Chapter 3

Celine shut the door and slumped against it, exhausted. Stellan wouldn't even let their child rest in peace. She thought he was heartless! The next day, Celine feigned ignorance as she stood beside Stellan in front of a fresh, unmarked grave. Her fingers brushed the bare tombstone, and her tears came again. "I'm sorry, my baby. We were never meant to be... You're gone..." Her voice shook with sorrow, and the words died in her throat. She wanted to say that perhaps this was for the best. She and the child had been nothing more than pawns in Stellan's vengeance against Lucia. Stellan stood beside Celine, quietly watching her pained expression. A flicker of emotions crossed his eyes before he carefully drew her into an embrace. "Don't be sad, Celine. You did what you needed to do for me. The child will understand," he murmured. Celine didn't answer, her body trembling faintly. That night, Stellan had an astronomical telescope delivered and set up on the villa's terrace. He stepped closer to Celine and said softly, "Tonight, we'll witness the seven-planet alignment. It's an extraordinarily rare sight. They say that if you make a wish when the planets align, it'll come true. We should try it." Celine lifted her gaze to the brilliant stars, but her heart remained numb. What could she possibly wish for now? Once, her deepest desire had been to grow old with Stellan, build a family, and share a lifetime of happiness. Now, that dream had been shattered by Stellan himself. As the seven-planet alignment took shape in the night sky, Celine closed her eyes and silently made a wish. "May I never see Stellan again." When she opened her eyes, her face was expressionless. Stellan sensed her coldness, and a flicker of confusion crossed his eyes. He thought that she had become a different person since losing their baby this time around. She hardly spoke, never smiled, and kept him at a distance. But then it occurred to him that perhaps she was feeling worse because her pregnancy had been further along. This was, after all, the child she'd wanted for so long. Stellan's expression grew troubled as he watched her. After a pause, he said softly, "Celine, I had a new kiln custom-built for you. I'll go with you to the workshop tomorrow so you can calibrate it." Celine wasn't sure why Stellan had suddenly decided to give her a kiln. Since she needed to fire a ceramic piece regardless, she agreed. The following day, Stellan accompanied her to her workshop. His eyes held admiration as he watched Celine skillfully work the tools, molding the clay with quiet focus. He couldn't deny it—Celine was an extraordinarily gifted ceramic artist. Her pieces always possessed a rare vitality. They were vivid and impossible to forget. The kiln calibration went smoothly, and Celine loaded her prepared ceramics inside to fire. Stellan stayed with her late into the night. Worried she might get cold, he gently draped his jacket over her shoulders and ensured her favorite nighttime snacks were on hand. Finally, it was time to open the kiln. As Celine reached for it, Stellan suddenly spoke up. "Celine…" She turned to him and curtly replied, "What?" He paused, his eyes betraying a hint of conflict before he smiled. "Nothing. Just be careful." Celine took a deep breath and opened the kiln. Without warning, the ceramic piece exploded. Sharp fragments flew in every direction. In a flash, the shards sliced into her face and eyes. A searing pain tore through her as blood poured, turning her vision red. The last thing she heard before blacking out was Stellan's frantic scream. "Celine!"