Chapter 2

Not long after, Andres rushed home, looking travel-worn.

Camellia wobbled slightly when she stood up—perhaps because she had not eaten all day—but Andres firmly caught her.

"You didn't eat properly again today, did you?" he asked, his eyes full of concern as he gently scooped her into his arms.

As they drew close, the sweet, cloying scent of fruit filled the air.

Camellia never used perfume, so it was obvious who the scent belonged to.

"What are you thinking, baby?" Andres teased while tapping her nose affectionately.

Camellia's sharp eyes caught a faint red lipstick stain on his finger.

On the second day of their marriage, Andres had secretly tattooed a camellia on his ring finger.

He had told her that the ring finger had a blood vessel that led directly to the heart. This was a symbol of their shared bond and how she would always be connected to his heart, but that spot now bore a mark that did not belong to her.

A dull pain rose in her chest. It was heavy and piercing, like a sharp blade chiseling away bit by bit.

"Are you starving yourself so much you've lost your braincells?" Andres joked, kissing her forehead lightly before asking Eva Longford to serve the food that had been kept warm for dinner.

Andres used to cook for her himself every day. However, some time into their marriage, his work grew busier, and the task naturally passed to the housekeeper.

"Let me join you for dinner, okay? Skipping meals can really mess up your stomach," he said while carefully setting her down on a dining chair and placing the utensils by her hand.

Then, he washed his hands and began peeling apples for her.

"Okay," Camellia murmured, swallowing the bitterness in her heart and eating the food he placed on her plate in small bites.

They had not been eating for long when Andres' phone began ringing incessantly.

He glanced at the caller ID and frowned slightly before wiping his hands and stepping aside to take the call.

When he returned, his expression was frantic.

"Cam, something came up at the studio. I have to go handle it. Don't wait up for me tonight. You should go to bed early."

He grabbed the antiques he had bought earlier. He promised to get her something even better another day and left in a rush.

Once the meal was completely cold, Camellia finally stood up and went upstairs.

As soon as she lay down, she scrolled through Valentina's latest post on social media.

[I only had a low fever, but my boyfriend insisted on taking care of me. He even made me a table full of delicious food. Do you know how special a meal made for you by a loved one is?]

The accompanying picture showed a close-up of a man in an apron cutting vegetables.

As a rising name in the art world, Valentina had tens of thousands of followers on her account. The post caused a stir among her fans.

[So this is the senior of hers with a nine-figure insurance policy on his right hand that Val mentioned!]

[Where can I find a man like this? Can the government issue one to everyone, please?]

Camellia stared at the hands in the photo and thought of Andres' promises. Her heart felt like it was being torn apart, leaving it shattered and unrecognizable.

[That's nothing! Our Mr. Gardner is the gold standard for a devoted husband!]

Someone had uploaded a video of the auction from earlier that day, and the buzz quickly overtook Valentina's post.

[Damn, he really spoils his wife! $400 million! That's enough to buy my entire life hundreds of times over!]

[Oh my God! Has anyone not been overwhelmed by Mr. Gardner's love for his wife yet? When his wife had a car accident and was scared, he risked his life to make sure he was the first person she saw when she woke up!]

[Mr. Gardner is like a saint in our elite circle. He still wears the rosary beads Camellia gave him, perfectly polished from years of use. He never takes them off!]

Valentina's fans went quiet under the video. Compared to Andres' public displays of devotion, a single meal could not measure up. However, a newly-registered user suddenly posted three photos.

One showed the transfer of ownership for an Aurelia winery, another depicted a necklace worth $200 million called ‘The Heart of the Ocean’, and the last featured Valentina holding car keys while sitting on the hood of a Ferrari.

The user captioned it: [If someone else has it, our Val can't be without it.]

Fans exploded in praise, calling her senior powerful and declaring him on par with Andres.

Just then, a text message from an unsaved number came through to Camellia's phone.

"You absolutely can't miss the celebration my senior is throwing for me tomorrow night!"

Though she did not say anything, Camellia could almost hear Valentina's smugness.

The message ended with the address of the venue.

742, Ocean Middle Road, Camellia Street.

It was the restaurant where Camellia and Andres had their first meal together. He had promised her it would always remain closed to the public, so it would belong only to the two of them.

Camellia stared at the address until her eyes stung. Her hand slipped, and the phone dropped onto her face.

The sharp pain from the impact pushed her over the edge, and the tears she had been holding back spilled silently into the darkness.