When Stella awoke, her eyelids felt too heavy to lift.
Her field of vision was first a hazy halo of pale yellow, slowly focusing on the familiar crystal chandelier on the ceiling.
A faint lavender scent lingered in the air, from the sleep aid spray she often used in her bedroom.
She turned her head and saw her older brother, Aidan, sitting in the armchair by the bed.
He was wearing yesterday’s shirt, the collar loosely opened, with a dark stubble on his chin. One of his elbows was resting on his knee, fingers pressed to his forehead, as if he had fallen asleep.
"Brother..." she spoke, her throat feeling painfully dry.
Aidan immediately woke up, lifting his eyes to look at her.
His eyes were filled with bloodshot lines, as if he had stayed awake the entire night.
Stella tried to prop herself up to sit, but her body was weak and sore.
Aidan reached out to support her, placing a soft pillow behind her back.
"How long have I slept?" She rubbed her swollen temples, "I just had a terrible nightmare..."
Aidan’s movement slightly froze.
Stella did not notice and continued talking, her voice carrying the laziness of waking up and lingering fear: "I dreamt... dreamt that Shane’s car exploded, and they said he... said he couldn’t be found..."
She shook her head, as if trying to dispel those terrifying images, her eyes slightly reddened, "It scared me to death."
Aidan’s lips moved but no sound came out.
He turned his face away, reaching for the glass of water on the bedside table, handing it to her.
Stella took the glass, the warm water soothing her throat a little.
She lifted the blanket, her feet searching for the slippers.
"I have to find Shane," she said, her tone taken for granted, "My bag is still with him, he promised to bring it to me, but he must have forgotten again."
She stood up, her legs still a bit wobbly, staggering.
Aidan suddenly stood up, grabbing her wrist forcefully enough to hurt her bones.
He looked at her, his voice repressed, almost squeezed out from between his teeth: "Stella, calm down! That was not a dream!"
Stella’s struggling stopped, she raised her head, looking at him in confusion: "... What?"
Aidan closed his eyes, opening them again, his eyes also reddened, holding her hand tightly, each word seemed like it was frozen with ice, striking her heart, "Shane... he is gone. His car exploded, the person... could not be found."
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
The color in Stella’s face visibly faded, turning as pale as paper.
She seemed not to comprehend, just staring blankly at Aidan, her lips trembling: "You... you’re lying to me..."
"I am not lying to you!" Aidan shouted, his voice carrying fragmented pain, "Last night... Near The Donovan Estate, an explosion happened, it was his car! The police have confirmed it!"
"Impossible!" Stella abruptly shook off his hand, her force making Aidan stumble, "You’re lying to me! We just got engaged yesterday! He was going to return to Riveria with me! He promised me! He never lies to me! He wouldn’t!"
She bypassed Aidan, stumbling towards the door.
"Stella!" Aidan embraced her from behind, his arms like an iron hoop around her waist, pressing her tightly into his embrace, "Don’t be like this... accept reality..."
"What reality?! That’s not reality!" Stella struggled in his embrace, her nails leaving red marks on his arm, "Let me go! I’m going to find him! He must be waiting for me! He promised me!"
Her voice carried a sob, yet stubbornly refused to let the tears fall.
"He’s dead!" Aidan shouted, his voice laced with uncontrollable pain and frustration, "They couldn’t even find the body! Do you understand?!"
Those words were like a dagger dipped in ice, fiercely stabbing into Stella’s heart.
All her movements stopped instantly.
Her body stiffened, held by him without moving.
After several seconds, she slowly repeated word by word: "The body?"
She suddenly turned around, her bloodshot eyes staring fiercely at Aidan, terrifyingly foreign: "Say it again?"
Looking at her like this, Aidan’s heart felt like it was being skinned alive.
He closed his eyes, opening again to bloodshot grief, "Last night, near The Donovan Estate, an explosion occurred, his car... was completely destroyed. Fire and rescue crews searched all night, couldn’t... couldn’t find any survivors."
With each word, Stella’s face grew a shade paler.
At last, her face entirely lost color, lips trembling, unable to produce any sound.
She looked at him, her gaze empty, as if unable to comprehend the meaning of his words.
"Impossible..." She murmured, her voice light as a feather, "He’s so capable... he can foresee everything... how could he..."
She pushed Aidan away, stepping back till her spine was against the cold door.
"He lied to me... he must be lying to me again..." shaking her head, her gaze scattered, "He loves teasing me... He went too far this time..."
Isla Sutton and Theodore Sterling heard noise, quickly pushing the door open.
"Stella!" Isla saw her in a dazed state, her heart aching till her eyes reddened, stepping forward to embrace her.
Stella seemed startled, avoiding her hand sharply, curling into the corner, arms hugging herself tightly.
"Don’t touch me..." she buried her face in her knees, shoulders slightly trembling, "You’re all lying to me... conspiring to deceive me..."
Theodore watched his daughter, sighing heavily, as if he aged overnight.
He gestured for Aidan to leave first.
Aidan’s fists clenched, nails deeply embedded in his palm, finally turning desolately, leaving the room.
Isla crouched in front of Stella, her voice gentle enough to drip water: "Stella, mom knows you’re hurting, if you want to cry, just cry, don’t hold it in..."
Stella didn’t answer, just curled herself tighter.
In the following days, Stella became very quiet.
She did not cry or cause any commotion, eating and sleeping according to schedule.
Though she consumed very little, and her sleep was shallow.
She stopped mentioning Shane’s name, nor asked anything about the explosion.
She spent most of her time in the room, sitting by the window, stared at the grey sky outside, sometimes for the whole day.
Her gaze was vacant, unfocused.
Isla and Theodore were worried, but dared not to provoke her easily.
Aidan canceled all work, stayed home.
He grew exceptionally silent, smoking heavily.
Occasionally, he saw Stella unconsciously rubbing her ring finger—where there should have been an engagement ring, but because it was inconvenient to wear while toasting at the banquet, she removed it early, placing it in her lost bag.
Each time, Aidan felt his heart being pierced by a needle, stinging.
On the third day, Stella suddenly walked out of her room.
She changed into an outfit for going out, her complexion still pale, but with something different in her gaze.
"I’m going back to Riveria."