Chapter 4

The front door closed softly after Samantha left. The sound of her footsteps faded away, leaving behind a silence that felt strange in the living room.

Calvin was still sitting on the sofa. His body leaned back, one arm hanging loosely at his side. The living room lights were still on, yet the atmosphere felt cold. He let out a long breath.

“What’s wrong with me?” he muttered softly.

Just moments ago, Samantha had kissed his lips. The woman he had been waiting for all this time. The woman he claimed to love. Yet there was no racing heartbeat, no urge to return the kiss. Everything felt empty.

Calvin closed his eyes, trying to drive away the images forming in his mind.

Camelia always appeared whenever he closed his eyes.

He opened them again irritably. “Damn it.”

The doorbell rang.

Calvin turned sharply, then stood up and opened the door. Ronal stood there with a serious expression.

“Sir,” Ronal greeted respectfully.

“Come in,” Calvin replied shortly.

Ronal stepped inside and stood before Calvin. “I came to report.”

Calvin sat back down. “Go on.”

“We still haven’t found Madam Camelia’s whereabouts,” Ronal said carefully. “However… there is one thing.”

Calvin lifted his head. “What?”

“Yesterday afternoon, Madam went to the club you usually visit.”

Calvin stiffened. “The club?”

“Yes, Sir. She brought a cake box. Not for long. Just a few minutes. After that, Madam left.”

Calvin’s hand slowly clenched. “A cake?”

“That’s right,” Ronal continued. “According to the staff, Madam looked calm and happy at first, but shortly after, she appeared sad.”

Calvin fell silent.

His memories spun rapidly. His own words echoed back in his mind.

I will divorce her. I only love you.

Calvin’s jaw tightened.

“She… heard it?” he murmured, barely audible.

Ronal waited, not daring to interrupt.

Calvin rubbed his face roughly. His chest felt uncomfortable. “Stop the search.”

Ronal was startled. “Sir?”

“Stop it,” Calvin repeated coldly. “There’s no need to look for her anymore.”

“But—”

Calvin stared sharply at Ronal. “I said stop.”

Ronal lowered his head. “Yes, Sir.”

Calvin leaned back. “No more than three days,” he said arrogantly. “She’ll come back on her own.”

Ronal hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I understand.”

Ronal left, once again leaving Calvin alone.

That night passed without Camelia. Morning came, still without Camelia.

Day one.

Calvin woke up feeling irritated. The house felt far too quiet. There were no footsteps in the kitchen. No smell of the simple breakfast Camelia usually prepared. His work clothes were usually neatly laid out, and this morning there were none.

“She’s doing this on purpose,” he muttered. “Playing tug-of-war with me.”

Day two.

Calvin came home earlier from the office. His eyes instinctively searched for Camelia’s figure in the living room. Empty.

He sat down, staring at the door for quite a while.

“I should be happy,” he said to himself. “Isn’t this what I wanted?”

Day three.

Calvin began to feel restless.

He checked his phone repeatedly. There were no incoming calls from Camelia. No messages either. Absolutely nothing.

“Is she too proud to come home?” he grumbled.

Or… does she not want to come back?

That thought made his chest feel tight.

Calvin stood up and paced back and forth. “Impossible,” he said firmly. “She has no one.”

Yet the image of Camelia seducing him surfaced in his mind.

Calvin stopped in his tracks.

“Why haven’t you come back?” he asked the empty room.

He looked at the divorce folder again. His hand reached out, then stopped. He had not signed the divorce papers yet.

Calvin let out a long breath, then sat back down with a troubled expression.

“What do I really want?” he murmured softly.

Three days had passed. And Camelia still had not returned.

And strangely, Calvin began to feel afraid of a possibility he had never considered—that Camelia might truly be gone forever.

“Impossible! She will definitely come back.” Calvin clenched his fists tightly.

Not long after, the doorbell rang.

Calvin, who had been sitting idly, immediately lifted his head. His brows furrowed, then he stood and walked toward the door.

As soon as the door opened, Samantha stood there carrying several food boxes.

“I’m not disturbing you, am I?” she asked with a faint smile.

Calvin fell silent for a moment. “No,” he finally replied. “Come in.”

Samantha stepped inside and went straight to the living room. “I know you haven’t been eating much lately because your stomach problems have flared up again,” she said while placing the boxes on the table. “I brought your favorite foods.”

Calvin glanced at the contents of the boxes. Warm soup, light meals, and cut fruit. Everything he usually ate when his stomach was acting up.

“You didn’t have to trouble yourself,” Calvin said flatly.

“I don’t see it as trouble,” Samantha replied shortly. “Besides, we’ll be getting married soon, won’t we?”

Calvin did not respond. He sat back down on the sofa. Samantha sat beside him and opened one of the boxes.

“Eat,” Samantha said, offering him a spoon. “Just a little.”

Calvin sighed, then accepted the spoon. But before he could feed himself, Samantha had already spooned the food into Calvin’s mouth.

“Tata—” Calvin was about to refuse, but he ended up opening his mouth anyway.

Samantha smiled in satisfaction. “That’s better.”

Without Calvin realizing it, Samantha raised her phone and took a photo. Calvin, who was chewing, only glanced briefly, then unconsciously smiled faintly.

Click.

“What are you doing?” Calvin asked after swallowing his food.

“Nothing,” Samantha replied lightly. “Just a photo.” Then Samantha kissed Calvin’s cheek and took another picture.

Calvin did not respond anymore. He continued eating in silence.

A few minutes later, Samantha opened her phone again. Her fingers moved quickly across the screen. She selected the photo from earlier and uploaded it to social media.

The caption was clearly written:

Thank you for forgiving me. Thank you for still loving me.

There was nothing to hide. After all, Calvin and Camelia’s marriage had never been announced to the public.

Samantha looked at her phone screen, then smiled in satisfaction.

“Calvin,” she called softly.

“Hm?” Calvin turned his head.

“I love you very much,” Samantha said. “I’m happy that you stayed faithful and waited for me.”

Calvin only nodded.

“I’ll come often,” Samantha replied lightly. “At least until you’re truly better.”

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Camelia sat in a simple room. Her phone vibrated softly on the table. She turned her head, then picked it up.

A notification appeared.

She opened social media without expression. Her finger stopped when she saw Samantha’s post.

That photo.

Calvin smiling as Samantha kissed his cheek.

Camelia stared at the screen for quite a while.

“Oh,” she murmured softly.

There were no tears. No excessive reaction. Only her chest felt slightly tight, as if gently pressed. She read the caption once more.

Thank you for forgiving me. Thank you for still loving me.

Camelia let out a soft breath.

“So that’s how it is,” she whispered.

She turned off her phone screen and placed it back on the table. Her lips curved faintly, a smile that looked more like acceptance.

“The true lovers are finally reunited,” she said softly. “Congratulations, Mr. Calvin.”

Camelia leaned back in her chair. Her gaze was empty, fixed on the wall.

“My decision to leave really was the best one,” she said to herself.

Yet even so, her hand unconsciously clenched the edge of the coat she was wearing. Her breath hitched slightly.

“The heart truly cannot be deceived,” she murmured softly.

Camelia closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again with a calmer gaze.

“There’s nothing left to wait for,” she said firmly. “From now on, I will only think about myself.”