“No! I don’t believe you can let me go! Wife, stop this, please. Can we just go home together?” Caleb stepped forward, clutching my hand, his face etched with despe
rate pleading.
Six months ago, I would have undoubtedly softened, then plunged headfirst back into the love he deigned to offer. But now, I felt only annoyance. I wrenched my
hand away from his. “Nothing is impossible.”
“Just like the twenty–year–old you would never have imagined that one day, you’d leave me in a burning building for someone else.”
At my words, Caleb looked as if he’d been struck by lightning. His face was ashen, his body barely steady. “Caleb, it’s over between us. Someone loves me more than the twenty–year–old you did, and I love him too.”
Unlike Caleb’s devastation, Ethan looked utterly stunned by my words. I led him for a long time before he suddenly scooped me up, laughing joyously. “Ava! Did you just say you love me? Did you?!” I was startled by his sudden action, but I laughed and playfully hit his shoulder. He didn’t mind, looking up at me, his eyes sparkli- ng. His eyes, reflecting the aurora, made me impulsively lean in and kiss him. The aurora exploded like fireworks.
For the next few days, I organized data at the research base, only occasionally hearing Ethan mention that Caleb was still waiting stubbornly at the base entrance. He bought out every fireworks store in the Arctic Circle, putting on a show for me all night, which unfortunately meant no one at the base got any sleep. I sent word to him, asking him not to disrupt our work. The very next day, he started sending truckloads of equipment to the research facility. Ethan was furious, and began look- ing for ways to cause trouble for Sterling Group. Caleb did indeed quiet down for a few days.
Until the day the research team was due to return home. My colleagues and I had just emerged from the base when we saw Caleb, his face impatient, pushing away Stella, who was clinging to him. Seeing me emerge, Caleb’s eyes lit up. “Ava! I knew you’d come out to see me!”
Over his shoulder, I saw Stella glaring at me, her face contorted with malice. Her gaze was like a venomous snake, slimy and clinging to me. Seeing her take a step towards me, I instinctively moved a few steps away from Caleb.
“Ava Hayes! It’s all your fault! If only you were dead, Caleb would love me again!” Stella gripped a small vial tightly in her hand, her face a mask of deranged fury She muttered to herself, then hurled the vial at me. The distance was too short, I had no time to react
Just then, Caleb, standing in front of me, suddenly pulled me into his arms. I heard only a muffled grunt, then my nostrils were assailed by the pungent smell of sulfuric acid. Before I could even register what was happening, Ethan kicked Stella away, who was still struggling to lunge at me. He anxiously pulled me from Caleb‘
Chapter 2
09:35 He bought out every fireworks store in the Arctic Circle, putting on a show for me all night, which unfortunately meant no one at the base got any sleep. I sent word to him, asking him not to disrupt our work. The very next day, he started sending truckloads of equipment to the research facility. Ethan was furious, and began look- ing for ways to cause trouble for Sterling Group. Caleb did indeed quiet down for a few days.
Until the day the research team was due to return home. My colleagues and I had just emerged from the base when we saw Caleb, his face impatient, pushing away Stella, who was clinging to him. Seeing me emerge, Caleb’s eyes lit up. “Ava! I knew you’d come out to see me!”
Over his shoulder, I saw Stella glaring at me, her face contorted with malice. Her gaze was like a venomous snake, slimy and clinging to me. Seeing her take a step towards me, I instinctively moved a few steps away from Caleb.
“Ava Hayes! It’s all your fault! If only you were dead, Caleb would love me again!” Stella gripped a small vial tightly in her hand, her face a mask of deranged fury. She muttered to herself, then hurled the vial at me. The distance was too short; I had no time to react.
Just then, Caleb, standing in front of me, suddenly pulled me into his arms. I heard only a muffled grunt, then my nostrils were assailed by the pungent smell of sulfuric acid. Before I could even register what was happening, Ethan kicked Stella away, who was still struggling to lunge at me. He anxiously pulled me from Caleb‘ s embrace, carefully checking my body. I let him examine me. Only after he confirmed I was unharmed did he pull me into a relieved embrace. “Ava, thank God you’re okay. Thank God.”
Caleb, his face ashen, watched me gently comfort Ethan, completely disregarding his own injuries. In that moment, he finally believed: I truly no longer loved him.
