Santino didn’t stay long.After a short while,he said he had a school meeting and left in a hurry.
When he was gone,Aurelia quietly began tidying the room,gathering everything from her years with Santino into one pile.Ten years of being stuck in this swamp had drained her completely,and only in her exhaustion did she finally decide to let go.
The table was covered with safety charms she had prayed for on Santino’s behalf.Back then,when they climbed the mountain to pray to God,she had wished for his safety,while Santino had wished for her long life.But later,everything changed.
Tears slid down her cheeks,dripping onto the back of her hand.
She threw all those memories into the fire,and the flickering flames carried away ten years of love and courage.
When the ashes settled,Aurelia opened her phone and saw a new post Astrid had just shared on social media.
The attached photo showed Santino kissing Astrid’s cheek,his eyes cold as they stared into the camera,as if declaring she was his.
Aurelia’s hand froze mid-scroll,and it took her a long time to come back to herself before she finally left a simple comment:“99.”
Just as she was about to put her phone away,a new message from Astrid popped up.
[Aurelia,do you know what Santino likes?I want to buy him a birthday gift.]
[You’ve known him for so long,you must know him better than me.]
Looking at those playful words,Aurelia seemed to see the petite girl standing shyly before her,her face touched with the blush of first love.
She agreed to meet Astrid,and when they did,she spoke smoothly about Santino’s hobbies and daily habits,as if reciting from a list she had memorized by heart.
Compared to numbers and stocks,Aurelia knew Santino even better.
Astrid listened carefully and at last raised her eyes,a trace of unease flashing within them.“Aurelia,I don’t mean anything by this,but I just wanted to ask…do you like Santino?”
Aurelia’s smooth words suddenly stopped.After a long pause,she forced a smile and asked awkwardly,“No,why?”
Santino had once said she always lied,and he hadn’t been wrong.She did lie,just as she hid her illness from him,and her love from Astrid.
Hearing her denial,Astrid finally let out a breath of relief.“That’s good,I was really afraid you liked him too.People always say you clung to Santino,that you’re a terrible woman…but I don’t believe it.You’re clearly kind and capable.If I had to compare myself with you,I’d never stand a chance.”
Aurelia found her words almost funny.“Of course not.Santino is loyal.He’ll give you all his heart.”
But Astrid’s expression dimmed.“I don’t know…sometimes I feel like Santino doesn’t really love me.When we walk together,he often just stares at his phone or at the red string on his wrist.Even when I call him,he doesn’t answer.”
The red string.Aurelia’s heart gave a quiet tremor.
That red string was the one she had prayed for during Santino’s college entrance exams,bowing step by step in the pouring rain until she finally obtained it.
Later,Santino had indeed ranked first in the exams.
She had always believed that once he began to hate her,he would have discarded it,since she had never seen him wear it again.But as it turned out,not only had he not thrown it away,he had been wearing it all along.
While Aurelia sat in a daze,Santino arrived again.Without a word,he pulled Astrid into his arms,his hostile gaze locked on Aurelia as if guarding against her hurting Astrid.
The wariness in his eyes cut deep,and she forced a polite smile.“Then I’ll be going.”
“Hey,Aurelia,since you’re already here,come sit and eat with us!”
Just as she was about to decline,Santino’s cold voice interrupted.“Stay.”
She froze.
“Stay and watch how Astrid and I love each other.”
Knowing he meant to humiliate her,she wanted to leave,but in the end,she only forced a smile and sat down.
Halfway through the meal,a burnt smell spread through the restaurant.Santino was the first to react,his expression tightening as he said,“It’s on fire,let’s get out!”
As he spoke,he instinctively stood and reached toward Aurelia.
“Fire,Santino,let’s go!”
At Astrid’s cry,his hand froze in midair before he forced it away,grabbing Astrid instead as they rushed out together.
Watching Santino’s figure disappear without once looking back,Aurelia’s heart ached bitterly.The taste of blood rose in her throat,the pressure of the pain almost suffocating her.
Thick smoke quickly filled the room,and she coughed until her lungs burned.Just then,the chandelier above came crashing down,and fierce flames erupted beside her.
Shards cut across her skin,blood gushing from her wrist.
Outside,Astrid looked anxiously at the growing blaze.“Aurelia is still inside…”
Santino’s heart lurched,but the words that left his lips were cold.“She’ll be fine.Someone like her wouldn’t die so easily in a fire.”
He ignored Astrid’s frantic cries and pulled her away,yet his grip was so tight his own fingertips dug into his palm until the skin nearly broke.
