Chapter 4

Celine opened her eyes slowly, a sharp pain flaring behind them. Her vision was blurry. She tried to focus her gaze, but nothing came into clarity. Dread coiled tight in her chest. She felt her way off the bed and shuffled toward the hospital room door. Before she could open it, Noel's voice reached her, thick with gloating. "That's badass, Stellan! Who else would've thought to mix sulfur into clay to make it explode? That bitch got wrecked! "Still, it's a shame. Her face isn't ruined, and she's not completely blind. If she'd lost her sight for good, that would've been the perfect gift for Lucia's death anniversary!" Celine's body tensed suddenly, a cold wave rising from her feet and flooding her limbs. Mixing sulfur into the clay? So, the kiln explosion hadn't been an accident. Stellan had planned them all along. That day was Lucia's ridiculous "death anniversary", and this was his revenge to ruin Celine's face and destroy her eyesight. Celine had believed her heart was numb to pain, yet now it felt as if an invisible hand were crushing it, stealing her breath. A year ago that day, she had entered a cave that wasn't fully open to the public. She risked her safety sketching the murals inside to help Stellan secure the cultural heritage project by creating ceramic pieces inspired by those ancient artworks. Then, without warning, the cave collapsed. Debris slammed into her shoulder blade, nearly killing her. Two years ago to the day, Noel had told her that Stellan was abducted. The captors had demanded she crawl on her knees across a 33-foot path of nails, or they'd kill him. Celine obeyed without hesitation for Stellan's sake. By the end, her legs were shredded, and she blacked out the moment she finished. The scars on her knees never fully healed. Even now, humid weather would make the old wounds ache. Now, she finally understood that Stellan had orchestrated it all because that day was Lucia's alleged death anniversary. Noel spoke again. "Stellan, why even bother treating her eyes? Just tear out her corneas now and leave her blind! That's the only real way to avenge Lucia!" After a pause, Stellan replied coldly, "Healing her drags out the suffering. And if she's blind, she'll miss the surprise at the engagement ceremony." His voice was soft, yet it sliced through Celine's heart like a blade. A wave of dizziness washed over her as she stumbled toward the hospital bed. Suddenly, her foot hit something, and she crashed to the floor. The sound startled Stellan, and he hurried back into the room. "Celine!" When he saw her crumpled beside the bed, his eyes filled with alarm. In an instant, he helped her up. "Celine, w-when did you wake up? Why did you get out of bed? Are you hurt?" Stellan asked. Celine shook her head, her voice hoarse and unsteady. "M-My eyes… Why can't I see clearly?" Realizing that she had simply woken up, Stellan exhaled in relief. He gently supported her and kept his voice low and soothing as he said, "Celine, are you in pain anywhere?" However, Celine didn't answer. A slight shiver passed through her, though it was difficult to tell if it was from pain or fear. Stellan steadied her in the chair, carefully checking her for injuries. Her red, swollen eyes and pale face sent a sharp pang through his chest. Without thinking, he reached out to brush her cheek, but she turned her head away. He paused, then let his hand fall, his gaze lingering on the cuts marking her face. "I'm sorry, Celine..." He took a deep breath, his voice gentle and reassuring. "But don't worry. The cuts on your face aren't bad. They'll heal without scarring. Your right cornea is damaged, but it's not serious. But..." He paused, his expression tightening with regret. "Your left eye is in worse shape. The optic nerve is injured. You'll… probably have limited vision from now on. Fortunately, the doctors said corrective lenses will help you live a normal life." Celine's body trembled slightly. She raised her head slowly, forcing a faint smile. Her voice came out as a rough whisper. "I see."