Gabriel was the first to break the silence.
He leaned back in his chair, his jaw tense.
"Honestly…"
He glanced at Daniel.
"Maybe it's a good thing she forgot everything related to…"
His eyes hardened.
"…that man."
Daniel's expression immediately darkened.
Gabriel continued, unable to hold back.
"Let's not forget that she's in this hospital because of him."
"She's been unconscious for five years because of what happened that day."
Daniel's jaw clenched.
He had spent five years blaming himself for that exact thing.
Five years of guilt.
Five years of watching Jade lie unconscious in a hospital bed.
Five years of wishing he could go back and change everything.
And now Gabriel was standing there, reminding him of it as if Daniel didn't already know.
"Enough."
Daniel's voice was low.
Gabriel scoffed.
"Why? Does the truth hurt?"
Daniel suddenly stood.
His chair scraped harshly against the floor.
"Gabriel."
"What?" Gabriel stood as well. "You think because she doesn't remember you anymore, everything suddenly disappeared?"
Daniel took a step toward him.
"Watch your mouth."
"And what are you going to do?"
Gabriel stepped closer.
"Hit me?"
Daniel's fists tightened.
For a second, it looked like he actually might.
"ENOUGH!"
Dr. Anderson slammed his hand against the desk.
Both men turned toward him.
The doctor stared at them with disbelief.
"Are you two serious?"
He pointed toward the door.
"This is a hospital."
"Not a boxing ring."
Neither man spoke.
"Jade has just regained consciousness after five years," Dr. Anderson continued sharply.
"The last thing she needs is to wake up to two grown men beating each other up outside her room."
Daniel slowly lowered his fists.
Gabriel looked away.
The doctor took a deep breath before continuing.
"And there's something else you both need to understand."
His tone became serious.
"Do not pressure her."
"Don't force her to remember."
"Don't bombard her with stories about the past."
"Don't repeatedly tell her who Daniel is or what their relationship was."
Madame Lee's expression tightened.
"Why?"
"Because her brain is still recovering."
Dr. Anderson folded his arms.
"Right now, her neurological system is extremely vulnerable."
"If you force her brain to retrieve memories that it currently cannot access, you could trigger severe psychological distress."
"And depending on how her brain reacts…"
He paused.
"…it could potentially worsen her condition."
The room fell silent.
Daniel's face became even paler.
Dr. Anderson looked directly at him.
"Do you understand?"
Daniel nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Gabriel remained silent for a few seconds.
Then…
A faint, bitter smile appeared on his lips.
He looked directly at Daniel.
"Good."
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
Gabriel leaned back against his chair.
"Then I assume you understand what that means."
Daniel said nothing.
Gabriel's smile disappeared.
"It means you stay away from her."
The room went silent again.
Daniel stared at him.
Gabriel's voice was cold and deliberate.
"She doesn't remember you."
"She doesn't remember your marriage."
"She doesn't remember anything about the life she had with you."
"So don't force yourself back into her life just because you're desperate to get her back."
Daniel's eyes darkened.
Gabriel held his gaze.
"Did you understand?"
For several seconds…
Daniel didn't answer.
His throat tightened.
Then he finally looked away.
"…I understand."
But the way his fingers curled into fists told a completely different story.
.
.
.
Back in Jade's hospital room…
The atmosphere was quieter now.
Daniel was gone.
Madame Lee sat beside her daughter's bed while Gabriel remained near the window, his expression unusually serious after everything they had just heard from Dr. Anderson.
Jade, however, seemed more interested in something else.
She glanced toward the door.
Then toward her mother.
"Mom?"
Madame Lee looked at her.
"Where did that handsome guy go?"
Gabriel's eyebrows immediately rose.
Madame Lee froze.
Jade continued, completely shameless.
"The one who was here earlier."
She paused.
"And why was he here?"
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Wait…"
"Was he actually here to see me?"
Gabriel couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his face.
Jade noticed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You're smiling."
"I'm not."
"You are."
Gabriel looked away.
Jade rolled her eyes.
"Whatever."
Then she suddenly remembered something.
"Actually…"
She looked toward the door again.
"He's even more handsome than you."
Gabriel's head snapped toward her.
"…Excuse me?"
Jade gave him an innocent look.
"What?"
"You just compared me to some random man?"
"Yes."
She nodded.
"Unfortunately, he won."
Gabriel scoffed.
"Unfortunately?"
"Don't be insecure."
She patted his arm.
"You're still my second favorite handsome man."
"Second?!"
Madame Lee couldn't help but laugh softly.
Jade smiled proudly.
"See? Mom agrees with me."
Gabriel shook his head.
But his smile slowly disappeared.
He exchanged a look with Madame Lee.
Then he pulled a chair closer to Jade's bed and sat down.
His expression became serious.
"Jade…"
She immediately noticed the change.
"What?"
Gabriel hesitated for a moment.
"You asked why that man was here."
Jade nodded.
"Yes."
"His name is Daniel."
She waited.
"And?"
Gabriel looked at Madame Lee before continuing.
"You were in an accident."
Jade's smile slowly disappeared.
"What accident?"
"You were hit by a car."
She stared at him.
Her eyebrows knitted together.
"And after that…"
Gabriel took a breath.
"You fell into a coma."
Jade went completely still.
"For how long?"
Gabriel's eyes softened.
"Five years."
Jade blinked.
Once.
Twice.
"…Five?"
"Five years."
She stared at him as if he had just told her the hospital was actually located on Mars.
"Wait."
She pointed at herself.
"You're telling me I was asleep for five years?"
Gabriel nodded.
Jade's mouth dropped open.
"Like… five actual years?"
"Yes."
She looked at her mother.
"Mom?"
Madame Lee nodded, tears gathering in her eyes.
Jade slowly sank against her pillow.
"That's…"
She swallowed.
"That's insane."
For a moment, panic flashed across her face.
She tried desperately to search through her memories.
Her childhood.
Her mother.
Gabriel.
Her friends.
Her work.
Everything was there.
But after that gala…
Nothing.
Jade's breathing became uneven.
"I don't remember."
Gabriel leaned forward.
"Jade—"
"No."
She shook her head.
"I mean…"
She touched her temple.
"I really don't remember anything."
Madame Lee immediately took her hand.
"Don't force yourself."
Jade looked at her mother.
Then at Gabriel.
The silence lasted several seconds.
And then…
Jade suddenly frowned.
"Wait."
Gabriel sighed.
"What now?"
She looked at him suspiciously.
"Five years?"
"Yes."
"During those five years…"
Gabriel already knew he wasn't going to like this.
"…Did you finally grow up?"
He stared at her.
"What?"
Jade's expression became serious.
"Did you finally stop being a flirt?"
Gabriel's mouth twitched.
"Jade…"
"Please tell me you got married."
"No."
Her eyes widened.
"You didn't?"
"No."
She looked genuinely disappointed.
"Five years, Gabriel."
"Five years!"
She pointed at him accusingly.
"And you couldn't even manage to get married?"
Gabriel stared at her in disbelief.
"YOU were in a coma!"
"I know!"
She threw her hands up.
"I'm asking if you used your five years wisely!"
Madame Lee burst into laughter.
Gabriel rubbed his forehead.
"Unbelievable."
Jade leaned back against her pillow with a satisfied smile.
"Okay."
She nodded.
"At least some things haven't changed."
Gabriel looked at her.
"What?"
Jade smiled innocently.
"You're still hopeless."
"Jade!"
She laughed.
And for the first time since she had awakened…
The room filled with something other than tears.
Laughter.
Because although Jade had lost five years…
Her sassy personality was apparently still perfectly intact.