Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Chapter 267 Fortunate in This Life

When the doc pulled that bloody bullet out of Emily's chest and dropped it in my hand, it felt like a ton of bricks.

When Jason heard the news, he bolted to the OR door, grabbed my collar, and slammed me against the wall. He was always the calm one, but this time, he snapped. Jason yelled, "Didn't you swear you'd stay away from her?"

I slid down the wall, staring at the red light above the OR door, feeling like all my strength had been sucked out of me.

I said, "I don't know why Emily showed up, and I don't know why it ended like this. If I could, I'd be the one in there instead."

Jason's breath hitched with grief, his eyes full of sorrow. After what felt like forever, he finally let go, and we both just stood there, waiting for that door to open. Thank God, Emily woke up.

Thank God, I got another shot at making things right with her.

I had her name engraved on that bullet and wore it around my neck.

It was a constant reminder that she almost died because of me.

Faris brought the babies from Seabreeze Harbor. He had every right to be mad at me, and honestly, I was mad at myself too.

But I was also grateful to him because behind his anger was a painful sacrifice and a sense of duty.

While Emily was recovering, I turned down all social events and stayed home with her, giving her my full attention.

I made her coffee, combed her hair, made formula for the babies, played with them, and put them to sleep. Doing these little things made me genuinely happy.

I figured maybe I hadn't done enough before, which made Emily feel so insecure. From now on, I wanted to be better to her, so she could really feel my love. Emily asked about Drew, and I had no idea how to explain it to her.

That day, Drew got hurt and jumped into the sea. We really thought he was a goner.

The distance between us had been smoothed out by Emily's efforts, and it seemed like all the storms had passed.

Our love grew stronger through all the trials, like the goldfish tattooed on her chest, vibrant and captivating.

I didn't want anyone to come between us anymore. Even when Faye came to me with her complaints, I didn't help her. When I left her at Fiona's grave, I told Faye she needed to stand on her own. Later, Faye chose to marry a wealthy businessman. Some setbacks were just part of the journey, and no matter how much others wanted to help, she had to go through them herself to learn.

If it weren't for that sudden earthquake, I think that secret might never have come out, at least not from Benjamin.

Emily found out the truth from years ago and stayed by her father's grave until she got heatstroke. When she woke up, she said some really harsh things.

She said marrying me was her biggest mistake, and if she could turn back time, she wished she'd never met me.

She barely ate or drank for those two days. I got her pain. I was hurting too, as things were going in the direction I dreaded the most.

In my most confused and helpless moment, Jason came to question me too. I showed him Benjamin's diary, letting him see the truth for himself.

I always thought Jason was the most level-headed guy I knew. He could always tell right from wrong, and I even hoped he'd vouch for me with Emily.

About that whole mess, it was Victor's fault. It was a life-and-death situation, and he should've faced the music a long time ago. Growing up, I always thought about our family ties, especially how disappointed and heartbroken Martin would be. So, I buried that secret.

Emily had every right to be mad at me. I should've given the Russell family an explanation ages ago.

Later, Jason had a talk with Emily, and she finally came downstairs.

She finally stepped out of her shell and started comforting the babies.

She'd been calm for so long, I thought she'd cooled off, so I got ready to have a real talk with her.

to me, wrong was wrong. Emily had her reasons to be angry, and the justice she deserved for so many years needed

away, it was time

we shared, was

the evidence I'd hidden for years because he needed to own up to his past mistakes. This was my

watched him disappear, my heart

ago, Victor gave me life and once loved me, but then he went down the wrong path.

actually relieved. Maybe carrying the weight of his sins all these years had been exhausting, and now it was a kind of release.

the

I loved her, I couldn't bear to

grateful for Emily's forgiveness and remembered the wedding I still owed

planning and had already picked out the ring,

her to a candlelight dinner,

turned out that Drew really hadn't

safety, I figured the wedding couldn't

but she also had to stay far away from

in my office for a long time, staring at the clock in the bottom right

so hard to keep her, and

I left the company, I

"I don't want Emily anymore, take

"Don't mess with

seriously, "Drew isn't dead. If you don't want her to get hurt,

agreed on, and Emily had been

and said a bunch of heartless things. Emily was so humble, and I

crying, my heart felt like it was

night, I drank even more. Only when I was drunk

the courthouse. We passed

my reasons. She cried, saying she loved me and didn't want to

her. I had to keep being cruel, even if she thought I was a

in me, the more decisive

I really broke her heart when she

She didn't

the courthouse, Faris showed up. I watched her get into his

pretty

and the

our once warm

day. At night, I hid at

deep down, pretending to be a heartbreaker. Only in the dead

felt like tearing out my heart and breaking

was in deep

was right because soon after, Gideon came back to the

Mr. Long was Rhyns, but now it seemed the real

took Emily to Seabreeze Harbor, and I was finally free to

I didn't know how long I would

at sunset, I would

flashed before my eyes. I thought of our babies' stumbling steps and their little voices constantly

moved me. Medical personnel were trying to save me, but

along with the ring I hadn't had a chance to give Emily and the keys to the villa, entrusting them all

to Emily. If I didn't say it

had been with me for years, understood me well. He helped me take out the phone and,

and deep feelings could only be expressed in a single "I

knew I had owed her those words all

to hear, but because of my concerns, I never had the courage to say them