Chapter 4

The next morning, Celia woke up early and headed to the dining room, only to notice someone already in the kitchen.

It was Lucas, wearing an apron as he prepared breakfast, with Yvonne wrapped around him from behind. He didn’t push her away.

Instead, he would glance back at her occasionally, his expression soft with affection, even smiling indulgently.

Their intimacy played out clearly before Celia’s eyes, bringing a sudden wave of memories from the past.

Back then, the house was full of staff, but Lucas was always too busy working late into the night and often not coming home. The staff, seeing her as just a helpless child, took advantage of the situation by neglecting their duties, sometimes even withholding her meals.

When Lucas discovered their behavior, he fired every single one of them. Determined to care for her himself, he learned to cook and handled every meal for her, three times a day with no detail overlooked.

But now, she couldn’t let herself love him anymore.

If Yvonne was the one who could bring him happiness, then all she could do was offer them her blessing.

Celia quietly shifted her gaze away, walking once again to the calendar without realizing it.

Yvonne, at some point, had stepped out of the kitchen and noticed the calendar. Her curiosity was piqued, and she suddenly asked, “What’s with this countdown calendar? Why does it only have a few pages?”

Hearing her question, Lucas instinctively looked over, his attention also landing on the calendar.

Seeing both of them focused on it, Celia paused and came up with a quick excuse. “I saw it while out with a friend the other day. I thought it was interesting, so I bought it.”

It was a weak explanation, but Lucas didn’t press further and instead changed the topic. “I’m taking Yvonne out for a date today.”

His words were blunt as if gauging her reaction. He expected her to protest or create a scene, but to his surprise, she simply nodded obediently. “Have fun.”

The lack of a response left Lucas momentarily at a loss. He should’ve been pleased, but as he looked at Celia, a strange heaviness settled in his chest, inexplicably stifling.

The atmosphere grew awkwardly quiet until Yvonne suddenly broke the silence. “If you’re going to be alone here, why not come with us?”

Celia hadn’t expected Yvonne to invite her along, and for a moment, she froze. But she quickly shook her head. “I have plans. I promised to meet up with some friends to say goodbye, so I’ll pass.”

With only half a month left before college started, the gathering was filled with her friends’ excitement for the future. But Celia sat alone on the sidelines, silent and withdrawn.

After all, she only had five days left. Five days before she would vanish completely, leaving no future to dream about.

Noticing her quietness, someone approached her with a teasing grin.

“Celia, you like your uncle, don’t you? Why not make a move before the summer’s over?”

“Exactly! They say it’s hard for a guy to win over a girl, but for a girl, it’s easy as pie. You’re not even blood-related. Why not go for it? Stop being so shy and make your move!”

The mention of Lucas sparked a lively buzz among the group. Ideas flew as they excitedly egged her on, some even joking about taking drastic measures. But Celia simply shook her head, her expression calm.

“No. I can’t and won’t like him anymore.”

The gathering didn’t last long, and when it was time to leave, Celia made her rounds to say goodbye to each of them.

“Lila, congratulations on getting into the school you wanted. I’m sure you’ll have a bright future ahead of you.”

“Sophie, you need to take better care of yourself. You’re always skipping breakfast—you have to start taking your health seriously.”

“Annie, Sarah, I’ll always miss you both.”

One by one, she hugged them, her demeanor serious and sincere. Her unusual solemnity made the others laugh, brushing it off as a quirky show of sentimentality.

“Celia, your goodbye is way too formal, like we’ll never see each other again. Don’t worry, just because we’re going to different colleges doesn’t mean we’ll forget about you.”

After bidding farewell, the group gradually dispersed, leaving Celia as the last to leave.

She watched their retreating figures, a faint sadness welling up in her heart.

No, they would never meet again.

“Goodbye, my friends.”

When Celia returned home, Lucas was already back. The moment she stepped through the door, she saw him sitting on the sofa, his expression dark and stormy.

Her gaze swept the room, but Yvonne was nowhere to be seen. She casually asked, “Where’s Yvonne?”

“She’s on a business trip.”

Accepting his answer without much thought, Celia nodded and was about to head upstairs when Lucas’ cold voice stopped her.

“Hold it!”

She turned to see him pulling out several items, his face etched with displeasure.

“Care to explain these?” he demanded, holding up a collection of things—a receipt of her purchased casket and funeral outfit.