22 

“You’re lying. Summer can’t be dead.” 

“She won’t die.” 

“You’re lying, you bitch!” Liam roared.“Until I find Summer, you’re not leaving. If I never find her, you’ll die here.” 

Liam bought the private hospital, imprisoning Chloe, ordering his guards to slap her forty times a day. 

Chloe was treated like a dog, stripped of her freedom. 

The online onslaught continued. 

Sterling Industries‘ stock continued its downward spiral. 

Unable to cope, Liam’s mother, along with the rest of the family, held a press conference, publicly apologizing to me and the public, blaming Chloe for the deception. 

The public wasn’t buying it… 

They waited for me to forgive the Sterlings before they would. 

The Sterlings frantically searched for me. 

They contacted everyone who knew me, but found nothing. 

Liam was frantic, searching everywhere. 

But there was no trace of me. 

I’d vanished without a trace. 

Liam paid a fortune to buy back AiYi. 

Seeing the dog, his eyes welled up. He hugged AiYi tightly, finding some solace. 

“AiYi… you’re back. Summer will be back too, right?” 

The dog’s new owner said, “Ms. Summer said not 

call him AiYi anymore…” 

Liam pressed, “What did she say to name him?” 

The owner stammered, “She said…‘New Dawn‘…” 

“New Dawn…” Despair, bone–deep despair, consumed Liam. 

New Dawn meant letting go, forgetting everything. 

Forgetting our love, starting a new life. 

Would she find another man? Would She truly forget him? 

Liam hugged AiYi tightly.“No, he’s not ‘New Dawn.‘ He’ll always be AiYi…” 

But he didn’t know my soul was in another world; my body lay beneath the ocean… 

The next morning, reporters swarmed Liam’s house. 

He didn’t run. 

He bowed deeply, apologizing. 

12:53 

< 22 

Menu 

A reporter asked if he had a message for me, if he was getting a divorce. 

Liam, unshaven and haggard, looked decades older, his eyes bloodshot from a sleepless night. He’d spent the night clutching my pajamas on the sofa. 

He spoke into the camera, each word heavy with emotion.“I was wrong. I deserve to die. But I still love Summer.” 

“Summer, wherever you are, please watch this. I, Liam Sterling, am a monster. I hurt you. I deserve to die. But I love you. I truly love you. I promised to love you forever. A day less isn’t forever. If you don’t come back, I’ll spend my life in your room.” 

Summer… come back. I’ll die without you. I really will.” 

He didn’t know his life depended on me. 

Now that I was gone, his body was slowly failing. 

< 23 

Meru 

23