He Stood at Memory's End

Celine looked at Harry intently. "Didn't you leave in the middle of the night? Harry, I didn't say I was going to pay my respects. How did you know I would be here?"

Harry took her hand. "My stomach wasn't feeling well yesterday. I saw you in the bathroom and went to the hospital by myself. I heard your Aunt Juniper say she wanted to pay her respects with you when I came back this morning. So, I followed her here."

His lie was almost perfect.

She gave a soft hum in reply and remained silent.

When she arrived at the cemetery and saw the two tombstones side by side, Celine felt a wave of sadness well up in her heart.

The two people who loved her the most were gone.

Seeing the tears in her eyes, Juniper walked over and gently patted her shoulder. "Celine, your parents are no longer here, but Harry will take care of you for the rest of your life. Your baby is about to be born, and you will have a new family."

She spoke so earnestly as if she had already determined for Harry that their marriage would last forever.

After she finished speaking, Harry quickly answered, "Yes, I will take good care of you and the baby. Don't be sad."

Celine only felt irony when she heard this.

Harry promised to take care of her for the rest of her life, not because of love, nor because of responsibility, but for another woman and his unspeakable desires.

Celine swallowed her emotions and looked up at the photos of her parents. "Yes, I will have a new family."

However, it would have nothing to do with Harry anymore.

After the memorial service, a light rain began to fall.

Juniper and Celine sat in the back seat while Harry drove.

Feeling the awkward atmosphere in the car, Juniper started a conversation. "I heard an Itolian restaurant opened in the south of the city. How about we try it for lunch?"

Harry immediately changed directions. "I heard the owner is Itolian, and the food is really authentic."

"Really? The pizza I had in Palto..."

The two chatted about Itolian food to Scandinian food, and then about their recent experiences.

No matter what the other said, the other could quickly chime in, never letting the atmosphere become awkward. Their rapport was like that of a couple who had been together for years, sharing everything.

After this thought flashed through her mind, Celine smiled self-deprecatingly.

They had indeed been together for many years. The places they had been together, the things they had done for each other, and their familiarity with one another were far beyond what a substitute like her could compare to.

Once they arrived at the restaurant, Harry habitually handed the menu to Juniper.

She took it and was about to open it when she remembered something and instead handed it to Celine. "Pregnant women must have many dietary restrictions. Celine, you do the ordering."

Celine casually ordered a few dishes, but Harry frowned when they arrived. "You can't eat any of these. Have you forgotten the doctor's orders?"

Juniper turned to look at Celine's belly, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. "Celine, aren't you four months pregnant? Why does your belly not look like it belongs to this stage of pregnancy?"

Harry immediately stood up, wanting to check, but he accidentally bumped into a waiter delivering the food.

The food cart overturned, spilling all the dishes.

Harry instinctively shielded Juniper, protecting her from the spilled soup and cold dishes.

Celine was not so lucky. The freshly made hot soup splattered all over her legs, instantly causing blisters. Her face contorted in pain as cold sweat covered her forehead.

Steam surged, and she gripped the tablecloth as she watched Harry pick up Juniper and hurriedly leave. In that instant, Celine's heart sank.

The scene was chaotic, and the waiter quickly helped her to a safe area.

As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Juniper and Harry arguing.

"I told you I'm fine! You should go back and take care of Celine!"

"Your hand is all red from the burn. Why do you act so tough? Let me send you to the hospital first. I'll come back for her later. Juniper, why are you so stubborn? You were worried about me just now, afraid I'd get burned. You still care about me, right?"

"So what if I do? So what if I don't? Harry, we've broken up. You've married Celine, and she's pregnant with your child!"

Hearing Juniper's agonized screams, Harry's eyes instantly reddened. "You know perfectly well that she will never be as important as you!"

Juniper paused for a few seconds and was about to speak when she looked up and saw Celine at the door. Her pupils contracted sharply, her voice filled with unprecedented panic. "Celine, why did you come out?"