LOGINThe morning sky at the end of that weekend stretched wide without a single dark cloud, allowing the sunlight to stream through the massive glass walls on the mezzanine level of the Grand Chapel of St. Jude. The interior of the magnificent chapel was filled with the fragrance of hundreds of white avalanche roses and eucalyptus stems arranged in cascading displays along the sacred altar. The gentle melody of Canon in D, performed by a professional string quartet, flowed softly through the air, creating an atmosphere so sacred and moving that anyone who heard it could feel its solemnity.In the front row of guest seats, Camelia sat beside Calvin. The middle-aged woman looked elegant in a classic long evening dress in dusty lilac, accented with delicate pearl embroidery around the collar, perfectly complementing the tailored-fit navy suit worn by her husband. There were no traces of tension or an icy wall between them anymore; throughout the week of rushed wedding pre
A gentle night breeze blew softly through the lush trees in the backyard of the Chandler residence. The glow of the pillar lights reflected faintly across the paved courtyard, creating a peaceful atmosphere that contrasted sharply with the turmoil that had been raging inside Camelia’s mind.Inside the spacious guest bedroom on the second floor of the house, the middle-aged woman stood before a large mirror framed with carved mahogany wood. She wore a long camel-colored coat over a loose-fitting nightdress, while her long hair fell naturally around her shoulders without any particular styling. Her face looked pale, bearing the remnants of the physical and mental exhaustion that had plagued her for the past several weeks.The firm and piercing words from Ziyi and Juna several hours earlier continued to echo through her mind, completely wearing down the walls of ego and anger she had painstakingly built. Camelia realized a bitter truth that she could no long
The large wrought-iron gate of the Chandler family’s main residence slowly opened, allowing a black sedan to glide into the spacious, smoothly paved courtyard. The warm yellow garden lights reflected across the hood of the car, revealing a grand yet strangely desolate and empty atmosphere in the courtyard that night.Calvin slowly stepped out from behind the wheel. He opened the rear trunk, lifted out his black leather suitcase, then closed the trunk again with a soft thud that broke the silence of the night. Every step toward the main entrance felt incredibly heavy, as though the shoes on his feet were bound by invisible lead. The images of his children crying hysterically on the staircase of the main residence earlier still spun vividly through his mind, leaving an unbearable ache in his chest.As the large mahogany door was opened by the Chandler family’s head butler, Calvin was greeted by the grand yet seemingly deserted interior of the old house. Ziy
The afternoon breeze blew gently, slipping through the gap of the master bedroom window at the Ashford residence, which had been left open by half an inch. The temperature inside the room felt unbearably stuffy, filled with the remnants of heavy breaths and a long silence that seemed to have no end.In the corner of the room, near the large teakwood wardrobe, Calvin stood upright in a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The middle-aged man held a pitch-black leather suitcase on the marble floor. One by one, he folded his work clothes with slow but steady movements, placing them into the suitcase without making a sound.Every time a piece of folded fabric passed through his hands, his chest rumbled as he suppressed an unbearable tightness. For weeks, he had tried every method he knew. He had knelt, cried, begged for forgiveness, and remained by the bedside even though his presence was treated as if it did not exist. Yet all he received in
The distinctive smell of disinfectant and the sterile scent that had been part of the Ashford family’s days for nearly three weeks finally began to fade as they stepped out of the elevator on the hospital’s ground floor. That day, the discharge authorization had officially been issued by Dr. Hendra. Physically, Camelia’s condition had shown significant improvement; the wound from her emergency surgery had healed well, and her health parameters were stable.However, her return home brought none of the warmth one would expect from a family reunited under the same roof.Inside the luxurious sedan with a black license plate speeding through the streets of the capital, the atmosphere felt heavy and suffocating. Calvin sat in the driver’s seat with both hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. The middle-aged man wore formal clothes that were as neat as usual, yet the lines of exhaustion and dark shadows around his eyes reflected an extraordinary degree of in
The distinctive smell of disinfectant and the sterile scent of the VVIP hospital room felt sharp in the nose, creating a cold atmosphere that seemed to freeze the blood of anyone inside. Three days had passed since the night that emotional explosion erupted—the night Camelia awoke from her long coma, only to discover that the little world she had longed for had shattered into pieces.Since then, an invisible wall had formed inside the spacious room.Camelia lay stiffly on the bed, facing the large window that revealed the gray city sky outside. The middle-aged woman no longer cried; her tears seemed to have dried up, swept away by the storm of anger that had now transformed into a silence far more frightening. Every time Calvin approached, carrying a tray of warm porridge or simply trying to straighten his wife’s blanket, Camelia consistently showed the same attitude: she tightly closed her eyes, pressed her lips firmly together, and flatly refused any in







