MasukThree days passed in creeping silence in New York. That morning, a steady knock on the main door of the Ashford residence signaled the arrival of someone who had, for the past few days, been isolating himself from the hustle and bustle of the world. Juna stood at the doorway, wearing a casual coat, trying to hide the traces of exhaustion that still clearly lingered in his dark eyes. “Brother Juna?” greeted Camelia, who had just come down from the second floor, her face instantly brightening upon seeing her brother standing there. “Come in, Brother. Why didn’t you give any notice all of a sudden?” Juna forced a faint, thin smile on his still somewhat pale lips. “Brother came here on purpose to take his nieces and nephews out for a walk, Mel. Where are the twins, Aurora and Daven?” “Oh, they’re definitely going to be so happy!” Camelia exclaimed with sparkling eyes, turning toward the stairs. “Wait a moment, they’re upstairs tightening their shoelaces with the nanny. Have a seat, Bro
The long flight across the ocean finally brought Camelia and Calvin back to New York. Extreme exhaustion, both physical and emotional, was clearly etched across Camelia’s beautiful face as the door of their master bedroom closed tightly behind them.Meanwhile, in another quiet corner of the world, a knock on Ziyi’s apartment door shattered the stillness of the afternoon. A courier stood outside, handing over a thick brown envelope bearing the logo of a renowned law firm. The sender’s name was clearly printed in the upper left corner: Jonathan Collyn.With fingers that suddenly felt as cold as ice, Ziyi carried the envelope inside. She sat on the edge of the bed and slowly tore open the seal. Inside the bundle of stiff legal documents was a sheet of pristine white paper covered in handwriting Ziyi knew all too well. It was Juna’s neat cursive script.Ziyi unfolded the letter with her breath caught in her throat.«To Ziyi, the woman I deeply respect
The teacup on the table had long since cooled down, yet the silence between Ziyi and Camelia still felt incredibly thick. Ziyi squeezed her own fingers, staring at her reflection on the surface of the calm tea water. A massive doubt now, like a thick fog, rolled through the entire contents of her head, making her not know which direction to step. "Ziyi," Camelia called softly, breaking the silence that had been suffocating the room since earlier. She moved her body forward, staring intently at Ziyi's jaw, which appeared to tense up. "I once heard a proverb from the old folks about the bond of marriage." Ziyi did not reply, but her gaze slowly moved, indicating she was listening closely. "A household trial, if it doesn't come at the beginning, might strike at the back," Camelia said in a lowering voice, filled with ripples of deep emotion. "They say... before the age of marriage reaches five years, or even ten years, there will surely be a great many storms that come to test. It co
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
Chapter 13Camelia Collyn closed her eyes. Her body lay on the sofa in Jonathan’s apartment, a thin blanket covering her. It was already late at night, the city lights faintly visible behind the curtains. That quiet atmosphere instead made her mind noisy.Old memories slowly surfaced.Ten years ago
Chapter 14Two months passed quickly, but for Calvin Ashford, his days felt heavier instead.That morning, Calvin had just sat down at the dining table when nausea hit him again. He covered his mouth, stood up in a hurry, and rushed to the bathroom.“Ugh—”The sound of vomiting was clearly heard.S
Calvin closed his eyes in his office chair. The lights in the office were still brightly lit, but his head felt heavy. Somehow, his thoughts had been drifting more and more often without permission. He took a deep breath, then slowly let it out.Yet the memory still came.That night, the rain was p
Chapter 11The sharp smell of antiseptic stung Camelia’s nose as her consciousness slowly returned. Her eyelids felt heavy. She tried to open her eyes, then closed them again because the light was too bright.“You’re awake?”A man’s voice sounded near her. His tone was firm, but there was something







