Chasing a Love That Breaks Me

“Helena, are you really going to become a war correspondent? Don’t you know that you could die at any moment?”

Hearing her friend’s desperate question, Helena’s eyelashes trembled, but her tone remained firm.

“I’m sure.”

At the other end of the line, Maeve sighed in frustration. Before she could speak, Helena closed her eyes bitterly and added, “Maeve, maybe this is the only way for me to be free.”

Maeve fell silent, still unwilling to give up. She tried to persuade her again. “What about Rafael? Are you really willing to let him go so easily?”

At the mention of the familiar name, Helena’s fingers tightened, the joints whitening from the force.

“He won’t care.”

After hanging up, the doctor finished the examination. Clearly, he had overheard the conversation, and he spoke with a complex tone, trying to convince her.

“Miss Walsh, while the mortality rate from sepsis caused by artificial heart infections is high, there is still a chance of recovery with continued treatment. Why give up now?”

Helena shook her head and smiled softly, as if accepting her fate.

“No need. I want to do something meaningful in the final moments of my life.”

“Thank you for all your care up until now. I will send the treatment fee over as soon as possible.”

The moment she left the hospital, Helena received a call from Rafael.

His voice was cold, clearly holding back his anger.

“Where are you? Who gave you permission to leave without telling me?”

“I’m at the hospital for something” Before she could finish, he impatiently cut her off.

“Enough, I don’t care what you’re doing at the hospital. I’ve sent you the address. Come here right now.”

Having just undergone surgery, her chest ached faintly, but she pressed a hand to her heart and forced herself to leave.

She took a taxi to the address Rafael had sent, only to find that it led to the rooftop.

As soon as she arrived, a bucket of ice water was handed to her.

Rafael stood coldly, commanding her in a flat tone.

“Kaylee is kindhearted and wants to do the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness for ALS patients. She can’t handle this kind of pain. Since you two have similar builds, you should do it.”

She had just undergone surgery and was forbidden to be near ice, let alone in the early spring chill. The rooftop was biting cold, but she knew Rafael wasn’t offering her a choice.

Helena’s face turned pale as she took the bucket, the beads of ice making her fingers tremble.

Rafael smirked and walked to the side, holding Kaylee in his arms.

“Start.”

The ice water poured over her head. The already painful wound in her abdomen seemed to be pierced by countless needles, the pain causing her to convulse.

Through chattering teeth, Helena forced her eyes open—only to see the two of them locked in a passionate kiss.

Seeing her look over, Kaylee released her hold on Rafael’s neck, her lips swollen and fake remorse in her voice.

“Sorry, I think it wasn’t recorded. Can we do it again?”

Rafael kissed Kaylee’s neck, glanced indifferently at Helena, and spoke coldly. “Didn’t you hear what Kaylee said?”

Helena lowered her eyes, sweat beading on her forehead from the pain, yet she seemed unaware. She lifted the bucket of ice again.

Over and over, she mechanically drenched herself, numb to the pain, while Kaylee always found new excuses.

By the time all the buckets were empty, Helena was shaking uncontrollably, barely able to stay upright. It felt like she could collapse at any moment.

Only then did Kaylee finally speak, sounding almost apologetic. “Okay, that’s enough. You’ve worked hard today.”

Rafael had been watching coldly the entire time. In her words, he lovingly massaged her wrist.

“She’s tough, she’ll be fine. As for you, recording it yourself, the camera’s so heavy. It must be exhausting holding it.”

Kaylee playfully leaned into his embrace. “But I have you to take care of me.”

The two of them acted as if no one else existed, walking away hand in hand.

As they passed by Helena, Rafael stopped, took a card from his wallet, and tossed it at her with an air of mockery.

“There’s a hundred thousand on it. It’s your reward for today. Helena, it turns out you’d really give up your life for money. Tsk. How cheap.”

Helena’s lips turned purple from the cold, and only after they left did she dazedly pick up the card from the ground, as though unaware it was meant to humiliate her.

When Helena returned to the villa, she was greeted by the unmistakable sounds of a man’s heavy breathing and a woman’s soft moans coming from upstairs.

Rafael had taken Kaylee to what was supposed to be their marital bedroom.

She curled up on the sofa, trembling, numb to everything except the suffocating pain in her chest. She had no heart anymore, yet her hollow ribcage ached as if it were boiling over, scalding her from the inside. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

In their five years of marriage, Rafael had often brought different women home. But ever since Kaylee appeared, it was as if all his affection, all his sincerity, had been reserved solely for her.

Helena knew—he wanted her to suffer.

They had once been the envy of all, from school uniforms to wedding vows. But on the eve of their engagement, she broke their promise.

When he found out she was leaving the country, Rafael had desperately tried to stop her. He had knelt outside the Walsh family’s house for three days and nights, soaked in the rain until he collapsed with a fever.

Even as he was rushed to the hospital, he deliriously called out her name.

That accident left his legs permanently damaged, and his dream of a military career was shattered.

For a man as proud as Rafael, she had cost him everything.

Helena still remembered the day she left. He had chased after her car all the way to the airport, his redrimmed eyes filled with agony as he fell to his knees.

“Helena, don’t leave me. Whatever future you want, I’ll give it to you. Just don’t abandon me, please.”

But she hadn’t looked back. She had pried his fingers off her wrist, one by one, and walked away.

Since then, Rafael had despised her with every fiber of his being.

But only Helena knew the truth.

That year, her entire family was in a car accident. Her parents died on the spot, and she was the sole survivor. Overnight, she lost everything—and was left to face an insurmountable debt.

Then, the Perkins family approached her. If she agreed to donate blood to Kaylee, they would settle her family’s debts.

She had no choice. She had to break up with Rafael, to protect him from being dragged into her mess.

After a successful match, the Perkins family "adopted" her. To outsiders, she was a foster daughter. In reality, she was nothing more than a walking blood bank.

The repeated blood extractions weakened her body, but when she heard that Rafael had risked his life to start a business—only to end up in a car accident, hovering between life and death—she secretly returned to the country to donate her heart to save him.

Later, Rafael’s business thrived, and the two families arranged a marriage alliance.

But Kaylee already had a boyfriend abroad and refused to marry a stranger. As the "adopted daughter," Helena was pushed forward instead.

When Rafael saw her again, his fury was uncontainable. He married her only to keep her imprisoned at his side, punishing her with relentless humiliation and torment.

Helena had once thought she could spend a lifetime making amends. But when she realized her own time was running out, she selfishly chose to leave.

The future Rafael had once longed for—she, too, wanted to see it.

She didn’t know how much time had passed before the noises upstairs finally ceased.

Rafael came downstairs wrapped in a bath towel. The moment his gaze landed on her wretched figure, his expression twisted with disgust.

“Why are you just sitting there? Go make dinner.”

Helena tightened her grip on the bank card in her palm, her voice faint but steady.

“I need two hundred thousand.”

Once she paid off her medical bills, she could leave without hesitation.

Rafael’s expression darkened instantly, his carefully concealed indifference giving way to pure hatred.

“You love money that much? You’d throw everything away for it?”

For a moment, it seemed like he wanted to strangle her. But then his eyes fell on her frail, bony frame, and he forcibly held himself back.

His voice was laced with venom as he spat, “Helena, I hate you! I hate you so much I wish you were dead!”

She watched him turn away to retrieve the money, then closed her eyes bitterly.

Rafael... This time, she really was going to die.

—

The next day, Helena developed a fever but merely swallowed a few cold pills and carried on.

The villa had no housekeepers. The expensive clothes they wore, through all seasons, were always handwashed by her.

Perhaps it was a fever or an infection, but her body trembled uncontrollably. A sharp pain shot through her chest, and she clutched at it desperately as she gasped for air.

She felt as though the oxygen was slowly being drained from her lungs.

“Medicine...”

She staggered toward her bedroom, reaching for the drawer where she had left her pills—only to find them missing.

“You’re looking for this?”

A voice rang out.

Helena turned instinctively toward the sound, her vision blurring.

In Kaylee’s hand was her bottle of medicine.

Panicked, Helena reached out, but her vision swam with darkness.

“Give it back...”

Kaylee studied the bottle lazily, as if savoring her distress. Then, as if by accident, she suddenly loosened her grip.

“Oh dear,” she said with feigned innocence. “Oops, I dropped it.”

Helena ignored Kaylee’s taunts and silently bent down to pick up her medicine, only for Kaylee to step on it with a smirk.

Seeing Helena’s indifferent expression only fueled Kaylee’s resentment. Her eyes burned with hatred.

“It’s always like this—you act like nothing ever affects you. But why? After everything you did to him, why does Rafael still think about you?!”

“You have no idea how much I envy you. Even in his sleep, he calls your name! I’ve been by his side for three years—why can’t he see only me? What do you have that I don’t?”

“Helena, I was supposed to be the one to marry him! This marriage was stolen from me! You’re just a pathetic parasite living off my family, so what makes you worthy of his attention?”

She pressed down harder with her foot, grinding the pill bottle until it started to collapse under the pressure. Only then did she seem satisfied, her lips curling into a cruel smile.

“But it doesn’t matter anymore. Now, he believes I was the one who saved his life. He’ll never know you gave him your heart. Everything you once had—I’ll take it all, piece by piece.”

“Helena, this is what you owe me!”

The moment she finished speaking, she suddenly let out a sharp scream and threw herself backward against the table.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Helena snatched the crushed medicine from under her foot, desperately stuffing a pill into her mouth as her breathing turned ragged.

Rafael walked in just in time to witness the scene, his expression twisting with disgust.

“It hurts...”

Hearing Kaylee’s pitiful whimper, he immediately rushed to her side, his face dark with concern. When he noticed the fresh wound on her forehead, his anger boiled over.

Without hesitation, he kicked Helena to the ground. His voice was sharp with fury.

“I thought you were just a golddigger, but I didn’t realize you’d become this cruel. If you so much as lay a finger on Kaylee again, don’t blame me for being merciless!”

His gaze swept over the broken pill bottle on the floor before he turned away without a second glance.

Helena lay on the ground, dazed, watching his retreating figure. She wasn’t sure which hurt more—her body or her heart.

Dragging herself back to her room, she finally lost consciousness.

It felt like her bones were being crushed, inch by inch, but the pain was so intense that she couldn’t even make a sound.

She didn’t know how much time had passed before the medicine took effect. Cold sweat drenched her body as she finally slipped into a deep sleep.

Then, out of nowhere, a splash of icecold water jolted her awake.

Rafael stood at her bedside, holding the familiar pill bottle, his expression frozen over.

“Kaylee already told me everything. She saw you taking vitamins and simply asked about them, yet you selfishly assumed she was trying to steal them from you and even went so far as to hurt her. Is this stuff really that important to you?”

Helena clenched the bedsheet tightly, her face deathly pale as she lowered her gaze.

“Yes. It’s very important.”

She had finally found the courage to leave and start over. She couldn’t afford any more complications.

Besides, at this point, the truth no longer mattered.

Rafael let out a cold laugh, as if she had just pushed him past his limit.

“Helena, you never fail to disgust me.”

He suddenly grabbed her by the throat, forcing her to look up at him. Then, gritting his teeth, he dumped the entire bottle of pills into her mouth.

“You love taking them so much? Then eat them all!”

Only when she started choking, tears streaming down her face as she struggled for air, did he finally release her in disgust. But just as he was about to leave, his gaze fell on the scattered pills.

“These... aren’t vitamins?”

His expression flickered with something unreadable. Hesitation. Doubt.

Impatiently, he rummaged through her drawer and pulled out another bottle—this one still sealed.

When he read the label, whatever trace of uncertainty had been in his eyes vanished. His anger returned, fiercer than before.

“Medicine for artificial heart infection?” He let out a scornful laugh. “Helena, your acting skills are truly remarkable. What, do you expect me to believe you don’t have a heart? Or are you trying to tell me you’re dying?”

Helena curled up on the bed, coughing violently as if she could claw the pills out of her throat. Then, all of a sudden, she laughed.

"Yes, Rafael." Her eyes locked onto his, unwavering. "I'm about to die"

“Enough!” He lost control and slapped her across the face, his breath ragged with fury. His voice dripped with mockery.

"Lies one after another. Do you think I’d actually pity you? If you really had the guts to die, you would have done it already!" His voice was sharp with contempt.

"You’re too greedy for that. You’d never give up everything you’ve schemed for."

He pulled out a tissue, wiping his wrist as if he had touched something filthy.

Then, with a final sneer, he spat, "This better not be birth control pills."

"If you think you can escape me by getting close to another man—forget it."

His voice was chilling. "Even if you die, it’ll be right in front of me."

It wasn’t until Rafael slammed the door and left that Helena stumbled into the bathroom, desperately forcing herself to vomit.

She lifted her head, staring at her swollen, bruised face in the mirror.

A laugh escaped her lips—soft at first, then louder. But as the laughter continued, her tears began to fall.

"Rafael... the heart beating in your chest... belongs to me."

—

That night, Helena had a dream.

In it, she saw the past—the days when they were in love.

Rafael had once been so thoughtful, so gentle.

He used to prepare her breakfast the night before, worried she wouldn’t like the food at the university cafeteria.

He would warm a bottle of milk in his arms and bring it to her classroom door.

He even sat through lectures with her in the winter, just to be her human heater.

Even the simple act of sharing street food together had felt like pure happiness.

When Helena woke up, for a brief moment, she thought she was back in that time—five years ago.

But the relentless beeping of her alarm pulled her back to reality.

She swallowed two cold medicine pills, her mind still foggy, then got up to prepare breakfast.

Just as she was about to start cooking, her phone rang.

Without a second thought, she answered the call.

"Miss Walsh, you scheduled an appointment with our studio for a memorial portrait. Are you available to come in today?"

She froze for a moment, then weakly replied, "Yes. I'll be there this afternoon."

She had made this appointment long ago.

The battlefield had no mercy—she didn’t know if she’d make it back alive.

It was better to be prepared.

After setting the breakfast on the table, Helena turned to go back to her room.

Rafael never let her eat at the table—she was only allowed to eat the leftovers.

But just as she was about to leave, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Seated at the table, Kaylee's arms was wrapped around Rafael’s waist, pouting playfully.

"It’s all your fault for keeping me up all night. Now I don’t even have the strength to eat! How am I supposed to handle the interview later?"

Rafael smiled, his voice indulgent. "Be good. I’ll feed you. No one will notice."

Then, she heard Kaylee’s next words—

"So, when are you divorcing her? Otherwise, how can you marry me?"

Helena’s breath hitched. She wanted to turn and leave. But her feet refused to move.

Then—she heard his answer.

"As soon as I finalize the agreement, she’ll sign it."

She closed her eyes, but it didn’t stop the pain.

It felt as if her chest was being ripped open.

—

That afternoon, Helena went to the photography studio.

After the session, the staff handed her a receipt with a sympathetic smile.

"Miss Walsh, your photos will be ready for pickup in a couple of days."

She blinked, then forced out a faint smile. "Thank you."

As she stepped outside, the sun was shining, but she felt no warmth.

Every step she took felt like a march toward death—a journey she had no way of stopping.

At the front desk, a television was broadcasting Rafael and Kaylee’s interview.

Her ears rang as his voice filled the room.

"The engagement between the Suarez and Perkins families was arranged long ago. Kaylee is a wonderful girl—she even saved my life once. We’ll be getting married next month. Everyone is welcome to attend."

Helena’s gaze dazedly drifted toward the screen, only to see them standing intimately close, their eyes and expressions overflowing with an undeniable love.

The receptionist sighed softly.

"Mr. Suarez is finally marrying Miss Perkins. They look perfect together."

Someone else agreed.

"It’s true. Miss Perkins is so kind. Just yesterday, she posted a video of herself doing the Ice Bucket Challenge! And it’s still early spring!"

The others nodded.

"They’re such a good match—talented and beautiful."

Their voices blurred together.

Each word felt like a needle, stabbing into her mind.

When Rafael married her, there had been no ceremony, no celebration.

The world had never even acknowledged her as Mrs. Suarez.

And now, the last thread connecting them was about to be severed.

Helena thought she had become numb. But now that the moment had finally arrived—the pain was unbearable.

—

By the time she returned to the villa, it was already night.

Rafael was lounging on the sofa, while Kaylee curled in his arms.

As soon as he saw her, his face turned cold. "Sign the divorce papers."

He tossed the document onto the table.

"I’ll give you five hundred thousand dollars. After that, we’ll have nothing to do with each other."

Helena’s hands trembled as she reached for the pen.

Her voice was hoarse, but steady. "Okay."

Immediately, Rafael’s expression twisted with disgust.

Seeing her so quick to sign, his lips curled into a sneer. "Of course. As long as there’s money involved, you’ll do anything."

He leaned back lazily and continued, "In a few days, Kaylee and I are taking wedding photos. You’ll come along as an assistant."

Kaylee glanced at her and smiled sweetly, feigning kindness.

"It’s alright. I can manage on my own. I’m sure Sis wouldn’t want to see me anyway... After all, it’s because of me that she—"

"This has nothing to do with you." Rafael cut her off, his voice utterly indifferent.

"This marriage was something she schemed for. I’m just returning things to their rightful place."

He turned to Helena, his gaze was like ice. "Besides—I never loved her."

Helena staggered, clutching her chest as sharp pain pierced through her. She gripped her clothes tightly, gasping for breath.

However, Rafael acted as if he hadn’t seen a thing. He took the signed divorce papers without a second glance and walked away.

“Don’t put on an act in front of me. I don’t love you, and I never will. Whether you live or die means nothing to me.”

The moment the two of them left, Helena couldn’t hold back anymore—she coughed up a mouthful of blood, her entire body trembling.

On the day of the wedding photoshoot, she stood by with a weary frame, watching the couple pose for intimate shots.

“President Suarez and Miss Perkins are truly in love,” a staff member gushed. “I heard this wedding dress was custommade overseas, took months to complete, and was entirely handstitched.”

“They’re perfect together,” another chimed in. “And Miss Perkins even saved President Suarez’s life before—it’s fate, isn’t it?”

“Absolutely! When she went abroad, he waited for her to come back before getting married. If only I could find a man like that.”

Hearing their chatter, Helena’s eyelashes quivered, and her already pale face turned even whiter.

When they were together, he once told her that if you love someone, you should declare it to the world. He indeed kept his promise—but not for her.

During a break, Kaylee beckoned Helena over and handed her her wedding dress.

“Bring this to the dressing room.”

Helena quietly complied.

“I’m thirsty. Get me some water,” Kaylee added.

Wordlessly, Helena handed her a glass, but the moment Kaylee took it, she deliberately let it slip from her fingers, sending it shattering onto the floor.

The sudden commotion caught everyone’s attention. Kaylee’s eyes turned red, her expression pitiful.

“Sis... do you really hate me that much?”

Then, as if embarrassed, she lowered her gaze and murmured softly, “I’m sorry... Could you all give us a moment?”

The staff, sensing tension, nodded in understanding and quickly found excuses to leave.

Once the room was empty, Kaylee straightened, raising her left hand to flaunt the engagement ring on her finger. A sweet smile played on her lips.

“Do you know what kind of ring this is?” she mused. “It’s from Darry Ring—a brand where a man can only ever gift one ring in his lifetime. And guess what? He never gave you one, did he?”

Helena’s breath hitched. For a fleeting moment, a memory overlapped with Kaylee’s words.

"I heard Darry rings can only be gifted once in a lifetime. Helena, wouldn’t it be perfect for our engagement."

Back then, she had asked curiously, "Why for the engagement?"

Rafael had playfully tapped her nose. "Silly girl, because for our wedding, I’ll give you the very best—gold, diamonds, everything. Whatever others have, my Helena will have too."

But now, that promise belonged to someone else. His love belonged to someone else.

Seeing the pain flicker across Helena’s face, Kaylee’s smirk deepened.

“You rushed into marriage with him, didn’t even have a wedding, not even a ring. How shameless of you, clinging to his family like that.”

“But I’m different,” she continued, her voice dripping with satisfaction. “I have everything. And even the things others don’t, he gives me. He loves me now.”

As she spoke, she suddenly stepped closer, pressing a drugged cloth against Helena’s nose and mouth.

“You’re divorced, yet you still linger in that house, getting in my way. How could I not hate you?” she hissed. “Helena, just die already!”

Helena struggled desperately, falling to the ground in a haze of dizziness.

“What... what did you do to me?” she gasped.

Kaylee looked down at her as if she were nothing more than trash.

“I’m just giving you a little test—to see if your life is worth as much as mine in his eyes.”

The last thing Helena saw before darkness consumed her was Kaylee’s triumphant smile.

“Just die. Quietly. Alone. Never appear before us again.”

When Helena woke up, she found herself tied to a pillar, her body weak and drained of strength.

A man dressed in black stood with his back to her, sharpening a knife while speaking on the phone.

The moment the call connected, he lifted the blade with a satisfied grin and turned toward her, as if her awakening was of no surprise.

“Rafael Suarez,” he said, his voice dripping with amusement, “your wife is in my hands. If you want her alive, wire five hundred thousand immediately.”

On the other end, Rafael had just finished a set of wedding photos with Kaylee when he heard the demand.

He scoffed, his tone laced with mockery. “I don’t know who you think you have, but my wife is right here with me. You’ve kidnapped the wrong person.”

Just as Rafael was about to hang up, the next sentence froze him in place.

“Oh? So you’re saying your wife isn’t Helena Walsh?”

His movements stiffened, as if someone had doused him in ice water.

Very few people knew he was married, and even fewer knew about Helena.

His expression darkened slightly, but he still sneered.

“The entire New York knows my wife is the eldest daughter of the Perkins family. I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

With that, he ended the call. Just as he was about to dial Helena’s number, Kaylee walked up to him, urging impatiently,

“The next set of photos is about to start. Why haven’t you changed?”

Rafael frowned but still asked, “Where is Helena? Wasn’t she supposed to be here to help you today?”

At the mention of that name, Kaylee’s grip on her wedding dress tightened, her nails digging into her palm.

Even now, he was still thinking about that wretched woman!

A cold smirk flashed through her heart as she recalled what Helena must be going through at this moment. Lowering her head, she put on a look of disappointment.

“She probably still hates me... We had a little disagreement in the dressing room earlier, so I told her to rest there for a while.”

Rafael’s frown deepened, further convinced that the kidnapper was playing games with him. Or perhaps Helena was in on it too, desperately scheming for his attention.

He pulled Kaylee into his arms, his tone indifferent. “Forget her. Today is our special day. After the shoot, I’ll take you out for a candlelit dinner.”

Kaylee smiled sweetly and planted a shy kiss on his lips.

—

On the other end of the call, after hearing the click of the line disconnecting, the man in black’s expression darkened instantly.

Gripping his knife, he traced its edge along Helena’s neck, his voice laced with madness.

“You better pray you still have some value left. Otherwise...”

As the blade pressed against Helena's skin, a sharp pain shot through her. She turned her head away, feeling the warmth of blood trickling down her neck, her face growing paler by the second.

The kidnapper, however, seemed fascinated by the sight. He lightly patted her cheek with the knife before redialing the number, his tone now a direct threat.

“If the money isn’t transferred within thirty minutes, I’ll kill her.”

The response was indifferent.

“Go ahead.”

“...What?”

“Didn’t you say you’d kill her? Do it now. I won’t be giving you a single cent.”

The kidnapper’s face twisted into a menacing scowl. “Aren’t you afraid this will leak and ruin you?”

A soft scoff came through the receiver. “You don’t even know who I truly care about. How could you possibly threaten me? That nameless, insignificant woman was just a fling. In fact, I should thank you for taking care of her for me.”

“I don’t care who you are or when you kill her. Just let me know when the body needs collecting.”

After a beep, the line went dead once more.

The kidnapper’s fury exploded—he slammed his fist against the pillar, his face contorted in rage.

“You’re supposed to be Mrs. Suarez! How could he not care at all?!”

He hadn’t risked this much just to kill someone—he wanted money!

Helena had remained silent ever since she regained consciousness. But at this moment, the weight of it all finally became unbearable. Tears streamed down from her eyes, one after another.

Her head throbbed. Her vision blurred, and her neck burned with pain. But it was nothing compared to the agony in her heart—every breath felt like a thousand knives stabbing into her chest.

She forced out a bitter smile, mocking herself. “We’re already divorced. He doesn’t care whether I live or die.”

“...What?” The kidnapper’s temper snapped, and in a blind fury, he plunged the knife into her shoulder.

“You wretched woman! If I don’t get my money, then we’ll go to hell together!”

Blood poured from the wound. The excruciating pain made Helena slip into unconsciousness, only for the agony to jolt her awake again and again.

She didn’t know how long she was tortured. She didn’t even remember when she was finally rescued.

She only knew that when she opened her eyes again, she was in a hospital.

—

A television in the hospital room was broadcasting news about the highprofile marriage alliance. A reporter, holding a microphone, eagerly interviewed the couple.

“We heard you’ve completed your wedding photoshoot. Can you share where the ceremony will be held?”

Rafael, holding Kaylee in his arms, smiled indulgently.

“Kaylee loves church weddings, so we’ll be having ours in a chapel. We’ll also select ten lucky fans to witness our love.”

Beside the hospital bed, her phone vibrated repeatedly. It was a message from Rafael.

[Was it fun playing games with me? I told you—I don’t care if you live or die. Now that your little stunt is over, get back here. You know churches well, so you’ll be in charge of decorating the wedding.]

Of course, Helena was familiar with churches—she and Rafael had discussed countless times how they would decorate their wedding venue.

She stared blankly at the ceiling. She felt like she was drowning in pain, yet not a single tear would fall.

“They look so happy... I wonder how they’ll choose the lucky guests. If only I could be there in person.”

The nurse, oblivious to her thoughts, sighed wistfully before realizing she was awake. Her tone instantly turned cheerful.

“Oh! You’re finally awake? Thank goodness the wounds weren’t fatal. You’ve been out for two days.”

Noticing someone entering, the nurse added with a smile, “Your friend is here. Call us if you feel unwell.”

Maeve rushed in, gripping Helena’s hand tightly, her eyes brimming with emotion.

“You’re finally awake! You have no idea how scared I was when I got that call.”

Seeing her still staring dazedly at the television, Maeve huffed in frustration.

“Why are you still paying attention to that scumbag? You almost died! I used to think you shouldn’t let Kaylee off so easily, but now I see that trash like them truly belong together!”

“Maeve.” Helena suddenly spoke, her voice was calm. “Can I stay at your place for a while?”

Despite her composed expression, something about her request made Maeve’s heart ache.

Inhaling sharply, she lowered her voice. “Do you want me to help you pack?”

Helena shook her head. She only asked her to inform the housekeeper before leaving the hospital against the nurses’ advice.

—

Back at the villa, Rafael froze at the sight of Helena before his expression darkened.

“Where have you been these past few days? You ignored my calls, didn’t reply to my messages—what the hell are you trying to pull?”

Just as he was about to press further, Kaylee quickly interjected.

“Sis, we were really worried about you! And our wedding is coming up—I’d love for you to be my bridesmaid.”

At the mention of the wedding, Rafael pulled out an invitation and tossed it at her, his eyes filled with undisguised disgust.

“Our wedding is next week. Kaylee is kind enough to invite you, so don’t try anything stupid.”

Helena didn’t respond. Instead, she bent down and picked up the invitation.

[Groom: Rafael Suarez. Bride: Kaylee Perkins.]

She stared at the words for a long time, as if only now comprehending their meaning. Her face turned pale as she nodded.

The next second, a hand gripped her bandaged wrist tightly.

Rafael’s expression was grim, his voice carrying an edge of panic.

“What happened to you? Where have you been?”

The pain made Helena break into a cold sweat. She yanked her wrist free and replied, “You’re getting married. It’s time for me to move out. I wish you both happiness.”

She paused, then added, “And if you really feel bad for me, just give me some money.”

Her words seemed to strike a nerve in Rafael. Without warning, his palm struck her face with brutal force, his eyes burning with rage.

“Money, money, money—is that all you care about? You disgust me, Helena! Get out of my sight!”

Without hesitation, Helena silently packed her belongings.

'Rafael—since there’s no turning back, then let’s just keep hating each other.'

—

Three days before the wedding, the lucky guests were selected while Helena received the final copy of her funeral portrait.

Two days before the wedding, Rafael hosted a bachelor party for Kaylee while Helena finalized the arrangements for her burial plot and coffin.

One day before the wedding, the internet was flooded with prewedding coverage. On the other hand, Helena finished handling her affairs and took a quiet walk down the street in front of her old university.

She and Rafael used to love coming here for noodles when they were dating. Years had passed, yet the place remained lively, filled with students.

A young couple entered, chatting and laughing. Their voices were familiar.

“Boss, two bowls of beef noodles—one without cilantro.”

“Got it! Have a seat while I prepare it.”

For a moment, she saw her past self.

Back then, she used to drag Rafael here all the time. If the owner was busy and forgot her preference, adding cilantro to her bowl, she would grumble about it but never asked him to redo it.

Rafael would always chuckle, ruffle her hair, and say, "Our Helena is so kind." Then, with endless patience, he would pick out the cilantro one by one.

No matter how small the detail, he had never once found her troublesome.

Helena only snapped out of her thoughts when the young couple disappeared from view. She exhaled softly, a faint smile playing on her lips.

They had spent five years trapped in mutual torment. Now, he had a new life, and she was about to fulfill the dream he never could. Perhaps, in the end, this was for the best.

Just as she turned to leave, the sharpeyed shop owner called out to her.

“Helena? Is that you? You’re finally back! We just finished renovations a couple of days ago, and the sticky notes you and Rafael put up fell off. Would you like to rewrite yours?”

She froze, staring at the note in her hand.

[Helena and Rafael will always be together.]

That was what they had written together, once upon a time. But now, her name had been violently scratched out and replaced with Kaylee.

A sharp sting pricked at her nose, and before she could stop it, her eyes reddened.

So, he wanted to erase even their past. Just like how they could never go back.

Shaking her head, Helena refused the offer. Instead, she carefully pressed the note back onto the wall—then turned and walked away.

—

The next morning, Maeve dropped Helena off at the airport, her eyes were redrimmed.

“You better take care of yourself! Come back to see me when you can, and more than anything—live, you hear me?”

Helena smiled and pulled her into a hug. “Thank you for taking me in all this time.”

“Oh, shut up with that! My home is your home,” Maeve grumbled, hugging her tightly before huffing, “I still think they got off too easy. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure they pay for what they did.”

Helena shook her head. “It’s over now. From this point on, they’re nothing more than strangers.”

An announcement sounded in the distance, so Maeve reluctantly let go.

“Go on. I’ll handle your death certificate—and everything that’s rightfully yours, I’ll take back for you.”

Helena gave her a grateful smile. She took one last look at the city before turning to leave.

—

As the plane prepared for takeoff, a message suddenly popped up on her phone.

[The wedding is about to start. What kind of stunt are you trying to pull now? Get over here. Now!]

Helena stared at the screen for a moment before powering off her phone, as instructed.

She would never go back.

'Rafael—let’s never see each other again.'

—

The wedding began, but the expected figure never appeared at the entrance.

Rafael’s expression darkened as he retracted his gaze. “Forget it. Start the ceremony.”

As the wedding march played, Kaylee stepped forward in her white gown, beaming as she was placed into Rafael’s hands.

Watching everything fall into place, she smiled in triumph. She had finally, officially, become Mrs. Suarez.

“Rafael, I love you,” she murmured.

A rare softness flickered in his eyes as he held her wrist. “I love you too.”

He had finally married her.

Helena didn’t want to come? Then all the better—he would make sure she saw how grand this wedding was, how happy he was!

The ceremony concluded, and a rain of rose petals cascaded down, painting the moment in romantic splendor.

“How beautiful! Where can I find a man as devoted as President Suarez? This is making me want to get married too!”

“Congratulations to Mr. Suarez and Miss Perkins—what a perfect match!”

“Kiss! Kiss!”

Rafael chuckled, shielding Kaylee from the crowd’s eager eyes before pressing a gentle kiss on her lips.

Blushing, she leaned into his embrace, soaking in the sweet teasing of the guests before pouting slightly.

“Do you think my sister still resents me? She didn’t even give us her blessing... And without another bridesmaid, I can’t even do the bouquet toss properly...”

Rafael kissed her lips again, his voice indulgent. “She’s just being ungrateful. If you want to see her, I’ll have someone bring her here.”

He turned to his assistant, his voice commanding. “Kaylee wants Helena here. Go find her. Now.”

But before the assistant could move, a cold voice cut through the hall.

“No need. The person you’re looking for is already here.”

Almost simultaneously, the grand doors burst open.

A whiteclad figure stepped inside.

Rafael’s expression twisted in annoyance before a knowing smirk flickered across his lips.

Of course. Helena must have schemed so hard to make an entrance at his wedding.

Did she really think he would cancel everything just because of her?

Tsk. How laughable.

He was about to mock her when he finally saw her.

At that instant, his breath was caught in his throat.

It wasn’t Helena.

It was Maeve.

And in her hands—she held an urn.

A sharp chill crawled up Rafael’s spine. His face paled instantly.

“What the hell is this?” His voice was tight, his teeth clenched. “Where’s Helena? What kind of joke are you playing?”

Maeve let out a cold, mocking laugh as she lifted the urn slightly.

“This is Helena.”

Rafael froze. His entire body went rigid.

No. That was impossible.

Dead? She was dead?

His mind went blank, and his chest tightened.

Unfazed by his stunned silence, Maeve stepped forward, her voice trembling with fury.

“That idiot—she gave up her own heart for you. She suffered every single day, endured your misunderstandings, got played by the Perkins family—yet you still went and married the woman who destroyed her.”

She glared at him, voice laced with venom. “Rafael, you’re truly disgusting.”

“She never abandoned you. You were the one who abandoned her. You let yourself be blinded by Kaylee.”

A deafening silence fell over the hall.

Rafael’s mind exploded, and his world collapsed.