He Went to Hell for Me, But I Let Him Go

In the empty villa, Celia Quinn sat motionless on the sofa. It wasn't until much later that the villa's front door swung open, and Lucas Shaw stepped inside. His gaze paused briefly on her, then his expression turned cold. "Yvonne is running a fever today. Why did you keep calling me?" Celia rose to her feet, her head still lowered, remaining silent. She didn’t respond, and Lucas didn’t leave either. After a while, she finally spoke in a low voice, “I needed to talk to you earlier.”“What for? You’re standing here perfectly fine. What could possibly be so urgent?”Her explanation failed to earn his understanding. Instead, his tone grew colder. “Didn’t I tell you Yvonne isn’t feeling well and that I’d be with her all day? What’s the point of you doing this on purpose? Celia, I’ve told you before not to harbor those improper thoughts about me. I’m your uncle—it’s impossible! If you pull something like this again, you’ll have to move out.”With that, Lucas went straight upstairs, slamm

Without another word, Lucas grabbed Celia’s arm and dragged her back to the dining table, firmly seating her in a chair before returning to Yvonne’s side. Celia glanced up at him, watching as he tenderly soothed Yvonne. When he noticed her gaze, he turned to glare at her, a silent warning in his eyes. Swallowing her bitterness, Celia picked up her plate and, despite the searing pain in her stomach, forced herself to eat every bite. Tears fell silently onto her plate as she lowered her head. Each mouthful felt like swallowing fire, the burning sensation crawling down her throat and mingling with the salty sting of her tears. She couldn’t tell which hurt more—her stomach or her heart. The meal dragged on in strained silence, with Celia enduring her agony while Lucas and Yvonne shared their intimate exchanges. Finally, it was over. Just as Celia set down her utensils, the sound of a car pulling up outside broke the tension. “That must be my things arriving!” Yvonne exclaimed w

When Celia saw the items on the floor, her heart skipped a beat. She had hidden them so carefully—how had Lucas found them? For a moment, panic flickered across her face. It took her a moment to collect herself before she stammered, “Tomorrow is the anniversary of my parents’ passing. I bought these as a way to honor their memory.”Hearing her response, Lucas hesitated, the odd tension in his chest easing slightly. After a moment, he said, “I’ll go with you to visit them tomorrow.” “There’s no need, Uncle,” she replied quickly, shaking her head. “You should focus on spending time with Yvonne and handling work. I’ve caused you enough trouble in the past. I won’t be a burden to you anymore.” Lucas had been prepared for her to accept his offer with gratitude, but her unexpected refusal left him stunned. Shock flickered in his eyes as Celia turned and left without giving him a chance to respond. Once back in her room, she silently tore another page from the calendar, shredding th

Lucas accepted the gift from her, his expression unreadable. “You can save your congratulations for the engagement party.”Engagement party? But she wouldn’t live to see that day. Celia lowered her head, silent and unresponsive. She neither explained nor argued, merely handed over the gift before walking away. Finding a quiet corner, she sat down alone. Lucas didn’t pay much attention as she left. He remained by Yvonne’s side, leading her through the crowd with a gentle smile. He patiently introduced her to every guest offering their congratulations, his demeanor full of warmth and affection. Before long, after greeting everyone, Lucas and Yvonne disappeared from the crowd altogether. Celia lingered for a while longer before standing and quietly slipping out of the banquet hall. She had always disliked these crowded, noisy gatherings. In the past, Lucas would notice her discomfort and quietly lead her away halfway through. Now, that habit hadn’t changed but the person he

On the final day of the countdown, Celia came downstairs to find Lucas and Yvonne at the door, preparing to head out. She hesitated for a moment before calling out to him. “Uncle, I know you’re busy, but could you come back tonight for dinner? Just one meal—just the two of us.” She wanted to bid him a proper goodbye.Her eyes were filled with reluctant longing, a quiet plea. But the moment Lucas heard her words, he instinctively assumed it was another attempt at a confession and was ready to refuse. Before he could speak, Yvonne patted his hand, her tone light and understanding. “It’s fine, I’ll catch up with some friends tonight. It’s been a while. You’re her guardian. Don’t hold grudges with a kid over such trivial matters.” With her gentle persuasion, Lucas eventually agreed. Celia got the answer she wanted, yet the ache in her chest only deepened. She stood silently by the door, watching as they got into the car and drove off, the sound of the engine fading into the dis