Cry Me a River, Mr Billionaire!

Celeste’s POV

“Ohh.. my God.” A gasp escaped my lips as I gazed at the two red lines staring back at me.

Seated on the toilet seat inside the bathroom, I held the pregnancy test kit in my hand, my eyes glued to it. I had stared at the little red lines for almost five minutes now. After realizing this was actually happening, I couldn’t stop the smile that started to spread across my face. For the first time in weeks, I had something truly wonderful to tell my husband.

Sebastian Rowe was the man I had married and loved for more three years, despite the fact that our marriage had been arranged by our families. I had never even expected to fall in love with him. When our parents first introduced us, I thought he was a cold, arrogant and pompous prick who was far too pleased with himself. However, after we got married, we slowly realized that we were both wrong about some things. And I had soon fallen in love with the man.

I always thought Sebastian loved me too… in his own way, perhaps. But deep down, I knew it wasn’t enough. Whatever love he had never for me was never enough to forget the one woman he always considered his true love.

I was still holding the test kit when my phone suddenly vibrated. It was Sebastian with a text, which simply read… ‘Come to my study. We need to talk.’

I stared at the message for a moment, wondering. Sebastian rarely sent me texts like this unless it was something really important. And not while we were in the house together. Still, I smiled, knowing I had big news for him.

By the time I walked out of the bathroom, I was dreaming of how I would break the news to Sebastian. I wanted to tell him face to face, of course. Preferably over dinner, I felt… where I could see his surprised expression when he realized that he was going to be a father. I imagined him taking me into his arms, feeling that a baby might finally complete us.

I left the bedroom and walked downstairs toward his study. The moment I opened the study door, I knew something was wrong. Sebastian stood beside his desk. His expression was as unreadable as ever when he looked up at me.

“Good. You’re here,” he said.

I gently closed the door behind me. “You asked me to come.”

He nodded toward the chair opposite his desk. “Sit down, Celeste.”

I hesitated for a second. “Is everything alright?” I questioned, feeling a bit of tension in the air.

“Please. Just sit.”

There was something in his voice that made my stomach turn. But I sat down like he asked. He too remained standing for some seconds before finally taking his own seat. Then he opened a drawer and removed a folder. He placed it on the desk between us and I glanced at it, puzzled.

Then I looked up at him. “What’s that?”

“Divorce papers.” My husband answered.

For a moment, I thought I had misheard or misunderstood him. “I’m sorry?”

“I want a divorce, Celeste.”

The words rolled out of his mouth so casually, as if he was just informing me of a minor issue. I stared at him, waiting for the joke to reveal itself. But nothing of such happened. I was met with Sebastian’s cold glare slowly making me realize just how serious this was.

“Sebastian, did you say you want a divorce?”

“Yes. You heard me correctly.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out at first. After a while, I whispered with a voice starting to crack. “But… why?”

He rubbed his forehead. “Look, this isn’t easy for me.”

I almost laughed at his choice of words. Not because anything was funny, but because I couldn’t understand how he could say that while sitting across from me, whose heart he was about to break.

“Uh…” I started then paused, “well, if it isn’t easy, then why do it?”

His jaw tightened. “Celeste, please don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be.”

More difficult? I thought. I looked at the folder again. More than three years of marriage, sharing a home, and standing beside him and all of his decisions. Three years of loving a man who had never truly loved me back. And after it all, he was here casually asking me to sign a few papers and pretend that none of it mattered.

I couldn’t believe what was happening. My eyes quickly began to water, as I realized he was dead serious about it. “Is this about Camille?” I finally asked.

Sebastian’s silence gave me all the answers I needed before he even cared to. I lowered my eyes, letting the tears roll freely out of my eyes. Of course it was about her. Camille Bell, his ‘so called’ love of his life had suddenly returned to Starling city one month ago, and almost immediately after, Sebastian had changed. 

He began coming home late recently, spending several minutes on his phone… sometimes even stepping out to take calls. Whenever I asked if something was wrong, he would just say it was work. Then I discovered that Camille was seriously ill. At least, that was what everyone believed.

She had told Sebastian that her doctors had given her limited time to live, claiming that she had spent years regretting the way their relationship ended and that her only remaining wish was to spend her final days with the only man she had ever loved.

Camille’s story had turned Sebastian into someone I barely recognized, forgetting how the woman had abandoned him when his family empire was struggling.

“She’s dying,” he finally said.

I looked up at him through my tears. “And that means you have to divorce me?”

His face then hardened. “She doesn’t have much time left. I can’t allow her to spend it alone.”

I felt something break inside me. “But I’m  your wife, Sebastian. How could you want to do this to me?”

He said nothing.

“Have you thought about me even once since… since she returned?” I questioned, gently sobbing.

“Of course I have.”

“Then look me in the eyes and tell me you still want this marriage.”

Sebastian raised his gaze to meet mine. He kept his eyes on me, and I waited for the words to come out of his mouth with a heavy heart. But nothing.

Then he finally spoke, but it wasn’t what I was expecting at all. “I cannot tell you that, Celeste.”