Forsaking the Years of Longing
Forsaking Billionaire 81

Chapter 5

"Matthew, will we be together in the next life too?"

"Daphne, one lifetime isn't enough; I want to be with you in every lifetime, forever."

In her memories, the sweet, happy voices of herself and Matthew echoed through Daphne's mind.

But from the room came the sound of Charlotte and Matthew laughing and playing together, and it instantly filled Daphne with a wave of nausea.

She couldn't listen any longer. Slowly, she went upstairs, locked herself in her room, and finally let her tears flow freely.

The next morning.

Daphne woke up groggily, and the sudden ringing of her phone startled her.

She opened the app and saw a heart-shaped note filled with reminders- "Today is the anniversary of the little couple's wedding. Remember to go to the church and pray."

Staring at the reminder, her thoughts drifted back to six months ago.

After returning from the church, she and Matthew had agreed to return to the wishing pool on their anniversary to fulfill their vows.

She was afraid she'd forget, so she wrote it down in her notes.

But now, hearing the bustling sounds of wedding preparations from the garden downstairs only disturbed her further.

In the end, Daphne decided to go to the church alone.

It wasn't to fulfill a vow; it was to erase all the memories she had with Matthew before her surgery.

Half an hour later, at the church.

Daphne stood atop the hill, listening to the birds chirping, feeling as though it could cleanse all the world's troubles.

After a while, she walked slowly to the wishing pool. The water was clear, and a few coins lay quietly at the bottom, carrying the wishes of past believers. Daphne stared at the water, her emotions swirling inside her.

A year ago, she and Matthew had stood hand in hand in this very spot, pledging to stay together for life.

"To hold hands for a lifetime, to accompany each other forever!"

Now, the words still echoed in her ears, but everything had changed.

Daphne turned to leave, but just then, a monk approached her.

"Madam, it's you. Long time no see."

"Master, it's been a while." Daphne pressed her hands together and bowed in respect.

The monk glanced behind her, his expression serious. "It seems you're troubled, coming here alone."

Daphne forced a smile and replied quietly, "He... is busy with work."

Then, she bid farewell to the monk and continued walking.

Eventually, she stopped beneath a wishing tree covered in ribbons. She immediately spotted the one she and Matthew had hung together.

She took it down, and the words on it read: "Matthew wishes to be with Daphne for all lifetimes, never to part."

"Wil you regret being with me forever?"

"I'd love to cling to you; how could I ever regret it?"

The memory was so vivid that recalling it still made Daphne's chest ache.

She took the ribbon, tossed it into a nearby trash can, and then pulled out a coin from her bag. Holding it tightly in her hand, she silently made a wish.

"I wish to never remember Matthew again."

She tossed the coin into the pool, watching it bounce a few times on the water's surface before finally sinking to the bottom.

Daphne took a deep breath.

At that moment, it felt as if all her grievances and bitterness were expelled with that breath, taking away part of the burden she'd been carrying in her heart. She stood there quietly for a while longer before deciding to head back down the hill.

But after taking just a few steps, she noticed a familiar figure entering the main hall from a distance.

It was Matthew!

Could it be that he hadn't forgotten their anniversary promise?

Afraid she was mistaken, Daphne quickly followed, trailing behind Matthew until they reached the main hall.

Standing outside, she watched to see what Matthew was doing in the church.

She saw him light incense in front of the Buddha statue, then kneel devoutly three times.

Afterward, he stood up, pressed his palms together, closed his eyes, and began to make a wish.

"I wish to be with Charlotte soon and that she may be free of illness, full of joy, and without worries."