Chapter 8

Celine listened to Stellan's vows, and a wave of sickness twisted inside her. No one would hurt her again? But every wound she'd suffered had come from him, hadn't it? The thought of him and his friends in that group, plotting to destroy her, sent a violent shudder through her body. Stellan didn't understand why he'd rushed in to save Celine. From outside the door, he heard her calling his name, over and over, and it twisted something deep inside him, a pain he couldn't shut out. He reminded himself that Celine had caused Lucia's death—Lucia, the one he truly loved. But when the moment came, he couldn't stop himself. He barged in to put an end to it. The sight of Celine's helpless despair clawed at his chest like a physical wound. For a split second, he wanted to slaughter every last one of those men. He kept repeating to himself that Lucia's death demanded vengeance. Saving Celine now only meant that he could break her completely later, at the engagement ceremony. Stellan noticed Celine's odd behavior and asked anxiously, "What's wrong, Celine? Are you sick?" But she remained silent, only shaking her head violently. Stellan's alarm grew. "Celine, say something. You're scaring me." Her breathing became quick and ragged, yet she didn't utter a single word. Panicked, he rushed Celine to the hospital. Yet when the doctor spoke to her, she suddenly found her voice again. Stellan stared at her in shock. "Celine, y-you can talk again?" Even Celine appeared startled by this development. But the moment she turned to face Stellan, her voice deserted her again. After running several tests, the doctor reached a diagnosis. "Ms. Maynard has selective mutism." "Selective mutism?" Stellan frowned. He'd never heard of anything like that. The doctor explained, "It's a psychological condition triggered by severe emotional trauma. The patient experiences a mental block that makes it impossible for them to speak in certain situations or around specific people tied to their distress. Has she experienced anything especially traumatic lately?" Stellan's face went pale as he recalled what had happened in the private room. To test his theory, he invited over the friends who had been there that day. Just as he'd suspected, Celine fell silent in their presence. They all assumed her condition was due to the attempted assault. But Celine knew the truth. Those strangers weren't the reason her voice wouldn't come out. What truly horrified her and made her sick was Stellan and his friends. They terrified her more than any thug ever could, draining her soul of hope. Stellan pulled Celine into a tight embrace, his heart aching. "Celine, I'm sorry… Don't worry. I won't let any of them get away with this. I promise I'll help you heal." Before leaving the hospital, Celine overheard Stellan's friends laughing at her just around the corner near the restroom. "Celine's not just half-blind. Now, she can't even speak. How hilarious!" "I can't wait to see her at the engagement ceremony!" "It'll be so satisfying when she tries to talk and nothing comes out!" Their words washed over her, but Celine's expression stayed blank, her heart untouched. The engagement ceremony was only a day away. Soon, she would be free.