She was telling the truth; in her drunken haze, every man she glimpsed seemed to morph into him.

“You're lying!" Gerard's voice was sharp, his eyes suddenly cold and unforgiving.

Lilah was teetering on the brink of tears, desperate to make herself understood but aware that her explanations only worsened the situation.

She clenched her jaw and, in a bold move, leaned forward to kiss him.

Caught off guard, Gerard's brows knitted together in confusion.

"You're not still drunk, are you?"

Summoning all her courage, Lilah wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again.

She murmured into his ear, "I truly thought they were you. You were the only one on my mind; please don't be mad."

Her eyes gleamed with a mischievous smile, tinged with a hint of conciliation.

She knew she had to pacify him. She couldn't bear his anger.

Gerard's face softened, the frostiness in his demeanor melting away.

Lilah admired his capacity for forgiveness and generosity. Gently, she took his hand and ventured, “Can we go back now? I miss our son."

With a dismissive snort, Gerard suddenly bent down and scooped her up in his arms.

Lilah felt herself being lifted, her face pressing against his chest.

The muscles under his shirt were pronounced and firm, making her cheeks warm and her pulse quicken-a sensation even more thrilling than when she touched the young man's muscles earlier.

Days later, the Taekwondo tournament escalated to its final, decisive match.

The competitors would be whittled down to the top three.

Lilah was matched against a petite girl, her agility and power reminiscent of a wild leopard sprinting through the savannah.

After a fierce bout, the girl was defeated.

Then, Lilah was matched against a man with a closely cropped buzzcut, and then a man with glasses and a demeanor that mixed gentleness with fierceness. She also drew a strikingly cool girl.

She breezed through these matches without a hint of stress.

However, the real challenge came when she faced Karol.

The showdown between them would determine the gold and silver medalists.

The evening before the final, Lilah didn't return to the Morris home.