In the hospital, Caleb restlessly checked his phone again and again, but he received no reply from me. He irritably scrolled through their chat history, only to realize this was the first time I hadn’t replied to him instantly. Caleb couldn’t help but remember the calm in my eyes when he’d pulled his hand back during the explosion.
“Caleb, is Sister Ava still angry with me?” Stella tugged at his sleeve, her face a picture of wronged innocence. “I’ll go apologize to her.” Hearing Stella say this, Caleb actually felt a sense of relief. “Stella, you’re the kindest. This time, I was wrong. Once Ava cools down, I’ll make it up to you properly.” Stella seemed surprised that Caleb agreed, a flicker of jealousy in her eyes, quickly replaced by a knowing, understanding expression. “Whatever you say, Caleb.”
The next morning, Caleb took Stella home. The household staff had been dismissed long ago because Stella disliked strangers. Now, the house was empty, and the soup I had made sat on the table, covered in mold. Caleb stiffened, instinctively releasing Stella’s hand, and rushed into the bedroom. But that bedroom, on Stella’s very first day, had become hers. Caleb looked around the room, cluttered with Stella’s clothes and bags, feeling a surge of helplessness. He grabbed Stella’s arm, speaking urgently.
“Stella, where are all those Antarctic specimens from the room?” Stella glanced indifferently at the empty room, secretly pleased. “Oh, those things? They were too ugly, so I threw them out.”
“Who told you to throw them out?!” Caleb roared. Those were the specimens I had painstakingly brought back from Antarctica. Caleb knew how precious those thin- gs were to me. In his panic, he also felt a surge of anger, blaming me for not telling him. If I had, he never would have let Stella throw them away. Stella was stunned by his shout, tears unconsciously welling in her eyes. Seeing her cry, Caleb softened his expression and put his arm around her. “I’m sorry, Stella. But those things belonged to Ava. You shouldn’t throw them away without asking.”
Stella bit her lip, her expression hurt, but she quietly agreed. “I’m sorry, Caleb. When Sister Ava comes back, I’ll apologize to her.”
Chapter 2
09:34
Stella bit her lip, her expression hurt, but she quietly agreed. “I’m sorry, Caleb. When Sister Ava comes back, I’ll apologize to her.”
“I just checked Sister Ava’s bedroom, her things are all still there. Don’t worry, Sister Ava will definitely come back.” Caleb finally relaxed, giving her a perfunctory kiss on the forehead, telling her to go to sleep and not overexert herself.
After soothing Stella to sleep, Caleb went alone to my bedroom, looking at the clothes in the closet and the various cosmetics on the vanity. He scoffed. “Ava Hayes, you’d better never come back!” He said it aloud, but after a moment’s hesitation, he pulled out his phone and sent a message.
[Didn’t you want to see the aurora borealis? In three days, I’ll wait for you at our old spot in the Arctic.]
Three days later, Caleb arrived in the Arctic with Stella. But even after the aurora display ended, Caleb saw no sign of me. Watching Stella, laughing and chatting beside him, he suppressed a strong sense of unease. He pulled out his phone and dialed my number.
