I wasn’t sure if Seraphina truly took my words to heart.

Just as I was about to hang up, she suddenly called out my name again, her voice sounding uncharacteristically earnest.

"Clara, don't you hate me?"

I found the question somewhat baffling.

"Maybe I disliked you before; I felt you lacked any sense of boundaries or shame."

"But then I thought about it, and realized it was actually all Julian’s fault. If he loved you wholeheartedly, he wouldn't have married me and hurt me. If he loved me wholeheartedly, he wouldn't have kept tangling with you and ended up hurting you."

Seraphina fell silent for a long time before speaking with a choked voice.

"I understand what you mean now. Thank you."

"And... I’m sorry."

I didn't know how much sincerity was in her "thank you" and "I’m sorry." But because of one man, Julian, two women who were originally strangers had been pitted against each other, only to eventually make peace and exit each other's lives.

It was lamentable, ironic, and tragic...

With these thoughts, I made a silent vow never to easily give my whole heart to any man again. Love makes people lose their reason.

I looked at the number from our five-minute call and decided not to blacklist it after all. Instead, I saved it under her name:

Seraphina

.

That night, perhaps because I was exhausted from the day’s travel or because I had finally cleared my mind, I slept very deeply. Consequently, I didn't hear any of the many calls Nathan made to me the next morning.

When I opened my eyes to see his handsome face looming over me in close-up, I panicked. Instinctively, I hurled a pillow at him, followed immediately by Nathan’s muffled groan.

Whatever sleepiness remained vanished instantly. I realized too late that the pillow I’d brought from home was a buckwheat husk one—and it was quite heavy.

"Are you okay?" I asked nervously.

Nathan was half-sitting on the floor, his large palm pressed firmly against one side of his face. When he didn't reply, my worry grew, and I leaned in closer to see where I had hit him.

Sensing my approach, Nathan suddenly let go of his face and leaned toward me. In an instant, the distance between us vanished, and we were so close that we could hear each other’s rapid heartbeats.

I blinked slowly, feeling my face grow hot inch by inch. Just then, a loud voice rang out.

"Mr. Zhou, is Ms. Clara awake yet?"

Nathan and I both looked toward the door. It was Zhang Nuo, one of my closest colleagues from school. Seeing the state we were in, she immediately covered her eyes with her hands, yet couldn't resist peeking through her fingers.

"Keep going! Just pretend I’m not here!" she teased.

I let out a laugh, stood up, and reached out a hand to Nathan.

"Get up. I didn't even hit you; stop pretending. How did you guys get in?"

Zhang Nuo replied, "I got the key from the front desk, obviously. If I hadn't been busy packing the gear for today’s outdoor activities, I wouldn't have let Mr. Zhou be the one to wake you up."

Nathan took my hand and stood up, giving Zhang Nuo a smile. "Thanks for giving me the opportunity, Ms. Zhang."

"Don't mention it! I’m rooting for you two!" Zhang Nuo winked at him.

I couldn't stand their banter any longer and headed for the bathroom. "Give me fifteen minutes; I’ll be ready to go."

"Deal!"

Today’s destination was Yu City’s famous Kapok Park. It was currently the peak of the flowering season, and the park was said to look like a sea of fire.

I was once again in the passenger seat of Nathan’s G-Wagon, only this time, Zhang Nuo was in the back, chatteringly feeding us snacks. The ride wasn't boring at all.

At Kapok Park, I gathered a large bag of fallen blossoms, planning to take them back to the hotel to make bookmarks or specimens for my students. Nathan followed behind me with a small DV camera, recording everything. I didn't feel shy about it; I only told him not to film me if I looked ungraceful.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, sending countless kapok flowers fluttering down like rain. Standing amidst the falling blossoms felt like a dream.

Just then, my phone rang. It was my former mother-in-law. I frowned as I answered, only to hear her panicked voice on the other end.

"Clara, you have to come back right away! Julian... Julian has done something foolish!"

——————————

My former mother-in-law’s voice was so loud that Nathan overheard her. We locked eyes, both frowning simultaneously. Having known Julian for six years, he had always been the embodiment of calm and self-restraint in my mind—how could he possibly seek death?

He was still my ex-husband, after all. I requested leave from the program and prepared to head back to check on him.

As I was booking my ticket, Nathan stopped me and said solemnly, "I’m going back with you."

To prevent me from refusing, he added, "We’ll take the VIP channel. Once we arrive, I’ll drive you straight to the hospital. I’ll have someone else drive my car back later."

Nathan had arranged almost everything, so I didn't refuse again.

By the time we rushed to the hospital, Julian was out of critical danger and lying in the Intensive Care Unit. Looking at his frail form through the glass window, I couldn't quite describe the feeling in my heart.

At that moment, his mother walked over, wiping away tears.

"Julian is a doctor himself; he knows exactly where the most lethal spots are. He was truly aiming to die. His attending physician said that even though he was resuscitated, he won’t be able to practice as a surgeon anymore."

The implication was clear: Julian’s hands were ruined.

My heart sank. I could only offer some comfort. "Auntie, he’s very talented. Even if he can't be a surgeon, he can still..." I trailed off, realizing how hollow those words sounded.

His mother was consumed by regret.

"It’s my fault. I didn't raise him well, letting him become so extreme."

"Thank you for being willing to come and see him, Clara. You’re a good girl. I originally wondered if there was still a shred of hope for the two of you, especially since he was willing to change. Now I see I was overthinking it."

She took my hand. "I won't bring these things up ever again. Let the past stay in the past."

"I’ll take Julian away from here. I won't let him disturb you two anymore."

You two?

I looked back and saw Nathan standing there looking rather pathetic, like someone who had been abandoned. I felt a wave of helplessness. After exchanging a few more words with my former mother-in-law, I walked toward Nathan.

"Let's go."

Nathan was shocked. "Leaving already?"

I glanced at him. "If you don't want to leave, you’re welcome to stay."

"I'm leaving!" Nathan said quickly, muttering under his breath, "I thought your heart had softened and you were going to stay here until he woke up."

I gave Nathan’s arm a playful pinch. "I’m not a doctor, and I’m not a nurse. What would I stay here for?"

"An ex-wife should act like an ex-wife."

Nathan was amused by my remark, and the gloom in his eyes vanished instantly.

We didn't return to Yu City but headed straight back to our school. Half a month later, his mother sent me a text saying Julian had woken up and she was taking him to Shanghai for rehabilitation. I said okay and wished them a safe journey.

Beyond that, I had no further contact with Julian or the rest of the family.

It wasn't until three months later, after Nathan and I had officially started dating, that I saw a silhouette on a familiar street that bore a striking resemblance to Julian’s. By the time I tried to get a better look, the figure had vanished.

That evening, however, fifteen different bouquets of flowers appeared at my doorstep. I picked them up and checked the notes. Five were labeled

[Clara, Happy Wedding Anniversary!]

, another five read

[Clara, Happy Valentine’s Day.]

, and the final five said

[Clara, Happy Birthday.]

Seeing this, I knew Julian had sent them; I hadn't been mistaken earlier that day. Every bouquet contained a gift: necklaces, bracelets, and exchange cards for luxury handbags...

I frowned. Just then, my phone received a text from an unknown number.

"Clara, my whole family has moved to Shanghai. We won’t be coming back."

"You may dispose of these items as you wish. I wish you and Nathan happiness."