Roses and Revenge

Two weeks from now was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. My wedding day.I stood before the mirror, a stupid smile tugging at my lips. I could already see it—me walking down the aisle, Adrian waiting at the altar with that soft smile of his, my family watching proudly.For once, I believed in forever.But forever lasted until I heard the laugh.It was faint, muffled through the half-closed guest-room door down the hall. A laugh I knew far too well. My sister’s. Marielle.I frowned, clutching my dress tighter, willing my heart not to leap into suspicion. But then Adrian’s voice joined hers—low, breathless, achingly familiar.My stomach sank.For a heartbeat I told myself I was imagining things. Maybe they were just talking. Maybe I was being the insecure fiancée everyone whispered I sometimes was. Yet the air shifted—thick, heavy, wrong.Step by step, I moved toward the door, every nerve screaming at me to stop, to turn back, to protect the fragile dream I still held. But

The next day came too quickly. I thought I was ready to face my family with their scrutinizing eyes and cruel glares. What was the worst that could happen?Apparently—everything.The moment I stepped into the living room, the air shifted—sharp, suffocating, like the calm before a hurricane. My parents sat stiffly at the far end of the couch, their expressions carved in stone. Beside them, Marielle looked all glammed up, sitting like a queen basking in stolen light. Her manicured fingers traced the rim of her teacup lazily, eyes flicking up to me with a satisfaction she didn’t bother to hide.Across from them was a man in a custom charcoal suit. Sleek. Unbothered. Cold. The kind of man whose presence swallowed the space he occupied.On the central table, an open briefcase waited like a silent judge—its contents gleaming under the chandelier’s white glow. The conversation stopped the instant I entered, their gazes slicing through me. The silence that followed was heavy, hostile, deliber

By the time I opened my eyes the next day, it was already afternoon. The sun was sinking low through my window, painting the room in shades of gold and amber. I hadn’t realized how much the past few days had drained me until that moment. Every memory, every argument, every haunting thought had taken its toll—so much that I’d slept through most of the day.When I finally stepped out of my room into the living room, I saw a young woman standing by the couch. She smiled politely and introduced herself as my personal maid—hired that very morning.Her name was Tessa. She was about the same age as Marielle, but there was something softer, more genuine about her. As we talked, I realized how easy it was to open up to her. She had this calm warmth that made the walls around me crumble.She told me she was an orphan, working hard to make ends meet so she could sponsor her younger brother’s education. I admired her strength. In a strange way, she felt like the sister I never had—the one I alway

By 8:00 a.m. the next morning, I was already awake and dressed — black pants, a crisp red shirt, a flowing black coat and the stiletto heels I’d bought yesterday.Tessa sat across from me in the dining room while I ate toast, sausages and eggs.“You seem quite anxious,” she pointed out.“Just a little,” I admitted, cutting another bite.“You’ll do well. This has always been your dream, Celine — and always remember you were born for this.”Her words eased something inside me, and I smiled faintly. After finishing my breakfast, I bade her goodbye and boarded a cab to Bluebird Entertainment Agency refusing to take any of Lucas’s cars, my ever-present bodyguard trailing behind in another car.The moment I arrived, awe replaced my giddy nerves. I’d heard Bluebird was big and beautiful — but not this breathtaking. The lobby gleamed with marble floors and tall glass walls, every corner humming with ambition. The crowd waiting to audition made my heart skip. There must have been three hundred

Celine’s POVAs soon as I got home, Tessa welcomed me ecstatically, almost throwing herself into my arms. Her joy was contagious — for a moment, the exhaustion from the day melted away.After a warm shower, I changed into something comfortable and joined her downstairs. The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, and Tessa was humming softly as she arranged some snacks on the table.“Tessa,” I began gently, watching her look up at me with those bright eyes that always carried hope even in the darkest moments. “There’s something I want to discuss with you.”Her smile faltered slightly. “Is everything okay, ma’am?”I chuckled. “You don’t have to call me that all the time. It’s Celine.”She nodded shyly. “Sorry—Celine. What is it?”I took a breath. “I told the agency earlier that you’ll be my manager. I did it because… well, I trust you, and I know how much you want to support your brother through school . This way, you can earn more — enough to help him through school.”Her eyes