Chapter 4

By the time I got home, I was drenched in sweat from the pain.

But I received another message from Tessa.

[This is what happens when you mess with me!]

[Now you know who Gabriel loves most!]

[Just divorce Gabriel already! He loves me!]

I ignored Tessa's messages.

In my hazy state, I fell asleep.

Around midnight, I vaguely heard the doorbell ring.

Someone walked in carrying a cake.

"Gabriel..." I mumbled through my sweat-soaked hair.

"It's your birthday today. I brought you a cake. You've been looking a bit worn out lately." He turned on the light, cut the cake, and handed me a slice.

"Heh, I'm surprised you even remembered my birthday." I laughed coldly as I looked him up and down.

"Can you stop talking like that? You know, after all these years, you're the one I've always loved. Even Tessa, that AI, was modeled after you... When you left without a word back then, I decided to create an AI to keep me company... Now that you're back and we're married, can't we just get along?"

"Tessa is just AI, you don't need to be jealous of her. Besides, she's the one who reminded me about your birthday today. She's just my personal assistant now. Can you please stop competing with an AI?" Gabriel sighed, looking exasperated.

I... wasn't jealous at all. With my terminal illness, I couldn't be bothered to care. But even a pushover has their limits.

"Then why don't you go back to your precious Tessa!" I angrily threw the cake he brought into the trash.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?! You abandoned me when I was at my lowest point, and now that I'm trying to make things work, you pull this shit?!" Gabriel grabbed my collar, his immense strength making me stumble.

"Gabe, don't be angry~ It must be my presence that's upsetting Zoe... It's all my fault." Tessa's sickeningly sweet voice came from Gabriel's phone.

Gabriel pulled out his phone. In the pink case, Tessa was crying daintily.

"Don't cry, we'll leave soon." Gabriel comforted her gently.

I felt even more disgusted watching this. I mustered all my strength to push Gabriel away, but accidentally knocked the phone out of his hand.

Tessa let out a cry as the phone fell to the ground.

Crack!

The screen actually shattered.

Gabriel shoved me to the floor and carefully picked up the phone.

"Tessa, Tessa!" No matter how many times Gabriel pressed the power button, the phone wouldn't turn on.

"You... Zoe! You murdered Tessa!" Gabriel's eyes flashed red as he slapped me hard across the face!

I saw stars from the pain, my cheek swelling up.

"Gabriel... You went to such lengths to marry me after I came back, just so you could hit me now?"

Gabriel's expression froze...

"I... I didn't mean to... I just lost control for a moment..." Gabriel reached out to help me up, but seeing my resolute expression, he hesitated.