CHAPTER 1

CELINE’S POV

“Celine wait. I think he is going to call your name. Nicholas might have made a mistake.” I heard my sister say as I ran out of the hall towards the exit.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I bit my lower lip to muffle the cry that threatened to spill out of my lips. The thick lump at the back of my throat made it difficult for me to swallow, but I kept running, not looking back, even as the heavy rain poured on me.

“Oh no. Just stop Celine. I think you are wrong.” My sister said, holding my hand. I shook my head not liking the fact that she chose not to believe me.

“So…so you are trying to tell me you didn't see how Nicholas humiliated me in front of everyone?” I asked, my voice breaking and she shook her head.

We were both drenched in the rain, but I didn't care.

I only wish to escape from this nightmare. I am not even sure if it's one because this has been happening for a while, but today's embarrassment made me rethink my life. Do I really need to stay in this marriage?

“Nicholas needed to only introduce the woman who has been in support of his business all this time. The man who has been with him through thick and thin, but did you know what he did?”

“He called his cousin up. I see that Celine but that shouldn't make you run away.” Sister said but I shook my head. That was actually my breaking point because I could hear them whispering among themselves about how I wasn't qualified to be the wife of the billionaire.

They told me I am not worthy of him because of my plus size.

“Everyone was looking at me!” I yelled, my palm pressing against where my chest was. My lips tremble as I cry out.

My sister pulled me in for a tight hug, but that didn't relieve me of the pain.

“Did you even know what I had to endure? They called me barren, Gina mocked me and you know what the most painful one is? Nicholas didn't treat me as his woman.” I said and my body shook violently.

“I know he was supposed to call you up. Nicholas might have had a reason, but you need to brace yourself, Celine. Do you want to leave the marriage? I will talk to Father.”

“Yes, you can. I wanted to leave but Father wouldn't let me. While you were away, father told me to marry Nicholas, and because I was blindly in love, I agreed without considering his feelings,” I said, but I couldn't say those words out loud to my sister.

She looked at me, expecting a positive reply, but I was the one who actually had the key to the solution.

“Sister, I…”

“Celine!” the devil called and I whipped my head to see him strolling towards me with an umbrella in his hand.

“Celine, I will see you later. Give me a call when you get home.” My sister said and I nodded.

Before Nicholas could get to us, she walked away. When Nicholas got to my side, he covered me with an umbrella.

“You left the hall before we could even be done. Why did you run away?” He asked, and I felt colour drain from my face.

Did he just ask me why I ran away?

“Celine, everyone was actually asking about you. Why did you leave hurriedly, especially when the rain is falling?” Gina asked and I scoffed inwardly. She must have traced Nicholas here.

What was I even expecting? They didn't even find what they did as humiliation against me.

“I am sorry if somehow I distract you guys. I will get going now because I am feeling a little bit sick.” I said and turned to leave but Nicholas pulled my hand.

Just like every other day, I couldn't decipher what he was thinking. His eyes were expressionless.

“You should come with me.” He said.

“Are you already done? I thought Gina still wanted to meet more people.” I forced the words out.

“Nicholas said we should go because you are outside.” Gina chirped in and I nodded.

We walked to the car and I got in. I couldn't help but ponder on my sister's words. Should I just leave Nicholas?

He was the man I have loved all my life, but I caused this upon myself. I shouldn't have let him go when he told me he didn't love me two years ago. If only I had agreed with him, would things be different now?

When we get home. I disappeared into my room as usual while Gina went to her separate room. Nicholas lay down beside me, not saying a word until he broke the silence.

“You should try to take your health seriously Celine. I don't want the paparazzi taking pictures of you when you look like a mess.” I heard Nicholas say and I felt my whole world shattered.

He didn't even ask me if I was feeling okay.

“You were inside the drain, drenched.” He added, laying emphasis on each word. Not caring if his words hurt me or not.

“What would they have thought if they had seen you there? We will be seeing my parents tomorrow. Sleep tight.” He said and I let the test escape my eyes

Maybe it will be good if I just leave the marriage like he said. Once we are back from seeing his parents. I am filing for a divorce.

***

I walked outside the balcony, looking at the blue sky. Nicholas left early today and we will be meeting Nicholas' family again. His father and mother had told us to come today and though I am not sure if his mother will be happy to see me, I still wished to go.

Knock.

“Come in”, I said, and the door was pushed open.

“Ma’am. The dress is for you.” The maid said and dropped the box on the fancy table.

“Thank you,” I said and she left the room. The dress must have been from Nicholas. It's a stunning green dress, but the size doesn't seem to fit. I can't even remember the last time he bought me a dress.

I undress and quickly try to change into the new dress.

However, it was so hard because it didn't fit. I sighed, breathing heavily.

The door burst open and Gina burst in, alongside the maid. I tried to hide my exposed breast as she walked in.

“You didn't knock Gi…”

“What?” Gina asked, cutting me off. “Why is the fat ass pig wearing my dress! Why did you bring it to her?” Gina exclaimed with her eyes wide.

Did she just refer to me as a fat pig?

“Ma. I thought the dress was for Mrs Celine. I didn't know it was for you.” The maid said and that was when it dawned on me that this dress wasn't for me.

That explains why it didn't fit.

“Leave this instant! You will be dealt with later,” Gina said to the maid, and I quickly got rid of the clothes.

I folded it neatly and placed it back in the box. Gina was watching me all the time.

Ignoring how she called me with a weird name, I took the box to her. “I apologise for trying the dress…”

Slap.

The sound reverberated through the walls of the room, almost blinding my face. Gina just slapped me.

“I should have known better that you have always been jealous of me but come on. I am just Nicholas' cousin so why does it usually give you a headache whenever you see me close to him?” Gina asked but I am still in awe because of the slap.

“You slapped me, Gina”

“And I will do it again, Celine. You think you can wear that to see Nicholas' parents when you know your fat body wouldn't even fit in the dress.” Gina said, accusing me, even though she knew that the maid had brought the dress to me by mistake.

“I didn't know and you knew!” I raised my voice and she looked stunned, taken aback by my outburst.

“Oh, carry on, Celine. You will be mocked today again because of your barrenness. You are just a little slut who wants to milk Nicholas dry.” Celine said and I chuckled. Is that all she can say?

“And I will tell them about how you slept with almost everyone in his company. You think I didn't know you had a crush on Nicholas.” I asked and she stormed towards me.

Though internally I was shaking, I would not let her bully me again. “You even went as far as wearing his shirt, sleeping on our matrimonial bed because I was away. I saw everything so let's see who will get humiliated.” I said and walked towards the table. I picked up my phone and dialled a number.

“I won't allow you to do that!” Gina yelled with panic in her voice. She gripped my hair, and I let out a painful cry.

Her hand reached for the phone. The moment she took it, she pushed me away and I felt air leave my lungs when I heard something break, followed by a crack.

“No!” Gina screamed, trying to draw me back but it was too late. My head hit the vase on the glass table.

I could see death right in front of me as the pain gripped me like a second skin.

I heard Gina scream around me and the smell of my own blood filled my nostrils. Then it became silent. This was how it was meant to be after all.

“Celine. I will call the ambulance.” I heard her say that inside, she is laughing at me right now.

My only regret is having to listen to my father. I shouldn't have married Nicholas. I should have run away when he vehemently rejected me.

Maybe finally, I will have peace. No one will dare bully me again, and Nicholas will have the chance to be with Gina. He would even be glad I am gone.

If I had another life, I would never want to meet him again because loving him was the biggest mistake of my life.

A lone tear escaped my eyes as I let the darkness swallow me whole.

Tick…

Tick…

Tick…

I smell alcohol around me. The smell of something burning or maybe I am hallucinating right now. Heaven, they say, is peaceful, so I should be in…

I took a sharp breath, my toes curling when I felt something warm on my thighs.

No…

I can't be dreaming right… I….

I flutter my eyes open, my head spinning as I try to picture where I am. Where am I? What am I doing here? My mouth hung open when I saw Nicholas so close to me. We were on the bed and he smelled of alcohol.

“No, this can't be true,” I said in denial, shaking my head.

“You smell so good”, the man beside me said, and the words kept ringing in my ear. Those were the last good words Nicholas ever said to me and why is it saying it now to me again?

Unless…

Nicholas' hand moved higher, and I placed my hands on it. I wasn't wearing anything which means something already happened between us.

We had sex.

Something is not right. I picked up my phone on the bed and quickly checked the date and time.

7:08 pm, Monday, February 2024.

I blink my eyes again, trying to check if I wasn't hallucinating. And I remembered this night vividly, the night I lost my virginity to Nicholas. The night that birthed our marriage.

I got reborn.