Gideon easily pried open her lips, his tongue driving in, capturing every inch as if he wanted to crush her into his very bones and blood.

Luna’s arms naturally wrapped around his neck as she tilted her head back to return the kiss.

Outside the window, heavy snow fell, weighing down the branches.

Silver-white specks of light danced across the sky.

Leaving only a room filled with passion.

A week later.

Luke stormed into the President's office and asked with exasperation, "I heard from Xavier that you two got a divorce?"

Gideon didn't even look up. "Who?"

"Luna, of course. Who else would you divorce?"

He gave a flat hum of affirmation.

Luke was completely bewildered. Didn't they love each other deeply? Weren't all the misunderstandings cleared up?

Why still get a divorce!

His delicate features turned slightly red with anger, and he plopped down into a chair as if he had no intention of leaving. "Gideon, tell me, what can't be resolved properly? Is it really necessary to go as far as divorce?"

"You don't understand." His voice was very flat, seemingly devoid of emotion.

"If I understood, would I be asking you? You aren't even afraid of death, yet you're afraid to admit you love her?"

At this, Gideon finally looked up slightly, his lips curving into a faint smile. "No, I am afraid of death. But Luna and I are in a deadlock. She cannot forgive herself for me being so badly injured because of her; and I cannot forgive myself for doing so many things to hurt her just because of a few words from others."

In truth, Luna was not wrong, and neither was he.

It was just that fate had played a joke on them.

Chapter 57: Waiting for Her Return

Gideon seemed to recall something and paused before saying, "Do you understand now?"

"Still... don't understand."

"When the time is right, she will come back."

Luke sighed and said, "The orphanage called to say the new building is finished. Do you want to go take a look?"

Only a very few people knew that after the accident over a decade ago, the new orphanage was built with investment from the Cook family.

Gideon was the largest shareholder.

Whether the matter was big or small, the director would notify him.

"No need."

After Luke left, Gideon looked out the window.

That night, Luna told him that during the six months she was in a coma, she had a very long dream.

A dream that was blissfully happy to the extreme, yet also painful to the extreme.

He had been hurting her from the beginning, leaving her in an empty house thinking it was her punishment, never imagining that he was the one being tortured.

During the three years of marriage, the reason he was unwilling to return to that home was simply that he was afraid of seeing her, afraid of the emotions suppressed in his heart growing wildly.

He was supposed to hate her.

Yet, he didn't know when it began—every time he returned and saw that she had prepared a meal but had fallen asleep at the table; when she clearly wanted to speak to him but didn't dare; when she gritted her teeth and persisted even while ill, only to collapse on the floor...

Gideon’s heart had long since lost its calm.

He didn't understand why she would degrade herself so much, nor did he know when he had fallen in love with her. He thought this would be a marriage without feelings.

He never expected that, in the end, he would lose all rationality.

All he had to do now was wait for her return.

Knock, knock—

Xavier pushed the door open and entered, saying respectfully, "Sir, Serena says she wants to see you."

Gideon withdrew his gaze, his voice sparse and cold. "Are you becoming more incompetent as you get older?"

Xavier was startled and quickly answered "yes" before retreating.

He shouldn't have done Serena a favor out of pity.

Mea culpa, mea culpa.

On the other side, Serena, who was under house arrest, completely collapsed onto the floor upon hearing that Gideon wouldn't even see her, as if she had fallen into a cold abyss.

House arrest was not her punishment; Gideon’s attitude was the greatest punishment of all!

Serena still didn't understand which part had gone wrong. Over these three years, she had clearly laid all the groundwork.

In the eyes of others, Luna was a person with a poisonous heart who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals.

She had also bribed the servants around Gideon’s grandfather to intentionally or unintentionally mention that the old Master's death was unusual, and she herself had mentioned the Ugly Duckling to Gideon many times...

But why did Gideon still fall in love with Luna?

She would never understand this question, even in death.

Because she had no heart; from start to finish, she only desperately wanted to obtain things that did not belong to her. Some essential nature within her had quietly changed the moment she took two lives.

...

The sky after six o'clock was already very dark, as if it were about to press down at any moment.

The streetlights had long been lit, casting long shadows.

The black sedan drove through the iron gates and stopped. Gideon got out and went straight to open the front door.

The lights were off, and the room was freezing.

The person who would cook for him and always leave a light on for his return, no matter how late, was no longer there.

He went upstairs to the study and took two items out of a drawer.

One was the ugly doll, and the other... was the ring Luna had thrown away before she jumped.

Chapter 58: Fortunately, You Are Still Here

He remembered her saying that she didn't regret meeting him in this life, but if there was a next life, she didn't want to meet him again.

At that time, he had suddenly laughed.

Whether it be love or hate.

They were meant to be entangled for lifetimes; her next life would also be his.

But in the hospital, seeing her lying lifelessly on the bed, he suddenly felt that being alive wasn't so bad.

At least he could still look at her.

Two months later.

Gideon was processing documents in his office when Xavier knocked softly and entered, looking somewhat troubled. "Sir, news just came from DUR that they want to cancel the cooperation."

This cooperation should have been finalized two months ago, but for some reason, it had been delayed until now.

But a sudden cancellation would result in significant losses for them.

Hearing this, Gideon didn't look up, only giving a flat hum of acknowledgment.

Xavier answered and was about to leave when he took a phone call. After a few seconds of silence in the air.

He said, "Sir, DUR has sent more news. They say they have the contract ready, but the location is to be decided by them, and you need to go there personally."

Gideon looked up slightly, somewhat impatient.

"Sir, they also said... there is a grand gift for you after the signing." Fine beads of sweat appeared on Xavier’s brow; for all these years, no one had ever been able to play with the Cook Group in circles like this.

"Sir, are we going?"

Gideon let out a cold laugh. "Why wouldn't we go?"

The signing location set by DUR was in an open space behind an old church. The originally empty area was now covered in a layer of white snow; everywhere one looked was a vast expanse of white.

A cold wind blew, and a few plum blossoms fell from the branches, swaying in the air for a moment before gently landing on the snow, blooming silently.

It was breathtakingly beautiful.

When Luna arrived, Gideon was standing under the plum tree—one cold and noble, the other enchanting and soul-stirring.

He had caught a plum blossom in his hand and was looking down, lost in thought.

During this period, she had traveled to many places and heard many stories.

The knot in her heart had gradually been untied.

In this world, there are many ways to love and many different answers.

In fact, she was very lucky; the heavens had used another way to witness her love. If not for her rebirth, she and Gideon might have ended up like that in this life.

But at least now, they still had countless possibilities.

Gideon turned around, his indifferent eyes momentarily stunned, his frame stiffening slightly.

Luna’s eyes crinkled with a smile. She took two steps forward and reached out her hand toward him. "Hello, Mr. Cook. I am the signing representative for DUR. I am in full charge of this cooperation."

Gideon didn't take her hand. He took a step forward and held her tightly in his arms, his voice filled with the joy of regaining something lost. "You're back."

"Yes, I'm back." Luna wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest.

Perhaps they had once had many misunderstandings and had hurt and tortured each other.

But they never changed their deep love for one another.

Although she didn't know what would happen in the future, as long as Gideon was by her side, she feared nothing.

After experiencing so much, and after two lifetimes of rebirth, after all the twists and turns, fortunately, you are still here.

"Mr. Cook, don't you want your signing gift package?"

"Aren't you it?"

Luna’s face turned slightly red. Just as she was about to say something, she discovered that a ring had been slipped onto her finger at some unknown point.

Gideon’s lips turned up, his voice low and soft. "Welcome back, Mrs. Cook."

"And congratulations on becoming a father soon, Mr. Cook."

—END—