Dione didn’t bother wasting another word. She cast a cold, detached glance at Cedric before stepping into the bedroom and locking the door behind her.

Outside, Cedric’s gentle knocks broke the silence. His voice carried a soft plea tinged with guilt.

“Dione, if you’re upset, talk to me, okay? Don’t keep it all inside.”

“It’s my fault. I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t had time to spend with you properly.”

After a brief pause, he added, “How about this? The day after tomorrow, I’ll take you back to your hometown. You’ve been wanting to visit for so long.”

Hometown…

The word struck a chord in Dione, stirring memories she had buried deep. Yes, before leaving this world, she should return one last time. Her voice was calm and devoid of emotion as she replied, “Okay.”

For the next two days, Cedric stayed home with her, but his presence felt hollow. He was constantly glued to his phone, replying to messages or stepping out onto the balcony for calls, his mind clearly elsewhere.

On the morning of their departure, Dione woke to an empty bed. She searched the house, but Cedric was nowhere to be found.

Just as she reached for her phone to call him, a message from Ophelia arrived.

The image attached stole the breath from her lungs. Cedric lay asleep in Ophelia’s arms, his hand draped around her neck like a treasured ornament.

It was a sight that stabbed at Dione’s memories. Once upon a time, he had held her the same way, entwining their bodies in sleep as though she were his lifeline. But everything had changed when her illness worsened. Cedric worried about her fragile state, had begun sleeping at a careful distance, leaving a hollow space where his warmth used to be.

Before Dione could process the betrayal in the photo, another message came through: screenshots of their chats, dozens of them.

Piece by piece, the truth unfolded before her eyes. Each exchange painted a clearer picture of how Cedric had fallen into Ophelia’s web.

One particular message replayed in her mind like a haunting refrain. [Brother Cedric, please let me stay. I’m willing to do anything…]

The words were followed by a string of pitiful emojis, calculated to tug at his heartstrings.

At first, Cedric hadn’t replied. But Ophelia persisted, sending a heartfelt plea that spilled the misery of her past and the struggles she had faced since arriving in Cedar Ridge.

When no response came, Ophelia resorted to drastic measures. She sent Cedric a selfie taken in front of a mirror. In the photo, her body was bare, with only her hands modestly covering what was necessary. Her wide, innocent eyes gazed at the camera, dripping with a calculated mix of vulnerability and desperation.

[Brother Cedric, I’m still a virgin. Help me, and I’ll give myself to you…]

The silence didn’t last long. Cedric finally replied, his tone sharp yet wavering.

[Delete this right now. A girl should have self-respect!]

Ophelia’s response was swift, a crying emoji followed by a plea. She claimed she was at her wit’s end and didn’t know what else to do. If Cedric wouldn’t help her, she’d have no choice but to sell herself that very night. To seal her act, she attached a location pin.

The address? Cedar Ridge’s notorious red-light district.

Cedric, unable to ignore the urgency in her words, urged her not to make any rash decisions. Moments later, he left to find her, following the location she had sent.

From that moment on, their conversations grew more frequent, each one tinged with an intimacy that bordered on the forbidden.

Ophelia often peppered her messages with flirty emojis, kisses, hugs, and hearts. And Cedric, caught in her web, began responding with indulgent amusement, his restraint slowly eroding.

Judging by the timestamps, Dione realized that many times when Cedric claimed to be meeting clients, he was, in fact, with Ophelia.

As she read through the explicit chat logs, it felt as though a sledgehammer was pounding relentlessly against her chest. Each revelation stole the air from her lungs, leaving her gasping in agony.

Hot tears streamed unchecked down her cheeks, splashing onto the glowing screen of her phone, blurring the damning words she could never unsee.

She didn’t bother reaching out to Cedric again. With her heart shattered beyond repair, she packed her things and booked a flight to her hometown, choosing solitude over confrontation.

When the plane landed, her phone lit up with a series of missed calls and apologetic texts from Cedric.

[I’m sorry, wife. Laurent needed me for something urgent, and I missed the flight.]

[I’ve booked the next one; I’ll be there soon!]

[Wife, rest at the hotel when you arrive. I’ll join you later to visit Mom and Dad.]

Dione stared at his messages with cold detachment. Without replying, she flagged down a taxi and directed the driver toward the cemetery in a nearby city.

When she was eighteen, her world shattered in an instant. Her parents had died in a devastating car accident, and the driver responsible vanished without a trace.

Desperation had driven her to knock on every relative’s door, borrowing money just to give her parents a proper burial. The weight of grief and debt hung over her like a dark cloud.

It was during that turbulent year that she met Cedric, a man who seemed, at the time, to be her beacon of hope.

To repay the debts she owed her relatives, Dione worked tirelessly, juggling two jobs every single day. One fateful night, after dragging herself through a grueling shift, she found herself cornered in a dim alley by a group of drunken thugs.

It was Cedric who came to her rescue. He fought valiantly, his fists doing the talking, until the chaos ended with everyone hauled to the police station.

When the police asked Dione to call her parents, silence fell over her. Unable to speak, she lowered her gaze as they checked her ID. The room grew eerily quiet when they discovered the truth about her parents.

Cedric, despite enduring punches that left his face swollen beyond recognition, never shed a tear. But when he learned that Dione had lost both her parents and was braving the world alone, his composure crumbled. Silent tears streaked down his bruised face; he couldn’t fathom how much pain she had endured in solitude.

From that moment on, Cedric made it his mission to be Dione’s protector during the long night shifts, always ensuring she made it home safely.

Cedric’s family wasn’t struggling. His father was a well-established entrepreneur known far and wide.

He confided in Dione about his family, sharing bits and pieces of his life, his father’s affair, his reluctance to inherit the family business, and his deep passion for sculpting...

Cedric had cut ties with them after they discovered his relationship with Dione. They had insisted he take the reins of the family business, scolding him for even considering marriage to a girl from such humble roots, especially one who had lost both her parents.

In defiance and to shield Dione from their harsh words, Cedric took her to Cedar Ridge, hoping to learn a new skill.

The past replayed in Dione’s mind like scenes from a movie, each memory sharp and vivid.

She knelt in front of the tombstone, the cold wind biting at her skin, but the warmth of her tears blurred her vision.

“Dad, Mom…”

“Wait for me, okay? I’ll find you soon.”

“In the next life, I still want to be your daughter.”

Winter’s chill had arrived, the air damp and biting, and the cemetery seemed to echo with her pain.

She waited for hours, but Cedric didn’t show. Eventually, with a heavy heart, she made her way back to the hotel alone.

Her phone remained silent, and after a long pause, she decided to call him.

The phone rang, the connection was slow, and when it finally clicked, the noise on the other end made her stomach tighten. There was a shuffle of footsteps before everything went quiet.

“Hello, wife. I’m sorry, something came up.”

“Ophelia had an accident. She’s all alone in Cedar Ridge, and as her mentor, I can’t leave her...”

Once again, Ophelia.

Dione couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Ophelia was so intent on keeping Cedric that she would go as far as to hurt herself to make him stay.

“Then take good care of her over there,” Dione said, her voice steady before hanging up.

She stayed in her hometown for over ten days, each day filled with messages and calls from Cedric, full of excuses about why he couldn’t make it.

Dione played along, not wanting to confront him.

As the day of her appointment with Dr. Pierce approached, she packed up and made her way back to Cedar Ridge.

She didn’t tell Cedric she was returning, she didn’t owe him that, and instead, went straight to his studio to collect her things.

When she arrived, Ophelia was already there, sitting in Cedric’s usual chair, a coffee cup in hand. Her legs were crossed arrogantly as she barked orders to the employees around her.

Dione’s face darkened instantly as she strode toward Ophelia, knocking the coffee cup out of her hand with a sharp motion.

“Is this how you usually waste time? Making everyone else carry the load—what’s the point of you being here?” Dione demanded.

Ophelia, flustered and caught off guard, was about to retort when she noticed Cedric coming out of the room. In an instant, she switched tactics, feigning hurt and rushing to apologize.

“Sister Dione, you’ve misunderstood...”

“I wasn’t slacking off. I’ve been working nonstop and just finally got a moment to breathe.”

Cedric quickly stepped forward, grabbing Dione’s hand with a pleading expression.

“Wife, why didn’t you tell me you were coming back? I would’ve picked you up from the airport.”

Dione shook his hand off and walked into the office without a word, her steps deliberate and cold.

Dione’s gaze swept across the office, and her brow creased without her even realizing it.

Every detail of this space, once carefully chosen by her, had been replaced. The mural that had once been elegant now depicted a playful cartoon, and the ornaments on the desk had morphed into tiny pink houses.

Cedric, who had followed her in, noticed the shift in her expression and quickly offered an explanation.

“The staff thought my office was too dull, so they redecorated it for me.”

“If you don’t like it, I’ll throw it all out.”

Dione turned to him, her hand extending with a quiet demand.

“Where’s my ‘Dina’? What have you done with it?”

Cedric seemed to snap to attention, his eyes scanning the room as he hastily searched. After a moment, he spotted it, tucked away in a box in the corner.

Dione had never learned sculpture. Instead, she had painstakingly taught herself, spending three sleepless days and nights to carve a figure of the two of them, calling it “Dina.”

At the time, Cedric had treated it like a treasure, placing “Dina” in the most visible spot in his office.

To Dione, “Dina” wasn’t just a sculpture; it carried a piece of her soul. She couldn’t bear the thought of it being tainted, especially by the sight of Cedric and Ophelia being so affectionate with each other every day.

Without hesitation, she snatched “Dina,” now gathering dust, and left the studio in a hurry.

Cedric was just about to chase after her when Ophelia’s dramatic cry echoed from behind.

“Master, I twisted my ankle; it hurts so much...”

His steps faltered, and once again, Dione was left to slip away.

As she reached the intersection, it hit her that she was leaving for abroad tomorrow. She paused, deciding she should tell Cedric before she left.

Turning back, she made her way toward the studio once more.

At the corner, Dione spotted Ophelia holding onto Cedric’s hand, refusing to let go.

“Cedric, my foot really hurts. I’m not lying to you…”

Cedric frowned and gently rubbed her nose.

“Why did you put my things in a box and upset Dione? I need to go comfort her.”

Ophelia shook his arm, her voice dripping with sweetness.

“I really envy Dione, having a husband who loves her so much. Unlike me... I’m like a discarded doll, tossed aside.”

“Stop talking nonsense,” Cedric said, frowning. “If your foot hurts, go to the hospital and get checked out.”

“I don’t want to go to the hospital. Don’t you remember the accident a few days ago? You were so wild in the hospital.”

“You almost let the nurses see everything. You’re so annoying.”

Cedric quickly covered her mouth, his eyes darting around.

“Keep your voice down. Someone will hear!”

Ophelia chuckled, her hands playfully punching his chest.

“Now you care about keeping things quiet. Last night, didn’t you want everyone to hear?”

Cedric smiled, pulling her closer, pressing her head against his chest, and wrapping his arms around her waist.

Dione stood frozen, her body trembling uncontrollably. Her fist was clenched so tightly it felt as though her nails were digging into her skin.

At home, she collapsed, gathering everything that reminded her of the two of them and taking it to the rooftop. There, she set it all ablaze.

As the flames roared to life, her long-suppressed anger and sorrow seemed to dissolve into the heat of the fire.

By the time everything had nearly burned away, Cedric’s call had interrupted the moment.

Dione hesitated for a few seconds before answering.

“Dione, you’re not mad, right? Ophelia twisted her foot; it was badly swollen. I just took her to the hospital.”

“You know, she was in a car accident a few days ago…”

Dione had heard enough. She didn’t want to listen to another word about Ophelia, so she cut him off.

“Cedric, I just want to eat instant noodles.”

On the other end of the phone, Cedric paused, his confusion evident. “What? Instant noodles?”

“Yes, do you remember when we first arrived in Cedar Ridge? We shared a packet, savoring every bite. There were times when we didn’t have much, so we’d share, pretending we weren’t hungry just to let the other have more.”

Dione’s voice trembled as she recalled those simpler days, and tears began to fall unbidden.

“Dione, what’s wrong?”

The noise on his end of the call was growing louder, and Dione wiped away her tears, trying to steady her breath.

“There’s so much noise on your end. Where are you?”

She took several deep breaths, forcing the sobs to stay hidden. “I just really want instant noodles. Can you bring a packet back with you?”

Before Cedric could respond, Ophelia’s voice burst through, urgent and frantic.

“Cedric, I’m bleeding! Please call a doctor!”

Cedric’s tone shifted as he spoke, trying to reassure Dione while attending to Ophelia.

“Stay at home, Dione. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

The line went silent as Dione heard the faint sound of the call disconnect.

Dione’s face was etched with helplessness, her tears clouding her vision. She inhaled deeply, her gaze lifting to the sky, as if seeking solace in its vastness.

“Cedric, you missed our last chance to meet.”