Chapter 6

The rain on the mountaintop fell harder and harder, a relentless curtain with no shelter in sight. Quinn ran desperately downhill, her fingers redialing Valerian’s number again and again.

The downpour blurred her vision, and the unease in her chest grew heavier with every step. She prayed the call would connect and prayed for his voice. But dozens of times, the line rang into silence.

Her body was drenched, her steps weighed down by water and fear.

A deafening crash tore through the mountain. Quinn’s heart jolted. Not good. It was a landslide!

Boulders thundered beside her, rolling faster, closer. No matter how frantically she ran, one finally caught her, knocking her to the ground.

Warm, sticky blood slid from her forehead. Her trembling fingers clutched the safety charm tightly as she tried one last call.

“Valerian…” Her lips parted weakly.

But instead of him, Juliette’s playful voice spilled through the receiver. “Valerian, don’t think that just because you put medicine on me, I’ll forgive you. What happened last time isn’t over yet.”

Quinn’s hand stiffened around the phone, her knuckles white.

“Darling, sweetheart, don’t fuss anymore. It was my fault. Just focus on healing first. If it leaves a scar, you’ll end up crying again.” Valerian’s voice was soft as flowing water.

“No way! What about last time when you scolded me? That’s not over yet!”

“Darling, don’t worry. I’ve already taught Quinn a lesson. I left her alone on the mountain overnight; that was my way of apologizing to you,” Valerian coaxed gently.

“But last time you didn’t save me, and I got hurt. I’m scared next time I’ll…”

“Never again, it won’t happen again. I even got you a peace amulet.” Valerian tied it carefully around her wrist. “I braved the heavy rain to get this. God will protect you, for me.”

Those words pierced Quinn’s heart like a blade, shattering the last fragile illusion she had been holding onto.

Trapped beneath the boulder, Quinn let out a soundless laugh. It grew louder and louder until her chest convulsed violently.

She laughed as tears and blood mingled down her face.

The moment before darkness claimed her, she tore the safety charm from her neck.

When she opened her eyes again, she was in the hospital.

“Baby, you’re finally awake!”

The moment Quinn’s fingers stirred, Valerian clasped them tightly, his voice trembling with relief.

“Baby, I’m sorry. It was my fault. I never should have left you alone on that mountain because of some sudden company matter.” His eyes glistened with unshed tears. “You’ve been in a coma for so many days, were you trying to break my heart?”

Seeing the heavy shadows beneath his eyes, Quinn swallowed back the questions burning inside her.

Forget it, she told herself. In a few days, she would be gone anyway.

During her stay in the hospital, Valerian rarely left her side.

Before she could even try to sit up, he would gently place a pillow on her back. When she shifted in her sleep, he would rise instantly to cover her with a blanket.

When she mentioned wanting oatmeal from the west side of the city, he had it delivered within hours, feeding her spoon by spoon with patience.

After her discharge, Valerian treated her with even more tenderness than before.

However, the first thing Quinn did upon returning home was quietly begin collecting the memories they had once shared.

The grand wedding portrait, the anniversary gifts, the thick bundle of love letters, Quinn tossed them all into the trash.

When Valerian returned home with a velvet box of high-end jewelry and saw the barren living room, his chest tightened. For a fleeting moment, it felt as though something precious was slipping from his grasp.

“Baby.” He hurried into the bedroom, relief flooding his face when he found her there. “You scared me. I thought you had left.”

Pulling her into his arms, he asked, “Where’s our wedding photo?”

“I cleaned up the house and put it away,” Quinn answered evenly.

“That’s fine. If you don’t like it, we can always take new ones.” Valerian brushed a kiss against her cheek and held out the box. “Here, this is for you. Don’t be angry anymore, alright?”

“Hmm.”

Her hand, hidden from his view, clenched tightly at her side.

The next morning, Quinn went to work as if nothing had changed. Yet the moment she stepped into the office, her supervisor stopped her.

“Quinn, let me introduce you. This is our new intern.”

Lifting her gaze, Quinn met the eyes of Juliette standing across from her, lips curled in a deliberate, mocking smile.

“Quinn, long time no see!”