When I arrived at the hospital, I discovered Skylar had broken her hand on set.
She was now curled up in Gabriel’s arms, looking fragile and pitiful.
“It’s not a big deal, Gabriel. I was distracted reading the news and missed a step,” she said softly,
Gabriel’s brow furrowed with concern. “Was it news about Sonia?”
Skylar gave a tiny nod. “Don’t blame Sonia for this. I wore a necklace that was meant for her, so this is on me.”
“I understand if she wants to get back at me. I just feel terrible that you got fired from So’She because of all this.”
“And now she’s even suspicious of you just for taking care of me.”
Gabriel sighed, his expression a mix of exasperation and tenderness:
“Silly girl, remember when I couldn’t swim and fell into that river? You saved my life.”
“To repay that debt, I’d do anything for you.”
Standing outside the half–closed door, I watched through the crack as his face softened with an affection he hadn’t shown me in ages.
It was hard to believe this was the same man who, just an hour ago, had raged at me and nearly struck me.
Hearing his words, Skylar’s eyes filled with tears. She clutched his shirt and straightened up.
‘Is that… the only reason? Just repaying a debt?”
Gabriel’s eyes shifted momentarily, but he quickly pulled her back into his.embrace.
Closing his eyes, he let out a long, regretful sigh:
‘Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I’d never met Sonia.”
‘Would we be different? Would we have fallen in love and gotten married in that small town?”
‘Me with my designs, you with your singing–maybe we’d have lived in obscurity, but no one would have been happier than us.”
‘I think about it every day, every night, even in my dreams.”
He gripped Skylar’s shoulders, his eyes burning with love that stabbed through my heart.
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Nine Years Wasted–Now I’m Marrying Your Rival
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Chapter 4
“Skylar, do you know? Sometimes when I’m holding her, kissing her, even when we’re in bed together–you’re all I
I can think about.”
Hearing this, nausea rose in my throat.
So all along, his heart never belonged to me. His kindness, his love–all of it was fake.
All he cared about was my family’s status and power.
I covered my mouth, fighting the sick feeling, desperate to flee, but my eyes refused to look away.
Skylar blushed, trying to escape his intense gaze:
“Don’t joke like that, Gabriel. I know I could never compare to Sonia.”
“Without her, your talent might never have been discovered.”
“I’d rather see you reach greater heights, showing your brilliance to the whole world, than live in obscurity.”
“No, you don’t understand,” Gabriel angrily cut her off.
“Do you know what they call me out there? A ‘kept man,‘ someone who succeeded because of a woman…”
“The talent and brilliance you talk about means nothing to them.”
“The truth is, even without marrying her, I had the ability to reach where I am today.”
“Sonia only cares about money, fame, social status, and position. She doesn’t appreciate true artistic beauty. In her eyes, my work is just a product of money. My efforts are wasted, and my achievements are ultimately overshadowed by her.”
“She violates my rights as a human being, making me work day and night on designs. The second I don’t follow her
wishes, she shuts me out.”
“She wants to destroy my reputation? She wants me to admit I’m nothing without the So family?”
“I refuse to give her that satisfaction! I’ll make my name known worldwide and leave Sonia and her entire family
beneath my feet!”
Every accusation felt like a knife.
Yet he never mentioned how I hustled to make his designs reality–building relationships, finding collaborators.
To bring his art to life, I bought from the best mines, bid on the finest gems, regardless of cost, always seeking
perfection and uniqueness.
I handled the networking he hated, took the business meetings he didn’t want.
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Nine Years Wasted–Now I’m Marrying Your Rival
Chapter 4
I insisted his name alone appear on all his creations.
I supported his jewelry exhibitions, funded his personal studio, backed his artistic pursuits.
Even those long nights at the company happened because he claimed he wanted to be near me, to spend every day by my side.
How did I become the controlling villain who exploited him, suppressed him, and tainted his “pure art” with the filth of fame and fortune?
How did my family’s investment of money and resources transform us into monsters bent on his destruction?
Rage boiled inside me. All the emotions I’d been suppressing exploded as I kicked the door wide open:
“Fine! You want to prove yourself to everyone? Here’s your chance.”
“From this moment, you have absolutely no connection to So’She. And we’re getting divorced!”
