Chapter 9

After they returned from the hospital, Stellan stuck close to Celine, worried she might get hurt again. He knew she feared the dark, so he left every light in the villa on all night. Meanwhile, Celine had quietly erased every trace of herself from Stellan's life. On the morning of their engagement ceremony, Celine woke up early. Stellan came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and murmured, "Why not sleep a little longer? Today's going to be exhausting. It's our engagement ceremony. You should rest while you can." Celine frowned, subtly pulling away before typing on her phone. "I need to stop by the workshop." Stellan looked confused. "The workshop? What's there?" Celine offered a faint smile and quickly typed a reply. "I'm picking up a gift for you. For the engagement ceremony." Stellan read the message, hesitated, then smiled. "Alright. I'll go with you." She shook her head and typed again. "No, I'd rather go alone. I want it to be a surprise." Seeing her insistence, Stellan finally relented. "Alright. I'll have the driver take you. Be safe and come back soon." He leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to Celine's forehead, his expression tender. "I can't wait to see your gift," he added. Celine studied him, her gaze unreadable, then typed. "Stellan, do you love me?" Stellan didn't hesitate. "Of course I do, silly. I've even got a big surprise for you today." Celine held his gaze, smiled, and typed something into her phone. "Stellan… I loved you." Stellan stared at the screen, frozen. There was something different about Celine that day, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. In the split second he hesitated, she had already turned and walked away. He watched her go, a strange uneasiness settling in his chest. Celine slid into the car and scrubbed her forehead roughly, right where Stellan had kissed her. As the car pulled away, she sent a message. Before long, the vehicle reached a workshop on the outskirts of the city. She told the driver to wait outside before stepping into the workshop alone. Her eyes swept over the familiar tools and equipment, and a faint hint of nostalgia flickered in her gaze. Celine quickly grabbed the items she'd stashed in the corner. Carefully, she poured the phosphorus powder from the box into the clay and then slid the mixture into the kiln. Once finished, she took a sharp breath and climbed out through the window. Seconds later, a deafening explosion ripped through the kiln. Flames surged upward, engulfing the entire workshop. Celine stood at a distance, watching the fire climb, her expression blank. She pulled out her phone and composed an anonymous email to Stellan, setting it to send in seven days. Attached was a single photo of Lucia and a man locked in a deep kiss beneath a sky where, not long before, seven planets had aligned in a rare celestial display. Then, she texted Stellan. "Stellan, if you truly believe that Lucia's death was my fault, and if revenge is what you're after, then let me spare you the trouble of avenging me at our engagement ceremony. I'll go join our three children in death now to keep Lucia company." With that, Celine got into the car parked at the curb, and the driver took off without saying a single word. She was betting that Stellan still cared for her. This would be her parting gift, one meant to haunt him long after she was gone.