Chapter 6

The clock struck in the early hours, and Dawn watched as Maya was covered with a white sheet. She died quietly and was taken away through the cold corridor in the hospital.

Dawn made countless calls to Blaine as her hands trembled, but he hung up coldly each time.

Blaine was there in Erin's latest social media update. "Blaine accompanied me to the auction. He splurged lavishly to buy what I wanted."

In the photos, Erin wore a blissful expression, and her finger was adorned with a dazzling ten-carat diamond ring that was blindingly large.

Dawn bit her lip and put away her phone. She scheduled Maya's cremation for the next day.

She stared at the ceiling and remembered Maya's kind smile. She finally broke down in tears.

Blaine had promised that he would ensure a good life for her and Maya in the past.

Blaine was able to do that now. But he chose to take Maya's blood for Erin and caused her tragic death.

Dawn couldn't understand how Blaine's affection had turned into disdain overnight.

She returned home with Maya's ashes and found that the lock on her door had been changed.

She messaged Blaine. "I brought Maya's ashes home. Why has the lock been changed?"

His response was a cold, indifferent question mark.

When Blaine arrived, he frowned and rubbed his forehead helplessly. "Dawn, you've always been well-behaved. It's unnecessary to joke about Maya's death or compete with Erin for attention. Maya was fine yesterday. How could she possibly be dead today? Discard the fake ashes outside. Don't bring bad luck home. Erin visited and suggested a smart lock for convenience."

Seeing Dawn silently lower her head, Blaine tried to defend himself. "Erin and I are just pretending to be a couple. She has medicine that could help Maya. We will get married as planned. It won't be affected. Look! I brought gifts for both you and Maya. I've neglected you lately."

Blaine took out a pink diamond necklace and the jade bracelet Maya had mentioned before her death.

Dawn looked at the bracelet, and her eyes were stung with tears.

Maya had received Blaine's respect before her death came, after Blaine had caused her death.

But it was too late.

Dawn took the pink diamond and threw it to the floor. "I don't want Erin's cast-off that she finds too old-fashioned. Maya doesn't need the bracelet, either."

Blaine assumed that Dawn was just being stubborn and tried to pull her into his arms to comfort her.

But he accidentally touched her wound and caused Dawn to frown in pain.

Only then did Blaine notice the injury on her arm. He hurriedly took his hand back. "How did you get hurt?"

"At the hospital, a thief attacked me."

Blaine paused. He said in a slightly apologetic tone after a long while, "I'm sorry. I didn't notice that."

At that moment, he was just like the boy she had saved from the sea back then, disappointed and cautious.

Dawn exhaled deeply. "It's okay."

She began packing her belongings and realized that there was hardly anything truly hers in the place she had lived for three years.

There were a few faded clothes, worn-out rain boots, and the camera she used in high school to take photos of Blaine.

As she looked through the photos she had taken, she felt unfamiliar with the boy in the camera, who seemed melancholic.

He was now a socially suave man. He had changed so much. So did his love for her.

Dawn removed the memory card and broke it in half. The metal cut her finger, and she was bleeding. But she felt no pain.

Blaine watched her pack and asked in confusion, "Why are you packing these things?"

She didn't lift her head or pause before she replied, "They're dirty. I don't want them."

Blaine coughed lightly and realized that she was not in a good mood. But he was unwilling to appease her. "I've told you to throw away those old things. I can buy you plenty of new ones with my money now."

Dawn tried to reply, but she refrained from saying, "No, thank you."

She didn't want to drag things out further. She didn't even bother to explain.

She just awaited the day she staged her death, and then she would disappear from Blaine's life completely.

Watching the flames consume her old belongings, she was so calm.

Blaine, goodbye. We would never meet again.

At the stairway corner, Dawn breathed a sigh of relief and called her brother, Henrik Norris, whom she had recently contacted. "Henrik, I'm coming home in a few days."

Henrik was both surprised and delighted. "Really? Dawn, we're all waiting for you at home."

"Okay."

Henrik sensed something off in her tone keenly. "You sound unhappy. Are you aggrieved?"

Dawn shook her head and said calmly, "I just don't have any attachments left."

"When will you come home?" I'll go and pick you up."

"The coming Friday."

She was supposed to marry Blaine that day.

"I've sent you the flight ticket." Dawn bit her lip and sent the time to Henrik. She didn't notice Blaine pushing the door open.

His hair was disheveled. He looked as if he had just woken up. "Honey, what are you doing out here so late? Don't catch a cold. Are you going out? What flight ticket?"