Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

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.

No matter who messed up or how they were related to me, wrong was wrong. Emily had her reasons to be angry, and the justice she deserved for so many years needed to be given to her.

When my grandpa passed away, it was time to settle everything.

The last meal I had with Victor, the last drink we shared, was probably the most genuine moment of my life.

I personally sent him to prison with the evidence I'd hidden for years because he needed to own up to his past mistakes. This was my way of hating him, but also loving him. When they took him away, it was storming.

As I watched him disappear, my heart ached because he was my father.

Years ago, Victor gave me life and once loved me, but then he went down the wrong path. I always had this mix of hate and love for him, though I never showed the love part.

From then on, Victor and I could only see each other through prison bars for the rest of our lives. But I felt he was actually relieved. Maybe carrying the weight of his sins all these years had been exhausting, and now it was a kind of release. I believed Emily truly loved me because I could feel her guilt, her heartache, and her reluctance.

Maybe it wasn't until I picked up the guitar again that she truly let go.

I had put down the guitar for Fiona back then, and now I picked it up again for Emily. Because I loved her, I couldn't bear to lose her, and I really wanted to keep her. Because Emily was all I had left!

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

Those days, I was quietly planning and had already picked out the ring, getting ready to surprise her.

But on the afternoon I invited her to a candlelight dinner, I got an anonymous letter, a taunt from Drew.

It turned out that Drew really hadn't been dead!

For her safety, I figured the wedding couldn't happen.

Not only could we not have the wedding, but she also had to stay far away from me.

I sat in my office for a long time, staring at the clock in the bottom right corner of my computer.

Lately, I'd tried so hard to keep her, and now, I had to push her away.

When I left the company, I called Faris.

I said, "I don't want Emily anymore, take her away."

Faris shouted, "Don't mess with her, okay?"

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

I went to the hotel we had agreed on, and Emily had been waiting there for me.

I drank a lot and said a bunch of heartless things. Emily was so humble, and I was just plain cruel. In the end, I drove her away.

The moment Emily ran out of the room crying, my heart felt like it was being ripped apart.

That night, I drank even more. Only when I was drunk did the pain ease up a bit.

The next day, I picked up Emily to go to the courthouse. We passed by a bakery, and on a whim, I got out and bought some toast.

On the way, she asked if I had my reasons. She cried, saying she loved me and didn't want to leave.

I did have my reasons, but I couldn't tell her. I had to keep being cruel, even if she thought I was a heartless jerk.

The more disappointed she was in me, the more decisive she could be.

I thought I really broke her heart when she threw the toast I bought into the trash.

We signed the divorce papers. She didn't want anything, just the babies.

After leaving the courthouse, Faris showed up. I watched her get into his car and drive away.

I smiled bitterly, thinking my life was pretty miserable, always doing things against my own will.

But if I could catch Drew and keep Emily and the babies safe, it would all be worth it.

Emily moved out quickly, and our once warm home became cold and empty.

To throw the enemy off, I played the part of a playboy during the day. At night, I hid at home, setting up the babies' room, playing the guitar, and singing.

In front of others, I buried all my pain deep down, pretending to be a heartbreaker. Only in the dead of night could I reveal my scars and tend to them alone.

Emily was the love of my life. Hurting her felt like tearing out my heart and breaking my bones.

I was in deep pain!

But I believed I was right because soon after, Gideon came back to the country.

Looking back, when we caught Wyatt, we heard the person behind him was named Long. We always thought Mr. Long was Rhyns, but now it seemed the real Mr. Long was Gideon. This time, Drew teamed up with Gideon. I knew they would definitely want to kill me.

Faris took Emily to Seabreeze Harbor, and I was finally free to fight without any ties.

This path was always dangerous. I didn't know how long I would live.

Maybe today at sunset, I would never see the sunrise again.

I didn't fear death. When I was shot and fell from the rooftop, Emily's face flashed before my eyes. I thought of our babies' stumbling steps and their little voices constantly calling "Daddy." I fell hard, life hanging by a thread.

Dennis and the others quickly moved me. Medical personnel were trying to save me, but I felt my life slipping away.

I tore off the bullet I always wore around my neck, along with the ring I hadn't had a chance to give Emily and the keys to the villa, entrusting them all to someone to give to her.

I had so much I wanted to say to Emily. If I didn't say it now, I might never have the chance.

With a bloody hand, I trembled as I reached for my phone. Dennis, who had been with me for years, understood me well. He helped me take out the phone and, under my gaze, dialed Emily's number. But at that moment, I couldn't speak.

All the guilt and deep feelings could only be expressed in a single "I love you."

I knew I had owed her those words all my life.noveldrama

They were words every woman loved to hear, but because of my concerns, I never had the courage to say them to her.

At that moment, I just wanted to use my last bit of strength to say it to her a thousand times, a million times. Because I owed her that.

Because I feared we wouldn't meet in the next life, so even if I had only one second left in this life, I had to let her hear it.

This lonely and dangerous road finally came to an end, and my life's mission was over.

For me, it was truly a case of finding life in the face of death.

I had indeed gone to hell, kept alive by advanced medical equipment, perhaps because I had too many attachments.

For a long time, I kept dreaming.

I dreamed of the past, I dreamed of the future!

I walked alone on a rough path, ahead was an endless black hole. I didn't know what awaited me.

I seemed to hear Emily crying, calling out to me.

I couldn't go any further; I had to go back. She needed me, the babies needed me.

So, in the end, I woke up and looked at the rising sun outside the window.

That island trip wasn't just a simple vacation, but Emily didn't know that beforehand.

In the early morning, Emily was sleeping soundly. I didn't want to wake her, so I gently carried her into a flower-filled bathtub and bathed her myself.

She woke up, her eyes still sleepy.

Even though we were so familiar with each other's bodies, Emily still blushed, her long eyelashes lowered, curling up in my arms, not daring to meet my gaze.

After the bath, a group of people helped her put on her wedding dress, do her makeup, and style her hair. It was then that Emily seemed to understand something. Her eyes searched for me in a panic, and when she saw me, she relaxed under my reassuring gaze, showing a satisfied and happy smile.

Dressed and ready, it was sunrise.

I held Emily's hand, walking slowly across the soft sand, past the neat rows of overwater bungalows. Listening to the sound of the waves, watching the sunlight gradually spread across the sea.

Behind us, Hunter and Harper held her wedding dress, following slowly.

She later told me that the names of our babies, Hunter and Harper, were in my honor, hoping they would be as sharp and brave as me, and as talented.

This was the wedding I owed Emily. After countless storms, we finally made it to this day.

Because it was so hard, we were very grateful.

A gentle breeze lifted her veil, her face radiating happiness, her eyes glistening with joyful tears.

Drones scattered petals, embellishing the romantic moment.

We gazed deeply into each other's eyes and kissed, conveying our love. The bitterness mingled in our mouths, probably from our tears.

To get to this day, there was so much heartache. The words "I do" were a lifelong promise, written through our actions amidst countless trials and tribulations.

We planted a coconut tree on the island, hoping that when we came back next time, it would have grown.

At sunset, we took a yacht out to sea.

We stood side by side, facing the sunset. The golden glow of the evening light shimmered on the sea, reflected in her eyes, kissing her flying hair. Sunrise and sunset, the natural order, had never seemed so beautiful!

The most romantic thing in life was simply being with my loved one through every sunrise and sunset.

My life with Emily was a blessing!