Past Memories, Fleeting Like Blossoms

In the early stages of my pregnancy, I was frail to the point of collapse, often losing consciousness after relentless bouts of nausea and vomiting. Yet, during those moments, Stefan found himself entangled in an illicit romance with Lyra Keene, his lover. The day I saw the photos of them together, everything became painfully clear. The love I thought we shared no longer existed. I knew this child should not be born into such deceit. After the abortion, as I remained under observation in the hospital, I made a call to my former mentor in the research institute I had been joining. "Sir, I've decided. I'm ready to join the restricted-access research center." "Nonsense! I saw the news that you're pregnant. The research center is in the Northwest, where the environment is harsh and all communication with the outside world will be severed. Can you endure such conditions?" In response, I sent my mentor the abortion report as proof of my resolve. There was a long silence before he spoke again. "You... Have you truly thought this through? Does Stefan agree about this?" For years, my hesitation stemmed from my inability to let go of Stefan Miller. But now, it was his choices that had made the decision for me. I responded with unwavering seriousness, "I don't need his permission. After spending so many years as a pampered rich lady, it's time I do something meaningful for society." "I have just one request. Permanently erase my identity. I don't want anyone in the world to be able to find me." Death might be swift, but forgetting someone took a lifetime. So, I did not wish Stefan Miller to die. I wished him to live every day weighed down by regret. "All right, Elena. You've finally lived up to my expectations. Take care of yourself and wait for my instructions." After exchanging a few more words, I ended the call. Only then did I notice a string of messages lighting up my phone screen. [Honey, I bought a pair of safety locks, perfect for you and the baby.] [I've also booked a family photo package for after the baby's born.] [Are you feeling unwell? Why aren't you replying? Do you want me to skip my meeting and come be with you?] *** Seeing my silence, Stefan followed up with over a dozen frantic calls. Amid his flood of words filled with love and concern, there was a video attached. It was from Lyra Keene. I scrolled through the messages as a storm of emotions surged within me. In my daze, the jade bracelet slipped from my wrist, shattering into two pieces. Swallowing the pain, I turned off my phone and left alone. As I walked, Stefan found me in a frenzy. Right after Stefan saw me, he held me in his arms with a look of worry on his face. "Where were you going? You didn't reply to any of my messages. Do you have any idea how terrified I was?" "I was feeling a bit down, so I went out for a walk. My phone battery died and shut off." My eyes averted his gaze as I pretended not to notice the mismatched buttons on his shirt or the faint hickey on his neck. Stefan exhaled deeply, his expression softening as he gently ushered me into the car. "It's my fault. Sorry, I should be spending more time with you. There was an emergency meeting at the company that I had to attend, but I promise this won't happen again." What kind of meeting required taking one's shirt off to participate? I chose to remain silent as Stefan took out a lush bouquet of roses from the trunk. "A gift of apology." The roses from the flower shop near Elenadore Hospital were always the most exquisite. Stefan had made a habit of bringing me a bouquet every time he passed by. I once believed it was a tender gesture, a sign of his love for me. But now, I realized that this was more like tokens of guilt after having an affair. Suddenly, Lyra's recent video crept back into my memory. There were traces of their affair all over her body. "Don't think you've won just because you managed to call him away from me this time. I have countless ways to keep him by my side. Just wait and see." I did not know what cunning schemes Lyra might do. I just wondered about what Stefan was thinking. He would panic over my silence, fearing for my safety when I failed to reply to his messages. Also, moments after abandoning his lover, he would conceal his passion to rush back to me. And still, he built a gilded cage for his little mistress in secret, where he stayed with her every single chance.

At that moment, as I gazed at the man I had loved for over ten years, I felt he now seemed like a stranger. Noticing my silence, he grew visibly anxious. "Honey, I know I was wrong. If you're still angry, you can take it out on me. Hit me if it helps, but please don't let your anger harm your health or affect our baby..." Stefan grasped my hand, guiding it to his cheek. But the image of him and Lyra touching and kissing each other flashed through my mind, so I suddenly retracted my hand and vomited in disgust. I knew how much Stefan hated uncleanliness. Yet, at that moment, without hesitation, he reached out to catch my nausea in his bare hands. Luckily, I had not eaten much in days, so there was nothing to throw up. Still, the act left me feeling weak and distressed, tears welling up at the corners of my eyes. Through the blur of tears, I glanced at him. I believed that the concern written in his gaze at this moment was raw and genuine. However, the record of him cheating on me with Lyra Keene was also real. I shifted subtly, creating a small but deliberate distance between us, curling up in the passenger seat. The ache in my heart was sharp, but I forced myself to suppress it. "Let's go home." His eyes, red and brimming with distress, remained fixed on me as he bent forward to fasten my seatbelt. In his haste, he secretly pushed a pair of stockings tucked in the corner out of view. He probably thought I had not noticed. The scent of feminine perfume mingled with traces of cigarette smoke, filled the car. It now churned my stomach once again. I rolled down the window and turned my gaze to the scenery outside. Suddenly, I felt that my relationship with Stefan was just like the scenery outside the window. Bright and dazzling on the surface… Yet, it was irreparable at its core. When we finally arrived home, I excused myself and claimed discomfort to avoid any conversation with Stefan. Stefan asked the maid to prepare soup for me. Then he settled on the sofa, engrossed in a pregnancy manual. Ever since I became pregnant, Stefan transformed from a cold, composed CEO into my personal jittery nanny. Tasks like blow-drying my hair or bending down to pick something up were no longer permitted. Pregnancy guides, safety precautions and postnatal recovery plans filled our shelves. Even the maid could not help but tease, "It's rare to see a man like Mr. Miller." "He's so protective now and Madam's just pregnant. Once you give birth successfully, I bet he'll pluck all the stars from the sky for you." Hearing this, Stefan turned his head and stared at me. "What's difficult about that? You don't have to wait until the baby is born. If you want, I'll contact someone to get a star for you right now." Without hesitation, he made a flurry of calls to his connections. For the next half an hour, his phone buzzed with activity. Finally, he sat beside me with a satisfied smile. "It's all arranged. Tomorrow night, I'll take you to see your very own star." Though I had little interest in this, Stefan was genuinely thrilled. He even declined a lucrative contract worth millions of dollars just to take me to the planetarium. Along the way, he could not stop emphasizing how special this star was. "Honey, you've been feeling down lately. I know pregnancy is tough and there's nothing I can do to take away the burden. But I'll do everything in my power, no matter how small, to bring a smile to your face." "Don't worry. When this little troublemaker is born, I'll take full responsibility for him so you can rest easy!" Stefan held my hand and looked at my belly with a loving look on his face. But there was a truth he did not know yet. The life of the baby he longed for was already gone, killed by his own betrayal. As the evening settled in, we arrived at the planetarium, where the curator greeted us with enthusiasm. Yet, when his eyes fell on me, a flicker of unease crossed his face. At that moment, Stefan was absorbed in his excitement and did not seem to notice. "Look, the date this star was discovered matches our wedding day." "This is fate. We're meant to be, a match made in heaven. This star is yours, a token of our love. Just like this star, our bond will be eternal..."

Midway through our time at the planetarium, Stefan's phone chimed with a notification. He glanced at the screen briefly before slipping it back into his pocket. What he did not realize was that Lyra had already forwarded the same photo to me. It was a provocative image featuring her in black stockings, red-soled high heels and a smug caption. [Do you think he would rather watch stars with you or explore new positions under the starry sky with me?] I raised my head to look at Stefan. The faint smile playing at the corners of his lips told me all I needed to know. Sure enough, just the next second, he raised his head. "I'm sorry, honey. Something urgent has come up at the company and I need to handle it immediately. The guide will accompany you for the rest of the visit. I promise I'll be back in two hours." Stefan leaned in, attempting to plant a kiss on my forehead, but I subtly moved away. "Work is important." As Stefan hurriedly left, I politely declined the guide's offer to guide me around and decided to wander the exhibits on my own. The planetarium was filled with intricate models of stars, detailed photographs and displays about the cosmos. My steps eventually led me to the grand hall, where a star with a unique name caught my eye. [Steflyra] Beside the star was a high-definition photo. It was a pair of hands intertwined in an intimate clasp. The larger hand, with its well-defined joints, wore a wedding ring identical to mine. The caption next to the display read, [Extraordinary and Eternal]. And I found it particularly ironic. My heart suddenly shrank, a sharp pang nearly bringing me to my knees. Before the sorrow could fully settle, Lyra eagerly shared the video. A Rolls-Royce with a starry sky roof paired with dazzling red-soled heels. Lyra was lying in the passenger seat, lost in a moment of bliss with her lover. My trembling hand clung to the phone, tears falling down my face. I bought this car as a birthday gift for Stefan. Stefan adored the car and spent a lot of money customizing the starry sky roof with our initials. He said then, "The stars will forever witness our love." Now, the stars were silent witnesses to his betrayal. Soon after, Lyra sent another message, brimming with pride. [He said it feels more exciting here. It feels like we're doing it right in front of you.] [I suggested we try it at your place next time while you're asleep. Guess what? He agreed! Hahaha, just pretend you didn't see anything when you sleep in the near future.] My trembling fingers fumbled to block Lyra's number, but I could not quite manage it. In the end, I leaned against the wall, numbly replaying the video again and again. After countless replays, Stefan finally returned to my side. He was startled to see tears streaming down my face. "Why are you crying? Who dared to hurt you? I'll take care of them!" Stefan stood guard and his towering figure reminded me of his younger self. At that time, he fearlessly confronted a gang of ten bullies, risking his life to protect me. His leg was broken, but my skin did not even get scratched. Yet, the young man who once risked his life to shield me had now inflicted the deepest wound. My voice was choked with sobs as I struggled to form words as I spoke slowly. "It's nothing. I really love this gift you've given me." "Well, in return, I've prepared a surprise for you. You'll receive it in a few days." Stefan finally exhaled, a sense of relief washing over him. He gently wiped away the tears that streamed down my face. "No matter how silly your wishes may be, as long as it brings you joy, I'll grant you whatever you wish." "You adore the stars so much, so I'll have a planetarium built just for you." "When our child is born, we'll sit beneath the starry sky, sharing our love story as beautiful and enduring as the stars above." Indeed, the light of stars could traverse billions of light-years.

Unfortunately, our love could not withstand the passage of time. Stefan's eyes were filled with dreams of the future. That was why he did not notice the cold look in my eyes as I read the message from my mentor. "Congratulations, Elena Lynch. You are accepted into the Northwest Research Group. We will be departing tomorrow at noon. Please read the details carefully. Once you sign the confidentiality agreement, your current identity will be erased, making you untraceable for three years like you never existed." I signed the agreement without hesitation. Not just for three years. For the next ten or twenty years and more, I would completely vanish from Stefan's life. In this life, until I ran out of time, I would never come back. If Stefan had the audacity to choose to leave me so he could be with Lyra Keene. I could also choose to leave him and go to the vast grasslands. My mentor urged me to pack my belongings as soon as possible. However, as I looked around this villa filled with memories, I did not feel like taking anything with me. I woke up early, gave the maid a day off and spent two hours cooking breakfast myself. When Stefan woke up, he rushed over and took the spatula from my hand. "Where's the maid? Why are you cooking?" "Gave her a day off. It's your birthday, so I want to spend it with you alone." Stefan was surprised at first upon hearing my answer and then his eyes immediately turned red. "Ever since you got pregnant, you felt sick just from the smell of cooking. Even if there was no maid to cook for us, I should be the one doing it." "Honey, please just rest and sit on the sofa. Let me handle everything today. My biggest wish for my birthday is for my wife to be happy every day." If it were not for those messages from Lyra Keene... At this moment, I would have felt like the happiest woman in the world. Sigh, what a pity... I sighed silently and handed Stefan his phone. "You have a message." Stefan was a bit nervous, but when he saw my confused expression, he breathed a sigh of relief. "My wife is the best. You never check my phone and value my privacy." He thought I was the best for being too trusting, too stupid. Last night, after he fell asleep, I read every message on his phone. He clearly put Lyra first, trusting my trust in him. Also, his purchase history was full of different kinds of underwear and adult toys. They did it in hotels, offices and cars. On my birthday, on our wedding anniversary. Lyra's messages always made Stefan keep his word to be with her. What shocked me the most was a message Stefan sent to Lyra on the day I found out I was pregnant. "Stop taking your medicine and get pregnant as soon as possible. I have a plan to make Elena accept your child so the two children can grow up together." "You satisfy me the most. As long as you don't cause trouble in front of Elena, I'll give you everything you want." Stefan indeed loved children so much. But it was not just the baby in my belly that he loved. I did not dare to think about the pain I felt last night. I pretended to remain calm, but my hands just could not stop shaking. I was worried he would notice something was wrong with me, but his attention was completely on his phone. "Today is the day your pregnancy checkup results will be out. The hospital reminded me to take you there early. I'll go first, okay? You can rest at home and wait for me." "Will you come back?" Stefan smiled and gently patted my head. "Of course I will. What are you talking about? Today is an important day. I want to spend it with the person I love the most." "When you come back, don't forget to open your birthday gifts." I pointed to the beautifully wrapped gift box on the coffee table. Soon after Stefan left the house, I received a message from Lyra. [You know what? I'm pregnant and your biggest advantage is gone.] [I'm the one who will win in the end.] I replied with one smiley emoji and placed my phone next to the gift box. I imagined Stefan spending an unforgettable birthday with Lyra. And me? I glanced at the clock and walked out without looking back, getting into a mysterious car with no license plate. As the car drove past the hospital, I saw Stefan's Rolls-Royce. He seemed to sense something, so he rolled down the car window and looked in my direction. At that moment, my mentor asked me if I wanted to say goodbye one last time. Without hesitation, I shook my head. From now on, the stars would remain the same. However, Elena Lynch would no longer exist in this world.