Faded love 25

Chapter 25 

85 

Sybil froze, then composed a perfect smile. 

“Mrs. Gu, you finally decided to come.” 

I walked onto the stage, gaze steady. 

“Yes. 

I’ve been alive three years. I suppose it’s time to see the sun.” 

The smile felt stiff on my face. 

I turned to the press. 

“You want the truth?” 

They surged forward. 

“Mrs. Gu, why did you fake your death?” 

“What happened between you and Mr. Zhou?” 

“Was it love-or money?” 

I looked into the cameras and smiled faintly. 

“I faked my death because of the surgery.” 

Silence fell. 

“That day I was hemorrhaging. 

The doctors said if we continued, I would die. 

He signed- 

to terminate the pregnancy. 

In that moment, my child was gone. 

My marriage, too.” 

I paused, letting my gaze rest on the lenses- 

my tone calm but cutting. 

“From that day on, I died under the surgical light. 

But unfortunately, reason saved me- 

and made me live three more years.” 

The room erupted. 

Sybil’s face drained of color. 

“Mrs. Gu, your emotions are unstable,” she said with a brittle smile. “Perhaps you aren’t-” 

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“Am not what?” I cut in. 

“Not allowed a voice? 

Not allowed the truth? 

Not allowed my own life?” 

My breath hitched. 

In that moment a commotion rose outside the hall. 

Reporters turned; the crowd parted. 

Rory appeared. 

Hospital gown, black coat thrown over it, 

his steps unsteady- 

but his eyes cold as a midnight sea. 

I froze. 

He walked up to the stage. 

Every flash died in his presence. 

Sybil stepped forward. “Mr. Zhou, why are you here? Your health-” 

He lifted a hand and cut her off. 

“Shut up.” 

His voice was low and hoarse, but icy. 

The room fell silent. 

He came to my side and slowly took my hand. 

“I’m not mad,” he said to the cameras. 

“I am the madness.” 

The reporters stared. 

“She faked her death because I signed that paper. 

I killed my child. 

I forced myself to live. 

For three years I thought reason could fix everything- 

but all it built was a grave.” 

He smiled- 

and the smile tasted of blood. 

“I ruined myself. 

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So I’ll use what’s left of me 

to pay it back.” 

He reached for the recorder on the table- 

Sybil’s prop, prepared in advance- 

and pressed play. 

: 

“Ms. Man, what we need is footage of Mrs. Gu losing it. That’s what gets clicks.” 

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure I ‘break down.”” 

The voices were from Sybil’s assistant. 

The room exploded. 

Sybil’s face collapsed; her voice shook. “That’s not real! It’s fabricated-” 

“Enough,” Rory said coldly. 

“I’ve already filed copies with the police. 

85 

You weaponized the media to smear her, forged evidence, interfered with company finances- 

Sybil, you didn’t just destroy me. 

You destroyed her.” 

Flashes stitched the space into white. 

Reporters fired questions in a frenzy. 

Sybil crumpled. 

As security dragged her off the stage, she screamed, “I lied to you! I never loved you!” 

He didn’t look at her. 

He turned and looked at me. 

“Now you can go,” he said softly. 

“I’ve finished being mad for you.” 

I stared at him, the world awash in tears. 

“Is this atonement?” 

He shook his head. 

“This is goodbye.” 

After the press conference. 

Chapter 25 

11:42 Sat, Oct 18 

I stood alone in the corridor.