Eternal Dawn, Fleeting Dusk

The following day, Andres did not leave the house early like he usually did.

He squeezed toothpaste onto Camellia's toothbrush and stood by, watching as she finished washing her face.

"It's extremely windy today. We can't let it ruin my baby's delicate little face," he said with playful affection.

Then, he told her he had a big surprise planned for the next day with an air of mystery.

Before he could finish explaining, Cohen Palmer called a few times, saying there was an issue he could not resolve and needed Andres to come immediately.

Andres gave Camellia an apologetic glance, and when she reassured him that she understood, he left.

Once he was gone, Camellia contacted the team she had hired to confirm every detail for the next day. Then, she drove to Eterna Haven.

She had not visited in several days, and everything felt unfamiliar. She called the Saltsburg Museum, and the curator arrived in person an hour later.

"Cam, are you sure you want to donate all of this to the country for free?"

The curator, Felix Cross, was a fellow apprentice of her mentor.

Camellia nodded without hesitation.

"You can tell me if you're facing any difficulties. Don't try to handle it all on your own," he said with concern.

Camellia remained silent, her gaze fixed on the goddess statue in the center of the room.

With its head bowed and its elegant, serene posture, the statue seemed to smile compassionately. Covered in moss and denied the light of day, it exuded a quiet sorrow toward the world.

Camellia was leaving, but these artifacts should not be buried with her.

"It's nothing, Felix. Don't worry about me," she said softly.

Seeing her unwillingness to elaborate, Felix did not press further. After instructing his assistants to carefully transport the artifacts, he patted her shoulder before leaving.

"Take care of yourself," he said as he departed.

Once again, she was alone. The once vibrant Eterna Haven now felt hollow and empty.

Her phone buzzed with a notification. It was about Valentina's online book signing event for her new illustration collection.

The clickbaity title read: [The Beautiful Artist Who Once Had a Miscarriage for Love.]

Camellia's fingers moved almost involuntarily to click on the link.

The video cut to Valentina showing a scar on her abdomen.

"Back then, he said I was too young, and the pregnancy was on the risky side. Out of concern for me, he stayed by my side for the procedure," Valentina said with a blissful expression.

"It must have been about three years ago when he went to Faren to further his studies…

"He even picked out a name for our lost baby—Cale. He said he hoped she'd return to us one day and live a life full of brilliance and light…"

Camellia's phone slipped from her grasp, crashing to the floor. The screen shattered, forming a spider web of cracks.

Cale?

That was the nickname Andres had given their child after their first night together. He had held her tenderly afterward, murmuring the name as if it were a promise.

Him and Valentina… had a child…

Not to mention that it was three years ago. It had not just been going on for the past three months. Andres had lied to her for three entire years.

Suddenly, Valentina was pulled into the frame as someone's arm draped around her shoulders.

The sound of kissing filled the audio feed. When she reappeared on screen, her lips were swollen, and her cheeks were flushed pink.

She giggled, saying her boyfriend was jealous and insisted they should ‘work harder’ to bring Cale back soon.

Her fans erupted in excitement, flooding the chat with playful teasing, though their blessings were genuine. The illustration book sold well, as though it was part of their celebratory gift.

Camellia did not know when the signing event ended. The last rays of sunlight disappeared from the room, leaving behind a suffocating darkness.

It felt like a giant beast was ready to devour her. She simply sat motionless in her chair with the lights off.

Suddenly, her phone screen lit up and became blindingly bright. It was a video message from Valentina, accompanied by a single line.

"I told you I'd have you under my feet one day."

The video showed two intertwined, bare legs.

Camellia was about to delete it when something caught her eye—the rosary beads she had once given Andres. She had it blessed for him, but now they were wrapped around Valentina's ankle.

The beads that were slightly large for her looped around her ankle twice. The excess length dangled, with a few beads pressed under Valentina's toe.

"They're just rosary beads. If you want them, they're yours," Andres' voice in the video sounded indifferent and dismissive.

Camellia's mind flashed back to the day Andres received the beads.

"Cam, I'll always keep these with me, even in death," he had promised.

The color drained from Camellia's face. She wanted to cry and let out all the pain, but no tears came.

The light in her eyes had faded completely.

Late at night, as the world slept, no one noticed when Eterna Haven went up in roaring flames.

Andres was up early the next morning, preparing for the day.

He had just arrived at Quaint Hotel and finished tidying up when Cohen burst in, pale and clutching at his phone.

"Andres! Something terrible has happened!"

Before Cohen could continue, Andres' phone rang. He held up a finger to silence him and answered the call.

As he listened, his gaze shifted to Cohen's phone, where an image stopped him cold.

The once-familiar pink Cullinan was now charred black, surrounded by the smoldering remains of Eterna Haven. Smoke billowed from the scene, and a stretcher held a body covered by a white sheet nearby.

The voice on the phone interrupted his thoughts.

"Hello, is this Mr. Andres Gardner? This is the Saltsburg Police Department. We regret to inform you of a tragic incident.

"The property under your wife's name, Eterna Haven, caught fire last night. Unfortunately, your wife did not survive. Our condolences."