No More Chasing Her

Since Celeste loved Lester that much, I decided I'd stop clinging to her.What worried me now was Lily's treatment money.The thought of Lily still lying in the intensive care unit filled me with guilt and pain.While I was lost in thought, the door to my hospital room opened.A young, beautiful woman walked in. She wore a tracksuit, a low-key baseball cap, and sunglasses that hid most of her small face.She was the driver of the Porsche that had hit me."You finally woke up."Cordelia White sat down beside me naturally and poured me a glass of water."Does anything still hurt?"Only then did I realize I was in a private hospital's high-end single room. A room like this cost tens of thousands a day. Cordelia must have paid for my medical expenses all this time.I understood the situation and thanked her calmly."Thank you. Please send me the bill. I'll transfer the fees to you later."I tried to sit up, but Cordelia pressed a hand to my shoulder. She was very close. I could

The ring box hadn't been touched. That meant no one had come home since my accident.I opened the box. Two beautiful matching rings lay inside, engraved with Celeste's and my initials.An indescribable ache rose in my chest.I snapped the box shut and tossed it into the trash, as casually as our relationship had been discarded.I left with my suitcase. As the door closed behind me, the love I'd carried for Celeste for ten years was locked inside that apartment too.After Celeste and Lester returned to the country, they plunged straight into work.The two of them had started a company together, using my money.The day Celeste received my breakup message, she smashed her phone, deleted me, blocked me, and never contacted me again.At her desk, Celeste tapped a pen against the surface and asked her secretary casually, "Has Ryan come by?"The secretary looked troubled."Ms. Quinn, Mr. Sheridan hasn't come at all. You've asked five times already."Celeste frowned and dismissed th

She held my hand and took a photo, then posted it online.At her request, I posted the same photo. Soon, the comments filled with congratulations."Congrats, Ryan. You and Celeste finally made it from campus to the altar!""Oh my God, from college sweethearts to marriage. So romantic!"I replied under the comments in one line:"Thank you for your blessings. My wife is Cordelia White."After that, I turned off my phone and spent the long night with Cordelia, leaving everyone in the comments section completely stunned.Celeste received the news too.One of her friends called her."Celeste, your half sister Cordelia got married. A flash marriage, no less."I heard the man has no background. She just picked someone at random."Celeste was making tea. When she heard that, she sneered."That brainless woman will do anything for inheritance rights."Once she helped Lester's business succeed, she'd be able to use the new project to enter the ranks of rising business elites. By the

Natalie saw through my thoughts and smiled bitterly."That's not what I mean. We're all former classmates. I just can't bear to see Celeste become like this. Cordelia has been too ruthless with the two of them."Cordelia's doing?Natalie said Cordelia had driven Lester's and Celeste's company toward collapse. They were already drowning in debt.I lowered my head and watched the wine in my glass catch the light. I couldn't describe what I felt.Suddenly, a pair of hands settled on my shoulders. Cordelia took the glass from me and replaced it with warm milk."Your stomach's been acting up again these past few days. Don't drink."Feeling the warmth of the milk in my hand, my heart seemed to be wrapped in warmth too.After seven or eight years with Celeste, she'd never known I had stomach problems.Cordelia brushed back her hair and smiled without smiling."Miss Wells, if you have work questions, you can come to me. Don't bother my husband."Natalie forced a laugh and slipped aw

Celeste's eyes dodged slightly, but her expression had already calmed."Of course I know who the father of my child is."Cordelia asked, "So you mean you never had anything to do with another man?"Celeste looked offended."What do you mean by that, sister? I know you're upset, but you don't need to slander me like this."Cordelia's lips curved. She made a phone call and said only, "Come in."Less than five minutes later, the butler brought a familiar face before Old Mr. White.When Celeste saw Lester Carter, her face drained of color.Cordelia smiled like a fox."Mr. Carter, you tell us."Lester looked at Celeste with complicated eyes, then swept a glance over me and spoke with certainty."Celeste's child is mine."She was shameless. While she was still dating Ryan, she was flirting with me."She's been stringing Ryan along the whole time. She never wanted to marry Ryan. What she wanted was the entire White family."Celeste lunged at Lester like a madwoman, grabbing his