedding, Gemma went to the cemetery to lay one final bouquet of flowers on her parents' graves. "Mom, I think I finally understand why you chose to end your life," she murmured softly. "Being alive is so painful. But why didn't you take me with you? You hated Dad so much, but you took him with you. You always said you loved me the most, yet you left me here alone." The world felt so vast, yet she had never felt more alone. It seemed as though no one had ever truly chosen her, loved her unwaveringly, or refused to abandon her—not even her mother. "Well, it doesn't matter. You didn't love me that much, and as my foster father, Uncle Murphy has already done more than enough. If you're watching over me from above, don't bless me. Bless him instead." With that, Gemma leaned down and kissed her parents' tombstones before turning to leave. She went to a restaurant alone and waited patiently for Murphy to join her for her final birthday. In the distance, fireworks lit up the sky. Even from so far away, she could clearly see the words sparkling in the explosions: "Congratulations, Murphy and Evangeline on your wedding!" Daytime fireworks. How extravagant. It was extravagant but romantic. Murphy was truly the kind of man who would shower the woman he loved with the utmost adoration. It was just unfortunate that the woman he loved… would never be her. Time passed slowly. The wedding remained lively in the distance, and even in the restaurant, people were enthusiastically discussing it. They talked about how Evangeline's wedding dress was worth millions as it was adorned with real diamonds and how Murphy adored her so much that he spent a fortune hiring her favorite singer to perform at the ceremony. Gemma listened quietly. The world was so noisy, yet she sat here all alone in silence and solitude. Finally, it was 3:00 pm. "Uncle Murphy should be coming soon, right?" she thought to herself. At 4:00 pm, the agreed-upon time had arrived, but there was still no sign of him. Maybe something had delayed him? At 5:00 pm, the wedding had long since ended, and even the chatter about it in the restaurant had faded. Gemma still waited, but Murphy never appeared. Her phone vibrated suddenly, displaying a notification. It was a post from Evangeline's social media: [The wedding is over, and the honeymoon begins. First stop: Prudenz. We'll be leaving now!] Beneath the caption was a photo of two overlapping plane tickets. The top ticket was Evangeline's, and there was no doubt who the bottom ticket belonged to. The flight was scheduled to depart at 5:30 pm. At that moment, Gemma finally understood—Murphy was not coming. The cake on the table had already started to melt. Gemma picked it up and, like a soulless puppet, mechanically brought a piece to her mouth. Why was the frosting salty? It did not taste good at all… She forced herself to finish the entire thing, paid the bill, and walked out of the restaurant. "Gemma, unhappy birthday to you. May you find peace in death." Those were the birthday wishes she gave herself. She drove to the cryogenic experiment facility. Inside, the staff were already in position, waiting for her arrival. Her birthday had gone uncelebrated, but at least there were people present to see her off into death—even if they were strangers. Gemma thought for a moment, then pulled a letter from her bag and handed it to Andre. "If someone comes looking for me, give them this letter. If no one does… just throw it away." It was not anything important anyway. Andre accepted the letter. "I'll take care of it." With that, Gemma turned and walked step by step toward the casket that awaited her. She climbed inside, just as she used to hide in the wardrobe whenever her parents fought. The confined space of the wardrobe had made her feel safe. The world was so vast, so complicated. She simply could not handle it. So, she chose to return to her "wardrobe". "All systems ready. Begin cooling!" At Andre's command, the cold began to envelop her. In an instant, Gemma lost consciousness. "Goodbye, Uncle Murphy. I wish you a happy marriage."