A Journey from Bitterness to Truth

The guy next to Ivan, who’d had one too many, staggered by, his head wobbling as he walked. “Damn, you see that babe by the door? She’s top–notch! That class, that look, wow!”

His buddy chimed in, “Dream on, man. You think you’ve got a shot with a woman like that? Maybe as her chauffeur, if you’re lucky.”

“Ha, I’d be her chauffeur in a heartbeat! For free!”

Yvan’s brow furrowed slightly, and when he looked up again, there was Matilda standing before him, radiating a cool aura. Her Indifferent gaze and stunning features were etched with aloofness and detachment. A flicker of panic crossed her eyes when she saw him.

Yvan just stood there, frozen. He was wearing a creatively tailored white shirt and sharp dress. pants that outlined his straight legs, with a pair of Balenciaga sneakers on his feet. One hand was pinching car keys, the other casually holding a jacket. His face was rakishly handsome, and twin black diamond studs in his left ear twinkled in harmony with his obsidian eyes.

He stood at the entrance, tall and commanding, turning heads as people passed by.

He had that kind of presence, innate, that made everyone take notice. With devilishly good looks and a deep, steady demeanor, he was the kind of man women lusted after, the kind they wanted to throw themselves at.

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They said Yvan was the dream lover of every woman in the city. So when he married Matilda five years ago, it was as if the city’s women collectively had their hear

They waited for the spectacle, and five years later, Matilda was sent to prison by his own hand. Who knows how many whistles were blown in secret celebration?

In every sense, Yvan was perfect–his background, his wealth, his power. But when it came to love, he had never spared a single shred for Matilda.

Matilda felt pathetic. This man was never hers, though she thought her steadfastness might move him. She had played the fool for five long years, carrying a burden of guilt–ten years in total–and finally understood that she and Yvan were never meant to be. The cost of that realization was her complete and utter ruin.

Yvan and Matilda stood at the threshold, their eyes locking through the crowd as if traversing the sea of unfamiliar faces to a time long past, an eternity in a glance.

He was still the one she cherished in her heart, and she remained the girl in his eyes.

Time flew, and their situation had deteriorated beyond recognition. Who was the unseen hand. that had pushed them to this?

Matilda shook off her wandering thoughts and looked up as Yvan approached her, his presence shining like a star, dwarfing everyone around until he stood before her.

As his perfect face drew near, Matilda realized with sadness that her heart no longer skipped a

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“Yvan, do you know that I’ve loved you for fifteen years, from my youth until now, bearing the brunt of life’s hardships?” She thought but said nothing.

She glanced at Yvan and then looked away.

Yvan spoke quietly beside her, “How long have you been waiting?”

“Not long, about ten minutes.” Matilda smiled, a smile so graceful and flawless, and yet it was this very expression that made Yvan feel estranged.

She used to be warm and generous, her eyes brimming with affection. Now, those eyes were like barren black holes, where the pride of her youth had once soared before plummeting inside, swallowed up, turning into nothingness.

Yvan felt a tremor at the core of his heart, but he managed to say, “Let’s go upstairs, come with me.”

He reached out and pressed the elevator button. When the doors opened, no one else dared to follow them inside.