Chapter 4

In my memory, Gideon was an orphan, so poor that he relied on student loans and part-time jobs to get through college. When he started college, he only had an old phone, and his meals were just plain buns.

He couldn't afford a hearing aid, struggled to communicate, and was often alone. As class president, I felt sorry for him and bought him his first hearing aid.

After graduation, even with a job, Gideon was still broke. He was so poor that my parents didn't want me to marry him.

But I went ahead and got the marriage certificate without asking my family for a cent. The new hearing aid he wears now was also bought by me.

Yet, according to the timeline of Gideon Corporation's founding, Gideon had money a year after graduation. But he still pretended to be poor, unwilling to spend on our wedding.

The house we lived in was rented. Thinking back, Gideon always had excuses to ask for money, and my salary went towards our household and him.

I never saw his earnings.

My heart twisted painfully as I clutched my shirt, cold sweat trickling down my forehead, feeling suffocated. I grabbed a plastic bag and breathed deeply into it to avoid passing out.

Gideon called me just then. "Adeline, I can't come back right now.

Nora is threatening suicide, I have to stay with her." Ignoring what he said, my survival instinct kicked in, "Gideon, I'm struggling. Please come back."

Gideon sounded exhausted, "Adeline, stop pretending." "Nora's situation is truly dangerous. If I don't go, she might harm herself."

"Stop causing trouble, okay? I'll come to you after I deal with this." He hung up before I could respond. I looked at my phone screen in despair.

A message from my ex-boyfriend popped up: [Adeline, I'm almost there.] Regaining some composure, I forced myself to stand. I found Gideon's bank card from a cabinet and opened the balance inquiry on the computer.

With trembling fingers, I entered the password. Due to my nerves, I made several mistakes. When I finally unlocked it, I was stunned.

The long string of zeros in the bank account made my ten-year marriage seem like a joke. My legs gave way, and I collapsed on the floor. Tears blurred my vision. Thirteen years together... Gideon had been lying to me all along.

I bit my lip hard and climbed up from the floor. I operated the computer and transferred half of Gideon's money.

A new message popped up on my phone: [Adeline, I'm here.] Stumbling, I staggered to the balcony. There stood Asher, my childhood friend, in a black suit under the streetlight, his car parked nearby.

Thirteen years apart, he had matured a lot, with a touch of melancholy in his eyes, no longer the sunny boy he once was. Perhaps sensing my gaze, he suddenly looked up, and our eyes met. Driving all the way here, Asher's eyes were bloodshot.

In an instant, my nose tingled, and tears started falling again. Asher, a bit flustered, quickly came upstairs.

I opened the door and fell into a warm embrace. Asher held me tightly. The accumulated grievances finally couldn't be held back anymore.

Asher gently patted my back, his voice hoarse as he comforted me, "I'm here, don't cry." "No matter what happens, I'm here for you."

5

Watching Asher running around, helping me with my luggage, I nervously gripped my clothes. "Thank you, Asher."

Asher paused for a moment. "It's nothing."

Once inside the car, Asher buckled my seatbelt and handed me a small cake. "Here, have this to tide you over."