âI thought things through, and I can understand how she feels. It doesnât matter if Tyler and I were in
love because I did take her place. I can tell myself that they might not get together even if Tyler found
the right person, but thatâs just one of the many possibilities. What if they couldâve spent their lives
together if it wasnât for me? I saw them holding each other today, and I canât even bring myself to blame
them because Iâm the one who tore them apart. Gloria is just doing what I did in the past. Tyler, on the
other hand, puts up with whatever she does because he owes herâ¦and also because she was the one
he fell in love with at first sight.â
Vicky knew that Tyler only tolerated Gloria to the point that he was willing to forgive Selene because
Gloria was technically his first love.
âVicky,â Harvey said in a low voice. âThere is more than what meets the eyes, and Tyler isnât as
compassionate as you think he is. He is using Gloria.â
âEven if he bears ulterior motives, heâll never stand idly by if something happens to Gloria, right?â Vicky
said.
Harvey fell into silence.
There was no denying that Tyler would use Gloria to further his agenda without hesitation, but he would
never leave Gloria to rot if something happened to her either.
It could be because Gloria was still useful to him, or that he had a soft spot in his heart for her since he
ran into her on his birthday years ago.
Considering Tylerâs character, he should have treated Gloria the same way he did with Sheila, and that
was likely the reason why Tyler never told everyone the truth about who he saw in the garden.
Harvey knew that if Tyler found out that Gloria was not the one he searched for back then, and that he
had not been mistaken, he would show Gloria no mercy.
Since Harvey did not respond, Vicky decided to end the topic. âIâm sorry for saying all these things to
you.â
Vicky had been troubled by all these emotions and only wanted to speak to someone.
Harvey shot Vicky a conflicted look. âVicky, actuallyâ¦â
Just then, his phone rang.
It was a phone call about a work matter that was rather urgent, and it lasted for a long time.
By the time the call ended, Harvey turned around to find Vicky deeply asleep.
Tyler had not returned home that night, not that it surprised Vicky.
The next day, Vicky headed back to the hospital after breakfast and found Gloriaâs room empty.
She froze and immediately asked a doctor nearby, âDoctor, whereâs Miss Gloria Shaw who stayed in
this room?â
âShe was discharged this morning,â the doctor said.
âShe got discharged before she recovers?â
âIâm not sure about that.â
Amid Vickyâs confusion, Selene stepped inside with breakfast for Gloria.
âGloria, I bought youâ¦â Selene paused when she saw Vicky. The look in her eyes darkened. âVicky,
what are you doing here?â She scanned the room and paled. âWhereâs Gloria? What did you do to
Gloria?â
Vicky glanced at her. âWhat can I possibly do to her?â
âWhy would she go missing if you havenât done anything?!â
âI was about to ask you the same thing. Why didnât you know that your best friend was missing?â
âWhy youââ