When Ste arrived in Riverside, she felt disoriented-graduation seemed like yesterday, but the city had changedpletely.


    At the station entrance. Emily rushed over and hugged her with a heartbroken expression.


    E


    “Babe, you’ve gotten even thinner!“


    Isn’t that a good thing? Everyone says skinny is beautiful these days. Ste forced a smile.


    Emily was at a loss for words. It had only been two or three years since they’d parted ways, but the once confident and vibrant girl now looked utterly exhausted.


    “Gabriel Sterling is aplete bastard.” Emily said carefully, afraid of hitting a nerve, because Ste looked like she might shatter at any moment.


    What exactly happened between you two?”


    ste’s eyes welled up. She took a deep breath, carefully controlling her emotions, then slowly recounted everything that had transpired.


    That son of a bitch Gabriel-how dare he treat you like this! If it weren’t for you, where would he be today? If he liked someone else, why didn’t he speak up :ooner? What did he take you for-an ATM when times were tough, then kick you to the curb once he made it big? How can someone be such scum!” <fn7541> Fresh chapters posted on find?novel</fn7541>


    mily was trembling with rage. Ste had no doubt that if her friend had a knife, she’d rush over and stab him twice.


    nstead, seeing Emily like this actually made Ste smile-a faint but genuine smile.


    You can still smile after all this?”


    Having such a loyal friend by her side after everything, Ste suddenly felt that fate hadn’t been entirely cruel to her.


    Emily, I might need to trouble you for a while. Promise you won’t abandon me-you’re all I have left.” She wrapped her arms around Emily’s neck, nuzzling nto her embrace like a puppy seekingfort.


    mily’s heart meltedpletely: “I was worried you’d think my countryside ce was too shabby. If you don’t mind, you can stay with me forever. Men who romise to take care of you for life are unreliable, but if you’re willing. I can support you for life.”


    You’re so silly!” Ste wiped her red-rimmed eyes.


    Getting all sentimental on me-you’re going to make me cry. But-” Ste smiled mischievously and pulled out a bank card, momentarily resembling her old arefree self.


    Five million-worth it? Call me Your Majesty, and I’ll keep you in luxury from now on!”


    Worth it, worth it! My Queen, I’m your loyal servant from now on!”


    Emily eagerly massaged Ste’s shoulders, pretending not to notice the barely perceptible tremor in her friend’s fingers when she held the bank card.


    Come things between friends didn’t need to be said-understanding was enough.


    te first visited her parents’ graves. Perhaps it was fate-when she was with Gabriel, she’d wanted to bring him to pay respects, but various circumstances revented it. Now, yearster, they’d nevere together even once.


    Maybe we just weren’t meant to be, Mom and Dad. I’ll find you a better son-inw next time!”


    After saying goodbye to her parents, Ste rented an RV and they traveled leisurely. After years of scrambling for extra work in film studios, Ste had almost orgotten her original dream of bing a geologist and exploring the country’s magnificentndscapes.


    ‘God, what kind of miserable life was I living before? This is what I actually want!”


    Over the past two weeks, Ste had transformedpletely, and Emily was genuinely happy to see it.


    “Exactly! Two-legged frogs might be rare, but three-legged men are everywhere!”


    As theyughed, they heard chuckling behind them.


    A tan-skinned man in orange hiking gear, carrying a massive backpack-clearly an outdoor adventurer type-shed perfect white teeth as he smiled.


    16:12


    Remembered the Fake Forgot Your REAL WIFE? Varma’s Hero Face plid pilli


    “Who are you, eavesdropping on our conversation!” Emily stepped forward protectively, shielding Ste.


    Ryan quickly stepped back: “Sorry, I meant no harm. I just thought what you said was amusing.”


    The oldest pickup line in the book!” Emily showed no mercy-after everything, any man who stared at Ste reminded her of that bastard Gabriel.


    Tm Ryan Woods, a travel blogger. This is my card. I apologize for disturbing you, but I truly mean no harm.“


    Ste took the business card and tugged at Emily: “Sorry, my friend means no offense, but we really don’t want to interact with strangers. Have a pleasant trip.


    Ste pulled Emily into the RV, leaving Ryan staring dejectedly at the closed door before walking away with obvious disappointment.


    Inside the RV, Ste didn’t give the encounter another thought.


    Though Emily lived in the countryside, it was in a scenic area where she ran a guesthouse. The living conditions were like paradise.


    Ste stared at the two-story vi before her. This was Emily’s idea of rural living? She wouldn’t mind more of this kind of “rural” life.


    I really will need you to support me, darling!”


    wo dayster, Ste found herself in a staring contest with Ryan, who was standing downstairs.


    No one could have predicted that the guesthouse’s final guest of the season would be the man they’d encountered before.


    What a coincidence-we meet again!”


    yan grinned like an overgrown, goofy dog, and Ste could practically see his tail wagging behind him.


    Ste, should I put these flowers here or somewhere else?”


    Ste, I finished mopping the stairs-should I sweep the floor too?”


    Ste, I made flower cakes-would you like to try some?”


    Ste, the sun’s too strong here-let me hold an umbre for you!”


    Ste…”


    hese past few days, Ste couldn’t close her eyes without seeing Ryan’s perfect white teeth and hearing his relentless stream of “Ste this, Ste that.” Now whenever someone called her name, she had the conditioned response to run.


    Is that kid still scrubbing the stairs?”


    mily had actually warmed up to Ryantely-what business owner wouldn’t appreciate a paying guest who cleaned for free?


    I think there’s something wrong with him!”


    te thought about earlier when she’d climbed the stairs, not knowing Ryan had mopped them. She’d slipped and fallen backward, but luckily he’d caught her.


    side from Gabriel, she’d never been that close to another man.


    or a moment, all she could hear was his steady, strong heartbeat.


    Damn, I’m actually blushing!”


    te stared at herself in the mirror in disbelief. Just thinking about it made her face flush.


    I must be losing my mind!”


    Ste flopped onto the couch with a thud.