Chapter 5

Over the following days, Keith stayed in the hospital to recover.

Celine came by several times with expensive supplements and flowers. However, she never stayed long, as she was always busy with phone calls.

Keith neither argued nor complained. Whatever Celine said, he simply responded with an "Okay." It left her feeling utterly helpless, as though she were punching at a pillow.

On the day he was discharged, Celine went with Keith to a cemetery on the outskirts of town to pay their respects.

As Keith watched the increasingly familiar scenery pass outside the window, an absurd feeling welled up inside him.

Five years—it had taken Celine five years to visit Aida's grave for the first time as a daughter-in-law.

The cemetery was quiet, and the wind rustled through the pine and cypress trees.

Celine stood before the gravestone, gazing at the photograph of the woman who bore a striking resemblance to Keith.

She remained silent for a long time before saying hoarsely, "Aida, I'm sorry it took me so many years to come and visit you. Don't worry, I'll take good care of Keith from now on."

After a pause, she added, "I won't let him suffer again."

Keith stared blankly at Aida's smiling face on the gravestone.

Inwardly, he asked Aida if she had heard that.

Celine, the woman he had loved for ten years, had promised to take good care of him from now on.

But it was already too late, because he no longer needed to hear those words.

After paying their respects, Celine took Keith to a restaurant he had always wanted to visit.

It was a fine-dining restaurant where reservations were notoriously difficult to get. Keith had mentioned wanting to go there many times in the past, but Celine had always said she was too busy.

That day she had booked the entire restaurant and arranged a candlelit dinner.

"I remember you saying you wanted to come here." Celine pulled out a chair for Keith. "Give it a try. I hope you like it."

Keith sat down and looked at the beautifully presented food spread across the table. He felt nothing.

Halfway through the meal, Celine's phone rang again.

It was, of course, Quinton.

His angry voice was so loud that even Keith could hear him clearly.

"Celine, you spent days organizing a huge birthday party for me, so why aren't you here yourself?"

Celine frowned and glanced at Keith.

Keith was calmly and elegantly cutting his steak, as if he had heard nothing.

"I'm busy right now," Celine replied quietly.

"What could possibly be more important than my birthday? You have to come to my party right now, or I'm not celebrating my birthday at all!"

Unable to shake Quinton off, Celine hung up and turned to Keith to explain. But he had already put down his knife and fork.

"Go ahead," he said. "I've just about finished eating anyway."

"Keith, Quinton just got back to the country and wanted to get all his friends together. But he doesn't know how to plan a party, so I just helped him out a little. I didn't mean anything by it," Celine explained.

"I know." Keith nodded. "I understand."

That same phrase again.

Irritation welled up inside Celine once more.

"I'll take you there," she said suddenly. "The party's nearby anyway. We'll just show our faces and leave—think of it as a little outing."

Keith wanted to refuse, but Celine had already stood up.

"Come on."

Quinton's birthday party was in the ballroom of a luxury hotel.

By the time Keith and Celine arrived, the place was already packed.

Quinton was dressed in a suit with an elaborate, subtle pattern. He stood surrounded by a crowd, looking like a proud peacock.

The moment he spotted Celine, his eyes lit up.

He hurried over and said, "Celine, you're finally here."

He immediately hooked his arm through hers, completely ignoring Keith standing beside her.

"Quinton." Celine frowned and tried to pull her arm free.

"Celine, come dance the opening dance with me," Quinton said. "It's been so long since we last danced together."

Celine looked at Keith. He was looking elsewhere, as if admiring the paintings on the wall.

"Keith…" Celine began.

"You go ahead," Keith said. "I'll go grab something to eat over there."

With that, he turned and walked toward the buffet table.

Celine froze.

In the past, even if she merely exchanged a few words with Quinton, Keith would look at her with reddened eyes.

But now, he was actually pushing her toward him?