Chapter 277

---- Chapter 277 Giselle didn't want to dwell on whatever Donovan had been doing while she was gone. Thinking too much about it would only give her a headache and make her chest tighten. She stayed in bed for a long while, soaking in the familiar scent of her own little haven, until a sudden thought jolted her upright-her dogs. After all this time, what had happened to her pup? And what about her shop locations? Grabbing the new phone Donovan had given her, she logged into WhatsApp and saw dozens of messages from friends and coworkers asking for her.

She pushed those aside and immediately called her best friend, Vivienne. "Hello?" Vivienne picked up quickly, but her voice was cautious, almost disbelieving. "Who is this?" "Vivi, it's me." Giselle's heart was pounding with excitement. "T'm back." There was a pause on the other end. "You-who did you say you were?" "T'm Giselle." "Aahh!" Vivienne's scream pierced through the phone, her ---- voice trembling. "Are you a person or a ghost? Did you use a voice changer to sound like her? Tell me!" "Come to my place right now. Ican't explain over the phone." With that, Giselle hung up the call.

She knew that during her disappearance, the whole world had assumed she was dead. Even someone as close as Vivienne had probably begun to accept it. Hearing her voice out of the blue would be too much for anyone to process right away. Less than 30 minutes later, there was a frantic pounding at the door. When she opened it, Vivienne was standing there, breathless. "'You-"' Vivienne's eyes went wide, scanning Giselle from head to toe. She stepped inside, touching her face, then her arms, as if confirming she was solid flesh. Once she was certain, she let out another loud scream.

"Oh my God, you're really back! You're alive, you're not dead! " Vivienne's voice cracked as she clung to her, sobbing like a child. "Selle, I thought... [thought I'd never see you again. This feels like a dream. You came back alive, completely, and perfectly alive." Giselle let her hold on and cry it out before guiding her to the couch. Then, slowly, like telling a story, she recounted the truth. By the end, Vivienne's face was pale one moment and flushed the next. Her scalp prickled, her hands and feet were cold. She ---- could hardly believe any of it.

"If Twere you, I wouldn't have survived past the first episode! Selle, you're so damn incredible . Who needs a man? Just live your best life alone!" Giselle smiled faintly, letting the praise roll off. Instead, she changed the subject . "By the way, my dog-these past two months, you've been taking care of him, right?" "Well," Vivienne looked sheepish. "Not me. It was Gideon. Right after your accident, he took your dogs to his place. He's been looking after them really well." Hearing that, Giselle froze for a moment. Then she picked up her phone and began dialing Gideon's number.