Goodbye, Saintess.

Hera never let me stay in her room overnight. She claimed that an Awakenist must remain calm and undistracted during her practice. That meant, even on the one night we could have sex, I had to tidy the bed for her before leaving alone once it was over.It took Edmund's presence for me to realize these strict, nearly monastic rules were meant for me alone. They formed a wall of defense against a single enemy.My heart broke. I could not speak. My limbs grew numb. I felt as if I was losing all capacity to feel anything except the knife twisting in my chest.Yet Hera showed no sign of panic. She just frowned."Why didn't you knock before coming in like a proper, civilized adult?" she thundered. "Get out!"I pointed at myself, then at Edmund. Was this some twisted joke? My wife had let another man into her "sacred abode" for the night.Moments ago, he had been drying her hair while she wore only a bath towel for modesty. And I, her actual husband, had to knock to announce my arrival

I had never seen Hera panic before. She looked like she was about to cry for me!Could she actually still love me?Then, suddenly, I heard Bobby wail tearfully, "Mooom! Dad is bleeding! I'm scared!"She turned. Edmund was covering his bleeding shoulder, wincing. Some of the glass shards seemed to have cut through his skin a little."I'm taking you to the hospital!" Hera declared instantly.She immediately forgot me, took his hand, and prepared to leave."Wait. We have to bring him along, right? His injury is worse," Edmund murmured. Bobby, however, bawled. "I don't want him to follow us! He's bleeding everywhere! I'm scared!" Edmund did not correct his son or insist that I needed help. Instead, he looked at Hera expectantly. She took only a few seconds to make her choice."We can't bring him. Bobby's afraid of blood and might faint seeing Sebastian like this," she declared. "He's gonna be fine. He's a firefighter and knows how to do first aid on himself. Let's go."She sc

It was the letter to end it all. There was no turning back for me.From that moment on, no matter what happened, it would have nothing to do with Miss Bishop of Edge Inc.I had barely stepped out of the room when I caught a strange smell."Something's burning," I muttered.The firefighter in me snapped to alert. I followed the scent and found thick smoke leaking through the cracks of a hotel room door.A fire. I grabbed a nearby extinguisher and kicked the door hard.After five strong kicks, the door gave way. The acrid smell of smoke hit me instantly. Flickering flames licked inside—the fire was still small, but all it needed was time to grow into a monster.I removed the safety pin with practiced ease and rushed inside.Half the bed was engulfed in flames. On the other half stood a striking woman, wrapped only in a bathrobe. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused. She held a wine bottle, took a sip, then poured some onto the fire. The flames roared happily at the offering."Holy

He was here once?" Hera repeated."Yes, ma'am.""Give me the spare keycard. I want to check the room."She moved with purpose and unlocked the door. What was that man planning now?Hera scanned the room. None of the hotel's amenities showed any signs of use. No evidence suggested anyone had lived here.It was true, then. Sebastian had stayed only briefly before leaving. But why had he come here at all? For his suitcase?Hera realized she had overlooked that his suitcase was gone. Then, her eyes fixed on a familiar laptop—hers."There you are," she murmured. Her gaze shifted to something resting on top. A letter.The word "Farewell" was written on it. Its message was obvious."So this is your latest stunt, Sebastian? No calls or texts, ignoring my calls, leaving a farewell letter, and then disappearing on me?" Hera sneered. "Pathetic."She tossed the letter into the bin without reading it.He could vanish all he wanted. Hera doubted he had the nerve to stay away forever. Besi

Hera could no longer hold back her emotions and burst into tears. "Sebastian, you bastard! How could you leave me like that?"She had been terrified. She feared none of the bodies belonged to Sebastian. Yet she feared even more what she would see when lifting the sheets and facing his face.Calmness or stoicism was impossible. She sat on pins and needles. Was he dead? Really dead?Years of practicing Awakenism had convinced Hera she had strong mental fortitude. This moment shattered that belief completely. She buried her head in the steering wheel and wept.Suddenly, her phone rang.Hera jolted upright and grabbed it. Could it be Sebastian?Her mind raced, making excuses for his silence. He was busy with his mission. He had no time or energy to update her. Of course. Maybe his phone was off because he couldn't charge it on the mountain.'Either way,' she reassured herself mentally, 'Sebastian still loves you. He still holds you dear.'That had to be why he was calling the momen