登入The mobile phone on the vanity table vibrated softly, breaking the silence of Ziyi's apartment room. Camelia's name appeared on the screen. Ziyi slid the green button, then pressed the flat object to her ear with a slow movement."Ziyi, I am at the airport right now," Camelia said from the other end of the telephone line, her voice sounding somewhat faint amidst the noise of the departure announcements. "I am going to fly to China right now."Ziyi was stunned, stopping her fingers that were initially about to neaten the position of the comb. "Huh? What are you coming here for, Camelia? So suddenly. A vacation?""No," Camelia replied quickly, her tone of voice suddenly changing to become incredibly serious and filled with emphasis. "There is something very important that we must discuss directly, face-to-face."Ziyi exhaled a short breath, feeling a strange thumping that suddenly appeared in her chest cavity. "Something important? About what? Why not talk about it over the phone instea
The night grew later inside the dimly lit VIP room. Calvin placed his empty whiskey glass onto the glass vanity table with a soft tap, then stared straight into Juna's dark eyes, which still appeared dimmed, filled with the remnants of pain."You should go see Camelia soon, Juna," Calvin said in his heavy, deep baritone voice, with a clear emphasis. "She is very sad at home right now. Since you left this afternoon, her sobbing has not fully stopped."Juna exhaled a short breath that felt incredibly heavy, then ran his fingers through his black hair with hands that trembled slightly. "I know... I know I've been a very bad brother to her today.""She only loves you, Juna. It’s just that her way might have felt wrong in your eyes when you were in turmoil," Calvin added, rising from his single sofa and then straightening the black coat he was wearing."Okay, tomorrow I will go see her at your house," Juna replied in a hoarse tone, yet filled with the firmness of a new resolve. He looked u
The dim lighting inside the nightclub's VIP room cast only a faint purple glow. On the glass table, several bottles of liquor were scattered around, accompanying a glass that Juna kept refilling with trembling fingers. He leaned back against the leather sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling with dull, lifeless eyes.His mind suddenly replayed every harsh word he had thrown at the Ashford residence earlier that afternoon. The image of Camelia's silent tears became a blade that now turned back and pierced his own heart."I went too far..." Juna muttered hoarsely, his voice catching in his throat, which felt unbearably dry. He buried his face in both hands, letting out a short breath laden with overwhelming regret. "I'm sorry, Camelia... Your brother was just confused... I truly don't know how to fix things with Ziyi anymore."Slide.The sliding door of the VIP room slowly opened, allowing the pounding music from outside to seep in for a brief second before silence returned. Steady footst
The week felt like a slow, creeping torture for Juna. Without any certainty, without a single glimmer of hope, Ziyi continued to treat him like an invisible shadow in the corners of southern China. However, a new piece of information obtained from his confidant suddenly burned Juna's heartburn with a different kind of pain. Ziyi—the woman who was still status-wise his wife—had apparently always asked for advice and opinions from Camelia before making the decision to ignore him.That fact hit Juna's ego hard. A deep sense of disappointment crept into his chest. *Why does Camelia seem to be on Ziyi's side? Just because they are fellow women? This is truly unfair,* Juna thought, his jaw clenched tightly throughout the entire journey back to New York.At the Ashford residence in New York, Camelia and Calvin had just set foot in the living room after a long flight from Bali. The warm atmosphere left over from their honeymoon instantly evaporated when the main door was knocked on harshly. A
The heavy rain outside gradually subsided into a thin drizzle, leaving behind a piercing cold that penetrated to the bones. In the apartment yard, Juna's body no longer had the strength to support its own weight. His lips turned a dark blue, and all his joints were as if locked by an extraordinarily intense stiffness.*Thud.*With one heavy gasp of breath, Juna's consciousness collapsed completely. His tall body slumped, lying helpless on the cold, muddy ground with his eyes tightly closed.Behind the second-floor curtain, Ziyi witnessed the very moments of the man's fall. Ziyi's hand that gripped the curtain fabric instantly trembled violently. There was a strong urge inside her chest to immediately run down and embrace that frail body, but Camelia's words buzzed loudly in her mind again. *Don't give forgiveness easily. Let him struggle.*"I must be strong..." Ziyi whispered hoarsely, wiping away the tears that fell again, wetting her pale cheeks. She turned her bod
Thunder rumbled relentlessly across the night sky in the southern outskirts of China, followed by a sudden downpour that poured down mercilessly. Fierce winds whistled through every crack in the buildings, carrying a chilling cold that sent shivers down anyone's spine. Yet amidst the raging storm, a tall figure remained standing firmly in the middle of the apartment courtyard, allowing his body to be battered by thousands of raindrops falling mercilessly from the sky.Juna did not move an inch. His shirt clung tightly to his soaked body, revealing how violently he was beginning to shiver as the temperature dropped drastically. Rainwater streamed down his forehead, nose, and sharp jawline, disguising the tears of frustration that had long been falling from his eyes."Ziyi..." Juna whispered hoarsely, his voice trembling violently between his chattering teeth as he struggled against the overwhelming cold. "I won't leave... I don't care..."Behind the thin curtains on the second floor, Z
Chapter 21Calvin stared at the bedroom door that was half open. Samantha was asleep, her breathing steady, her face no longer as pale as it had been the night before. The glass of medicine on the bedside table was already empty. He stood there for a few seconds, making sure the woman was truly asl
Chapter 23Camelia rose calmly from her chair. She lightly patted the napkin on her lap, then looked at Juna.“I’m going to the restroom for a moment,” she said softly.Juna nodded. “Don’t take too long. Daven’s food is almost finished.”Camelia gave the children a faint smile. “Mama will be right
Chapter 22Night finally fell.Aurora ran lightly from the living room toward the door as soon as the bell rang, followed by Daven, who walked faster than usual.“Uncle Juna!” Aurora shouted happily.The door opened, revealing Juna, who had just set down his small suitcase. Before he could say anyt
Morning had not fully brightened when Calvin opened his eyes. He was sitting on the sofa in the guest room, his suit hanging on the back of a chair. He had barely slept all night. Every time he closed his eyes, what appeared instead was Camelia’s face, standing stiffly in the restaurant the night b







