Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

All my common sense flew out the window when I was with Emily.

When I woke up, she was gone.

I stepped out of the tent and saw my bike was missing too. Panic set in.

Emily had just learned to ride a bike that day, and she wasn't great at it. It was late, and the road was all downhill. I grabbed another bike and took off after her.

Halfway down, I finally spotted Emily. She had fallen, but luckily, it was just a minor spill.

I went to hug her, but she pushed me away. She looked disappointed in me.

I didn't want her to feel that way. I told her I wanted to marry her, that it wasn't just because we had slept together. But she didn't seem to buy it.

To her, we had only met a few times. How could I convince her I was serious about marrying her?

We were both past the age of fairy tales. Emily couldn't possibly believe in love at first sight. I didn't dare tell her about the past, didn't dare let her know I had been in love with her for years.

So I brought up Martin. His illness and wishes were real; I wasn't lying to Emily. At least it made her believe I was serious. But when it came to expressing love, I was cautious.

Honestly, I didn't even know if my long-standing feelings for Emily were love. I didn't know if the thrill I felt when I saw her was love. At that moment, I was conflicted but serious. I wasn't sure if I could provide her with a sense of security. But if I didn't keep her close, I couldn't rest easy. I hoped to find a balance.

I didn't know what she felt for me, but I hoped she would grow fond of me over time.

Emily asked why it had to be her. I said because she was pure.

There was one more thing I didn't tell her: because she was the one and only Emily.

We got a marriage license, and she moved into my place. Even though we slept in separate rooms, just having her under the same roof made me feel content.

Every night after that, when I drove home, the living room lights were on.

I rolled down the car window and looked at the living room, lost in thought.

For so many years, every time I came back to this house, it was dark and cold. But from the day we got married, everything changed.

Emily and I sat on the couch and chatted for a while.

She said she wanted to find a job. She said if one day I met someone I truly liked, she would willingly divorce me.

But she was the one I truly liked, yet I had my concerns and couldn't say it out loud.

Lying in bed at night, even though we were separated by a wall, I felt particularly at ease.

It was a sense of peace I hadn't felt in years.

I took her shopping for clothes and shoes, trying to make up for her materially as much as I could.

On the way home, we came across a wedding.

People said a woman was most beautiful on the day she wore her wedding dress.

At that moment, many fantasies filled my mind. I imagined how beautiful Emily would look in a wedding dress. If I were the one holding her hand, I would feel like the happiest person in the world. However, I couldn't give her a wedding. I couldn't publicly announce that Emily was my wife.

The more high-profile I was, the more dangerous it would be for her.

When I told her I couldn't give her a wedding for now, I could see the disappointment in Emily's eyes.

I thought, 'Maybe one day when I could let go of all my burdens, I would give her the wedding she wanted.'

I hoped that when that day came, we would still be young. Even if we were no longer young, Emily would still be the most beautiful bride in my heart.

Although there was no banquet, we still had a meal at home with my friends and her only friend as guests.

She cooked, and I went into the kitchen to help her.

I felt that cooking together was a kind of happiness.

The atmosphere that night was originally very good, but I didn't expect that when Emily went to get my jacket, she would also bring down that guitar.

I hadn't touched the guitar in many years because it easily awakened my guilt and remorse for Fiona.

Seeing the guitar made me furious. I wasn't mad at her for touching it; I was more pissed at myself.

It wasn't until Emily cautiously apologized that I realized I might have scared her.

That night, as I held her while we slept, I could feel how tense she was.

In the following days, things were tense between Emily and me, until one night when a few friends invited us to our usual bar.

That day, when I smashed a bottle over a guy's head in the bar, it felt really good.

That guy, who spent his days doing nothing and often causing trouble at the bar, left a strong impression on me, even though I didn't know his name and didn't care to. He had been making advances toward Fiona while she was still alive. On that day, after having a few drinks, he started talking nonsense and, most importantly, he insulted Fiona.

Even though Fiona had been gone for years, I wouldn't let anyone talk trash about her.

Even if fighting couldn't change anything or bring her back, I still wouldn't allow it, no way.

But when I saw Emily rushing towards me, I knew there was danger.

Luckily, the bottle ended up hitting my head, not hers. I was relieved and touched. I knew that in that moment when she rushed over, Emily didn't have time to think. So did that mean she already had feelings for me? I must have looked like an idiot, grinning like that.

Everyone thought I approached Emily because of Fiona. But the real reason was known only to me.

I sensed Emily's unease. I didn't know how to explain it to her, as there were many things from the past that I couldn't clearly tell her.

I understood that women needed to feel secure. When Fiona was with me, she probably felt a lack of it too. I reassured Emily with a gentle kiss. I told her that ever since she came into my life, the house felt like a home. I loved watching her busy in the kitchen, and I said I truly wanted to spend my life with her.

I couldn't tell her she was the woman of my dreams from many years ago, but I hoped Emily could read my feelings from my words.

That night, I used my injured hand as an excuse to get Emily to help me wash up. I admit my intentions weren't pure.

At that moment, we were both filled with desire. But then Martin called and interrupted everything, tricking us into going to Greenfield Village overnight.

When I realized Martin had tricked us, I was really frustrated.

It wasn't until that night, with my gentle persuasion and a bit of seduction, that we finally became intimate.

Emily was very inexperienced in bed, and she was very nervous. Actually, I was nervous too. I wanted to sleep with her, but I was afraid I wouldn't perform well, and I was also afraid she would strongly reject me. Fortunately, she gradually adapted to me, moving from nervousness to acceptance, and from acceptance to enjoyment.

She felt guilty about it, indirectly indicating that she hadn't fully accepted the fact that we were married. She needed time, and I could understand that.

That night, I saw the name "Seagull" on her phone and realized she had been in contact with Jason. Her Facebook name was "Fish Looking Up at Seagull." But I guessed she didn't know that Seagull was Jason.

The next day, I immediately registered a new Facebook account, named "Cat Who Loves Fish," to flirt with that "Fish Looking Up at Seagull."

Cats and fish had a hunter-prey relationship; I thought the name was perfect!

Those two days in Greenfield Village were probably the most relaxed and pleasant days we had. Away from the city's hustle and bustle, away from worldly troubles, we sought peace and romance in nature.

I carried Emily down the mountain, and she quietly held onto my neck, pressing against my back. At that moment, my heart was filled with a gentle happiness. I wondered if she felt the same.

I knew Martin would definitely like her because Martin liked girls who were simple, kind, family-oriented, and hardworking.

We originally planned to stay in Greenfield Village for a week, but Derek from Starlight Times suddenly called. I thought he must have found what I wanted. So I decided to return to Starlight City the next day.

On our last night in Greenfield Village, Martin handed me an invitation.

Martin used to be the director of Grace Hospital and had some connections with Xavier from Benevolence Hospital. This time, Xavier was celebrating his daughter Vivian's wedding and specifically invited Martin to attend. Martin didn't want to get involved in drinking, so he asked us to go on his behalf.

Looking at the names on the invitation, I was surprised to see that Vivian's fiancé was none other than Arthur. At first, I was astonished by the coincidence, but then I started making plans.