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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?The terrace returned to a heavy, nocturnal silence. Celeste stood exactly where she was, her gaze lingering on the grand double doors as they swayed gently after Vanessa's hurried departure. For the first time since the devastating illusion of her marriage had shattered, a strange, profound calmness settled over her."You've caused quite a stir tonight."Lucien's deep baritone pulled her attention back. He stood a few paces away, the amber light catching the sharp, masculine angles of his jawline."I wasn't the one looking for trouble," Celeste replied evenly, matching his gaze without a trace of hesitation."No." A faint, almost imperceptible trace of approval flickered across his stony features. "You simply refused to run from it."Their eyes locked.Throughout his life, Lucien Blackwood had commanded corporate boardrooms and stared down corporate giants. Very few people could meet his piercing, obsidian gaze without instinctively flinching or looking away.Celeste Justin did. An
The terrace was wrapped in a heavy, suffocating silence.Beyond the carved marble balustrade, the city skyline glittered like a sea of fallen stars beneath the ink-black night sky. Strains of classical music from the ballroom drifted through the open French doors, muted and softened by the cool evening breeze.Vanessa Hale slowly swirled the golden champagne in her crystal flute, a slow, venomous smile spreading across her face as she lifted her eyes to Celeste."You finally came alone."The gentle, submissive smile she had worn inside the ballroom had vanished entirely. In its place was naked triumph."I've been waiting."Celeste calmly closed the screen of her phone, slipping it into her clutch with a steady hand. "So have I."Vanessa arched a perfectly manicured brow. "I expected tears.""You'll be disappointed."Vanessa chuckled, a low, mocking sound. "You've always been so good at pretending, Celeste." She took a slow, elegant step forward, her heels clicking sharply against the
For the briefest moment...Vanessa Hale’s flawless smile faltered.It was gone almost as quickly as it had appeared, replaced instantly by the poised, professional expression expected of an executive secretary. She extended her hand gracefully."Mrs. Blackwood, it's an absolute pleasure to finally meet you."Celeste looked down at the outstretched hand.This was the woman. The anonymous sender. The woman who had worn the "FOREVER CELESTE" necklace before it had found its way into the velvet box Adrian had so proudly presented to his wife.Yet Vanessa stood there looking perfectly composed, as though their paths had never crossed before.Celeste slowly reached out and accepted the handshake. "Likewise."Their hands met for only a second. Neither woman looked away, their gazes locked in a silent, freezing battle of wills. The tension between them was entirely invisible to everyone else in the bustling room, but to them, it was unmistakable.Adrian cleared his throat, breaking the heavy
The Blackwood family's ancestral manor was ablaze with light.Luxury cars lined the sweeping driveway, while elegantly dressed guests streamed through the grand, gilded entrance. Crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead, classical music drifted through the towering ballroom, and servers moved effortlessly among the high-society crowd carrying silver trays of champagne.It was Old Master Blackwood's seventy-fifth birthday celebration,the most anticipated social event of the year.As Adrian's sleek, black Rolls-Royce came to a smooth stop at the entrance, a valet hurried forward to open the door. Adrian stepped out first, adjusting his cuffs before turning back toward the passenger seat.He extended his hand. "Careful, babe."Celeste looked at his open palm for a fleeting moment before placing her hand in his. To everyone watching, they looked like the absolute pinnacle of a perfect couple.Only she knew how cold his hand felt.The moment they entered the ballroom, countless eyes turned to
The bathroom door opened with a soft, clinical click.Warm steam drifted into the bedroom as Adrian stepped out, casually drying his damp hair with a plush towel. He looked refreshed, completely unbothered, as though the previous night had never happened.As if he hadn't shattered her world into a million jagged pieces.His gaze immediately swept the room, searching for the diamond necklace. A slight frown crossed his handsome face when he noticed it resting quietly inside its black velvet box on the vanity."You took it off?""It was too heavy," Celeste replied, her voice smooth and devoid of emotion.Adrian chuckled softly as he walked over to her. "It's worth millions, babe. Of course it's heavy." He picked up the necklace, letting the brilliant diamonds catch the light as he smiled. "I'll put it back on you tomorrow before Grandpa's birthday banquet."Celeste simply nodded. "Whatever you want."Her quiet indifference caught him off guard. Normally, she would have smiled, thanked h
Celeste returned home and sank onto the living room sofa, staring blankly at her phone. The number she had just dialed remained on the screen.As the storm of anger and heartbreak slowly settled, reality came crashing down.Divorce required financial independence.For the past three years, Adrian had been paying her father's medical expenses. The monthly bills exceeded one hundred thousand dollars—an amount she could never hope to cover on her own.Taking a deep breath, she scrolled through her contacts until she stopped at a familiar name.Professor McFarland.Her graduate school research supervisor.She hesitated for a moment before pressing the call button."Professor McFarland? This is Celeste... Celeste Justin."She tried to sound composed, but her voice still wavered."Celeste!" the professor exclaimed in surprise. "My goodness! How have you been? I haven't heard from you since you got married three years ago."Celeste bit her lip."Professor... I'd like to return to research. I







