Chapter 2

Gemma's parents passed away when she was very young.

An old, tattered newspaper still bore the tragic headline: "Socialite Suffers Mental Breakdown, Stabs Husband Over a Hundred Times While He Sleeps, Then Hangs Herself—Leaves Behind a Five-Year-Old Orphan."

She was that five-year-old orphan.

On a freezing winter night, she hid in a wardrobe wearing only her pajamas. The cold seeped into her small body until she was nearly numb, but she did not dare come out.

It was Murphy who eventually found her and carried her out.

"Be good, Gemma. Don't be scared. I'm here. As long as I'm around, no one will ever hurt you," he said gently.

She nestled in Murphy's arms, feeling safe for the first time in what felt like forever.

Murphy took her home. Perhaps he pitied her tragic circumstances, but he spoiled her endlessly. Whatever she wanted—no matter how impossible—he would give it to her, even if it meant reaching for the stars.

In fact, he truly did reach for the stars for her. The horrific death of Gemma's parents left her with severe psychological trauma.

During her early days living with Murphy, she clung to him desperately, unable to be apart from him for even a minute. If she lost sight of him, her anxiety attacks would spiral out of control.

One quiet night, Murphy carried her onto the rooftop, pointed to the brightest star in the sky, and said, "Gemma, do you see that star? I bought it for you."

He handed her a certificate of ownership for the star, then gently tapped her nose and said, "From now on, this star is yours. When I'm not around, the star will watch over you instead."

Now, as she stood by the window, Gemma pulled back the curtains, hoping to catch one last glimpse of her star. However, the sky was blanketed with thick clouds, and her star was nowhere to be seen.

…

The next morning, the head of the cryogenic research team, Andre Freeman, called, asking Gemma to come in for a physical examination.

"There's no need for that," Gemma replied with a faint, sorrowful smile.

She was already on the brink of death. What good would another examination do? No number of tests would make the cancer disappear.

"Ms. Kirk, we need to assess your physical condition to determine the freezing process and the optimal freezing time," Andre explained. "It's also to improve your chances of survival. Please cooperate."

Gemma had no reason to refuse, so she got in her car and drove to the facility.

After a long day of tests, the physical examination was finally over. Before she left, Andre handed her a thick stack of documents.

"The shape of the cryo-casket and its future storage location are customizable. Here's the relevant material for you to review," he explained.

Gemma nodded, softly thanked him, and carried the documents back home.

When she stepped inside, she noticed that the living room lights were on. Her heart skipped a beat as she thought, 'Is Uncle Murphy back?'

Despite how cruelly he had treated her, she still wanted to see him. How pathetic was that?

Trying to steady her racing heart, Gemma quickly walked into the living room, only to find Evangeline dressed in a silk slip dress.

"Gemma, you're back!" Evangeline greeted her warmly. "Have you eaten dinner yet? Your Uncle Murphy is busy in the kitchen. Let me know what you'd like, and I'll have him make it for you."

Her demeanor was every bit that of a lady of the house.

A wave of bitterness surged in Gemma's chest. She shook her head and was about to say she was not hungry. Just then, Murphy emerged from the kitchen carrying a freshly prepared dish.

"You're just in time," Murphy said. "Eva and I are engaged. Starting today, Eva is the lady of this house. So, from now on, she'll handle everything—big and small."

Lowering her head, Gemma replied quietly, "I understand."

He had expected Gemma to lash out, but to his surprise, she accepted his words calmly. This unexpected reaction even brought a rare flicker of astonishment to Murphy's usually dark, inscrutable eyes.

"Don't be so stern. You're scaring Gemma," Evangeline said playfully. "Come on, Gemma, ignore him. Let's eat."

With that, Evangeline grabbed Gemma's arm to pull her toward the dining room.

Caught off guard by Evangeline's sudden gesture, Gemma fumbled, and the stack of documents in her arms scattered to the floor.

Murphy frowned as he bent down to pick up one of the papers. It was a design sketch of a cryo-casket. His tone turned cold as he demanded, "What's this?"

Though her heart pounded in panic, Gemma kept a calm exterior. She casually explained, "It's a cryo-casket design. I'm researching it for a summer project. Before the break, my professor assigned us to freely design a product, so I've decided to create a crystal coffin that can preserve bodies. I printed some materials from the internet as references."

She was currently a freshman studying design, so the excuse sounded plausible enough.

However, Murphy's expression remained grim. "Gemma, are you insane?" he snapped.