Overnight, the capital city was shaken.
No one expected that Knox, who’d seemed madly in love with Vivian just moments before, would suddenly turn on her, personally sending her to prison and releasing news of all her crimes.
Even Celia in Trance saw the news.
In a café under the plane trees, Celia sat by an open window savoring rose coffee.
After learning her original flight had crashed, Celia felt immense relief.
Thank god she hadn’t boarded that plane.
If she had, she couldn’t imagine how heartbroken her parents and family would be.
But she hadn’t once considered Knox’s reaction.
In Celia’s mind, the reborn Knox didn’t love her anymore and wouldn’t care about her death.
That’s why when she’d sensed something strange about him and tested whether he was also reborn, he’d repeatedly denied it.
Back then, Celia truly didn’t understand why he’d suddenly stopped loving her, like he’d become a different person entirely.
It wasn’t until she came to France and discussed her past with new friends that she got her answer from them.
Perhaps it was hatred.
No one could still love someone who had repeatedly hurt them, even killed them.
Not others, not even Celia herself–after being hurt so many times by Knox post–rebirth, she’d completely given up on him.
So when she faked her death, Celia hadn’t updated her information with the airline.
After all, no one in the country cared about her anymore. Whether she lived or died made no difference.
Even if Knox learned of her death, he probably wouldn’t care–he loved Vivian now, not her.
Not until today when Celia saw this news.
The news was full of Knox’s tributes to his ex–wife on various platforms, every word and sentence expressing his deep love for her.
Her phone screen glowed coldly in the morning mist, those words like rusty knives prying open the welded shut box of her memories.
Long ago, when Knox loved her most, he’d write her a love letter every day.
Each one overflowed with passionate devotion. She never expected to still be affected by such words.
But now it wasn’t touching–it was ironic.
Celia truly couldn’t understand what Knox meant anymore.
Didn’t he not love her? Otherwise why deny being reborn, repeatedly push her away, and hurt her time and again with Vivian?
Now that Celia was “dead,” shouldn’t he be happy?
Why put on this act of regret? Did he regret sending her on that plane and causing her death?
Or had he suddenly realized after her death that he still loved her?
Whatever Knox’s regrets or feelings, it no longer mattered to Celia.
After all, she’d long since given up on Knox, and in his world, she was already dead.
Tragedy Are We Cursed or lust Stupid
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Their complete lack of connection now was the best possible state.
With this thought, Celia’s slender fingers continued scrolling.
Then she saw another surprising headline
“Vivian Laurent sentenced today for assault and attempted murder.”
The punctuation marks seemed to stab at her eyes. Celia’s porcelain spoon clinked against her cup–only then did she realize she was trembling Not from satisfaction or sadness, but because the belated truth had ripped open scabbed over wounds, revealing the still festering flesh beneath.
Memory rewound like a tape, scenes of Vivian’s manipulations replaying in Celia’s mind before gradually fading.
She closed her eyes and returned her gaze to her phone, exiting the news and shutting off her device.
Along with covering up those reopened wounds as if nothing had happened.
After all, from the moment she faked her death, whatever happened between Knox and Vivian no longer concerned her. She could no longer pay attention to their affairs, but must focus wholeheartedly on her own life.
Celia pushed away her cold coffee and drained the cup.
Her phone buzzed with a calendar reminder.
Today was the Rivera family gathering.
Celia moved her empty cup aside and stood, her coat catching the breeze and sending the last plane tree leaf outside the window spiraling downL
Her reflection in the glass wall walked confidently toward the sunlight.
