When Fate Intervenes (Giselle and Anthony)

The temperature in Ivesstrom dropped gradually as they entered October. As the autumn breeze blew, people felt as though their exhaustion was carried away.

Giselle was going through her check-in details whilst walking into a hotel.

When she reached the reception area, Giselle bumped into Anthony again.

The first and second times could have been coincidences. Yet, Giselle could not take it anymore by the third time.

"We're in such a big city with so many hotels. Don't tell me this is a coincidence too!"

Anthony maintained the same expression despite Giselle's outburst and accusations.

"Coincidences could happen due to the will of the heavens, or they could be man-made. Either way, don't I still need to have good luck to run into you? Perhaps it's because I have good luck that we're destined to meet?" Giselle massaged the center of her brows to clear her head.

"If we had that sort of destiny between us, would we have ended up getting a divorce recently? Stop telling all these lies, Anthony."

"Is it possible that our destiny begins after we've divorced each other?"

Anthony sounded as though he was making a lot of sense. However, Giselle felt like he was just making up all this nonsense.

She said mockingly, "In my opinion, our destiny ended the day we got divorced! Whatever's left between us is an ill-fated relationship!" Anthony nodded in agreement.

"Maybe we do share an ill-fated relationship, but that's not a bad thing. If it weren't because you created many coincidences for us to meet seven years ago and left such a deep impression on me, I wouldn't have considered you to be the first choice to be my spouse. "We also wouldn't have gotten entangled with each other until this day due to the various conflicts between us.

"Since you think the ill-fated relationship you started back then has run its course, I'm more than happy to learn from your spirit of grit and perseverance from back then and help us get a chance at having a happy relationship this time."

To Giselle, the four years she had spent pursuing Anthony was like a criminal record that was forever attached to the file about her life if there ever was one.

It was even more difficult for her to not lose her temper when it was Anthony bringing up those incidents himself.

"Is talking about the past the only thing you know how to do?"

"I know how to create coincidences too."

Giselle felt like she was about to lose her mind because of how stubborn Anthony was.

"Whatever did I do wrong to deserve this?"

Anthony fixed his gaze on Giselle. His eyes reflected various complex emotions.

"You did wrong when you tried to pursue me ten years ago, Giselle."

Surprisingly, Giselle found herself agreeing with Anthony for once.

She clenched her fists and tried to calm herself down. Then, Giselle made another attempt to have a civilized conversation with Anthony. "What do I need to do so that you'll leave me alone?"

"I'm not following you around intentionally. I think it's destiny that's bringing us together. Why won't you believe me?"

Giselle completely lost her patience when she heard Anthony using destiny as an excuse again. She decided to go with this bizarre explanation. "Fine! You keep bringing up destiny, right? Let's have a gamble, then. We'll see whether the heavens' will is involved or not!"

Anthony frowned. He sounded a bit confused.

"What are we betting on?"

Giselle checked the time. She spoke in a fast, clipped tone.

"Both of us with carry a hundred

dollars worth of change, and we're not allowed to bring our phones. We'll head to the bus stop outside the hotel and each takes a bus traveling in the opposite direction.

"If you can find me by midnight, I'll believe that there's some sort of destiny tying us together."

"Will I receive any reward if I manage to find you? If I don't, is there any punishment?"

Giselle was waiting for him to say that.

"The reward and punishment go

hand in hand. The person who loses must follow the other person's request, and they must do exactly as what is demanded of them

Anthony nodded and agreed to the bet almost instantly. He stated his request right away as well.

"If I win, I just want you to allow me a chance to pursue you."

Giselle was very relieved that Anthony did not bring up remarriage.

Yet, she quickly noticed something strange. Giselle stared at Anthony warily.

"You're so certain that you'll win?"

Anthony grinned. Without saying anything, he passed his phone to Giselle and turned around. In a way, that was his answer to her question. "Aren't you going to ask about my request?"

Standing with his back to her, Anthony waved his hand.

"I don't need to know what it is."

Anthony knew how to win the bet, and he was determined to win.

In Ivesstrom, the last bus stopped operating at around 9:00 pm.

Anthony took the bus to the last station. Then, he got off the bus, sat on a long bench, and stared at the neon lights in the distance.

If Anthony had not counted

incorrectly, the lights displayed on

the office building, which was

located just opposite the station,

changed about three thousand

times in an hour.

When the lights changed for the five thousandth time, Anthony stood up and hailed a cab to the hotel.

Before they parted, if he had not seen it wrongly, the access card Giselle was holding had the number 1508.

After getting on an elevator, Anthony pressed the button for the 15th floor.

It was very quiet on that floor since it was almost midnight.

Anthony arrived outside the door to room 8 and leaned against the wall. He waited silently for midnight to come.

His heart beat faster the more the hour hand moved closer to the number 12.

Frankly, Anthony was not a hundred percent confident in winning the bet.

Still, he believed that he and Giselle were meant to be together. So, Anthony followed his instincts and came back to the hotel.

At 11:59 pm, there was the sound of the elevator door opening.

Anthony straightened himself and put down his hands. As he turned around and looked in the direction of the noise, Anthony saw a pair of rounded eyes.