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"Celeste, are you sure you want me to draft the divorce papers?" Naomi's voice crackled through the phone, laced with hesitation and concern. "Think about it. Once you sign them, you and Adrian will have nothing to do with each other anymore."
Celeste stared at the amber liquid swirling in her crystal glass. The scotch burned her throat, but it couldn't wash away the memories of last night. Her fingers tightened around the phone. "Yes," she finally replied, her voice calm but resolute. "I'm leaving him." "Why?" Naomi asked, unable to hide her confusion. "Adrian has always been so good to you. He loves you so much." Celeste almost laughed. Love. What a joke. She pressed her lips together, swallowing the bitter taste rising in her throat. "Just prepare the divorce papers, Naomi," she said quietly before ending the call. After hanging up, Celeste walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. Across the street, the massive LED billboard was still replaying yesterday's press conference. Adrian stood confidently in his perfectly tailored suit, holding up an exquisite diamond necklace. Using the world's finest diamonds and rarest gemstones, he had created a one-of-a-kind piece for his beloved wife. It was called Forever Celeste. He had named it after her, publicly declaring his eternal love before countless cameras. The moment it was unveiled, Forever Celeste became the hottest topic on every social media platform. The entire world admired what they believed was a perfect love story. Outside, the billboard continued to replay the announcement. Celeste let out a hollow chuckle. "Eternal love?" she murmured to herself. "And yet you still had the nerve to betray me on our anniversary." Last night had been their third wedding anniversary. Adrian had called earlier that day, telling her he had a special surprise planned and asking her to wait for him at home. Excited, Celeste wore his favorite red dress, lit scented candles throughout the dining room, and prepared all of his favorite dishes. Then she waited patiently for her husband to come home. She waited... And waited... Even after midnight passed, Adrian never returned. Before she knew it, dawn was breaking. At four o'clock in the morning, her phone suddenly buzzed. It was a F******k friend request from a stranger with a blank profile picture. Attached was a short message. A surprise for you. Celeste was about to reject the request when another message appeared. Are you still awake? Finding it hard to sleep because your husband isn't in bed with you? A chill ran down her spine. How did this stranger know Adrian hadn't come home? She didn't accept the request, but the messages kept coming. Stop pretending you don't care. I know you're reading this. Another message followed. Everyone thinks he's such a good man. What a shame. Each notification pierced her heart like a knife. Her hands trembled uncontrollably. Her mind insisted it had to be nothing more than a cruel prank. But deep down, she knew otherwise. Unable to endure the torment any longer, Celeste accepted the friend request with shaking fingers. Immediately, the stranger sent her an address, followed by a four-digit password. 0523. It was their wedding anniversary. Without a second thought, Celeste grabbed her keys, rushed out of the house, and drove to the address. It led to a luxury condominium. Standing before the apartment door, she stared at the electronic keypad through tear-filled eyes. Slowly, she entered the code. 0523. A soft click echoed through the hallway. The door unlocked. A man's suit jacket lay scattered in the sitting room,she recognized it as the second year anniversary gift she had given Adrian, which was what he wore when he left that morning. A pair of black lace panties lay on the floor next to his jacket, A wine glass with a woman's lipstick stain on it lay on the table. From the hallway to the bedroom, men's and women's clothing were scattered everywhere let's not forget the red transparent night gown,that was torn to shreds, lying by the door. Celeste legs were so shaky that she could barely stand,she trembled as she opened the half already opened bedroom door. On the bed, was Adrian, naked, embraced in another woman's body.The woman knelt down,her head buried between Adrian's legs, sucking Adrian's penis. Adrian's eyes were closed,his face has an expression of enjoyment and..... moaning "yesssssss, that's it, damnnnnnn"..... "Am I better... or is your Celeste better?" the woman asked smugly. Adrian responded “You really think you can compare yourself to Celeste?”huh,huh,huh, you little slut. Then he turned the woman around, snatched her waist from behind,and thrust recklessly. The woman's moans mixed with Adrian's heavy gasps. The sight before her shattered what remained of Celeste's heart. Six years. Six years had passed since their innocent college romance had blossomed into marriage. Everyone had admired them, envied them, and called them a match made in heaven. Now, it all felt like a cruel joke. The love she had treasured, the vows they had exchanged, and the future they had built together crumbled before her eyes. A wave of nausea surged through her. Clamping a hand over her mouth to stop herself from being sick, Celeste stumbled backward before turning and fleeing the room as fast as she could. Celeste drove aimlessly until she found a quiet bar. She slipped into a corner booth and ordered glass after glass of scotch. The sharp burn of the liquor scorched her throat, but it did nothing to numb the ache in her heart. When Sandra received her call, she rushed over immediately. By the time she arrived, Celeste was already completely drunk. "Celeste..." Sandra's voice cut through the haze as she slid into the seat across from her, her face etched with worry. "Why are you this drunk? What happened? Did Adrian do something?" Celeste slowly lifted her bloodshot eyes to meet hers. "Sandy..." she mumbled hoarsely. "I don't want to hear his name right now... please." She raised the glass to her lips and took another long sip. The scotch left a bitter taste in her mouth, one that paled in comparison to the bitterness in her heart. "Sandy..." she whispered after a long silence. "I saw him with another woman. I saw it with my own eyes." Her voice trembled. "So there's no misunderstanding." Sandra's heart ached as she reached across the table and gently squeezed Celeste's hand. "Celeste... maybe the two of you should sit down and talk this through." "There's nothing to talk about." Celeste cut her off without hesitation. "I want a divorce." She lowered her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "Every time I think about him... and what he did..." She closed her eyes, fighting back another wave of nausea. "It makes me sick." What do you think?One year later.The laboratory was quiet.Not abandoned.Quiet.There was a difference.Morning sunlight poured through the glass walls of the Justin Institute, touching rows of microscopes, research stations, computers, and shelves filled with carefully labeled samples.Nothing was hidden.Every door had a window.Every sample had a name.Every participant had a file they could access.Every experiment required consent.And above the main entrance, beneath the institute's name, were five words:Science Without Ownership.Celeste stopped beneath them.She had written those words herself.A year ago, she wouldn't have believed she would ever feel comfortable seeing her name on a building.Now she did.Not because the name made her important.Because it reminded her that nobody could take it from her again.“Dr. Justin?”She turned.A young researcher stood behind her holding a tablet.“Sorry.”Celeste smiled.“What's wrong?”“Nothing.”The researcher hesitated.“Actually, something is
Six months later, Celeste woke up to the smell of something burning.She opened one eye.Then the other.Smoke drifted beneath the bedroom door.Celeste sat upright.“Lucien?”No answer.She jumped out of bed.For one terrifying second, old instincts returned.Fire.Intruders.Another emergency.She grabbed the nearest object she could use as a weapon and opened the door.“Lucien!”“I've got it!”His voice came from downstairs.Celeste ran down.She stopped halfway.Lucien stood in the kitchen holding a frying pan.A blackened piece of toast sat inside it.He looked at her.She looked at the toast.Then at him.“What happened?”“I made breakfast.”“You nearly killed breakfast.”“I underestimated the bread.”Celeste stared at him.Then burst out laughing.Lucien frowned.“This isn't funny.”“You're a billionaire.”“I know.”“You survived the Trust.”“Yes.”“You survived being shot.”“Yes.”“You survived several secret laboratories.”“Yes.”“And bread defeated you?”He looked at the toa
Two weeks passed without an emergency.Celeste considered that a miracle.No hidden facility.No encrypted message.No missing person.No ancient file waiting beneath a floor.Just work.Normal work.The kind she had once thought was ordinary.Apex had established an independent regenerative-biology research division under strict ethical oversight. Every surviving Trust sample had been catalogued. Every living carrier had been given the right to refuse further testing.For the first time, the word carrier appeared on a consent form instead of a prison record.Celeste stared at the document on her desk.Then she crossed out the word.Not because it was scientifically inaccurate.Because she wanted the people involved to decide how they were identified.She replaced it with:Participant.She smiled.Better.A knock came.Lily entered.“Are you busy?”“Never.”Lily raised an eyebrow.“You're lying.”“Fine. Slightly busy.”Lily walked in and placed a folder on the desk.“I got accepted.”
The first thing Celeste noticed when she woke was the silence.Not the frightening kind.Not the silence that came before an alarm, a hidden message, or another discovery beneath some forgotten building.Just morning.Birds outside.A distant car.The faint sound of someone moving downstairs.She stayed in bed for a moment, staring at the ceiling.Six months ago, she would have considered a morning like this impossible.Then she remembered.No alarms.No locked rooms.No one tracking her.No one waiting for her blood to become useful.She smiled.“Finally.”A voice came from beside her.“Talking to yourself?”Celeste turned.Lucien was awake.“You were listening?”“I've been listening to you breathe for five minutes.”She narrowed her eyes.“That sounds slightly creepy.”“I'll accept the criticism.”She laughed.Lucien reached for her hand.“Sleep well?”“Surprisingly.”“Good.”Celeste looked at their joined hands.There was something strange about peace.After living so long in survi
Three days later, the first hearing began.Not the trial.Not yet.The preliminary hearing was closed to the public, but the room was filled with lawyers, investigators, medical experts, and representatives from the agencies that had spent the past week dismantling the Trust's remaining infrastructure.Celeste sat beside Arthur.Lucien sat behind her.Amelie was there too.So were Michael and Lily.They had all been called as witnesses.No one was being called a carrier.No one was being called a subject.They were people.That distinction mattered.Arthur leaned toward Celeste.“You don't have to answer anything you don't understand.”“I understand.”“You don't have to protect anyone either.”Celeste glanced toward the other side of the room.Adrian sat alone with his lawyer.He looked different.Not powerful.Not dangerous.Just tired.For the first time, there was no Blackwood name protecting him from the consequences of his choices.Their eyes met.Adrian looked away.The judge en
By sunrise, the old laboratory was surrounded.Police vehicles lined the road outside Blackwood House. Investigators moved through the building carrying evidence bags, hard drives, files, and sealed containers from rooms that had remained untouched for decades.The Trust had finally lost its secrecy.But Celeste knew better than to celebrate too soon.She stood beside the window of the upstairs study, watching officers move through the garden.Behind her, Amelie sat quietly with Sarah.Lily was asleep on the sofa.Michael was speaking with Arthur.Lucien stood beside Celeste.“You haven't slept.”“Neither have you.”“I asked first.”She smiled faintly.“I keep thinking about what happened.”“The network?”“Yes.”Lucien looked outside.“You stopped it.”“We stopped it.”He looked at her.She had learned to correct that instinct.Not because she couldn't carry responsibility.Because she no longer needed to carry it alone.A knock came at the door.Arthur entered.“We have a problem.”C







