What Have You Done?

Celeste’s POV

Tension was thick in the air when I walked into the house. I could feel it descend on me just from the weight of the breeze, settling on my shoulders. Everything about the house felt different and unwelcoming.

Well, I caused it myself the minute I decided to announce my divorce, because ‘I'm a child who doesn't know what I want’.

Henry had his back to me when I reached our room, a room I now loathed, a bathroom I couldn't stare at without remembering…. letting that memory wash over me again.

I walked past, dropping my bag, so ready to retire for the night when I felt his hand dig into my arm, dragging me back with full force, startling me.

His eyes were bloodshot as he addressed me.

“You're cheating on me with your sister's fiance? And you dare to be brazen about it? Is that why you asked for a divorce?”

I blinked several times.

I couldn't believe the words that were spewing out of this man's mouth.

His voice cracked like he was going through unimaginable pain. How dare he try to mimic the pain he caused me?

“Have you lost your mind?” Anger soared through my tone, but I tried to keep my voice down.

“Watch your mouth.” He retorted, and my lips curled up in a small smile.

“I guess you haven't heard. Your partner hasn't already told you what she found out. Well, you're free to keep sleeping with Nancy, just sign the papers.”

Colour drained from his face. I've seen this play out before. I simply couldn't care for a re-run.

“How did you…how…” His jaw dropped, and he almost staggered back.

“I just want a divorce, spare me anything else.” I pulled my arm away from his disgusting grip and waved him off. I couldn't stand him touching me at all.

“Celeste, listen,” He started off.

“It's not what you think, and even if it is, that's not enough grounds to grant you a divorce. You fucking love me, Celeste, so whatever you're doing, quit it. People are already talking.”

He looked me dead in the eyes and claimed I was in love with him, even now. How pitiful was I? I didn't even want to imagine it.

“My mother slapped me today, in front of many people. Trust me, the numbers are already increasing. I hope it explodes on the internet soon.”

“Celeste—” Warning hung in his tone.

“I want a divorce, why is it wrong?”

He ran his fingers through his hair over and over again.

“Because it's unlike you.” He let out an exasperated breath.

“And what's that supposed to mean?”

“What are you doing with Kade?”

I shook my head, bitterness exploding through my veins as I replayed those words in my head, ‘because it's unlike you’.

“Don't change the subject. Say what you mean exactly.”

His eyes dipped to my outfit.

“Let's just say, at least you put in effort tonight.”

I wore a bitter smile, shaking my head. I refuse. I refuse to still be treated like her, like that pitiful woman.

“No. You don't get to tell me that! I rocked tonight,” I took a step in his direction, my jaw clenched so hard it ached.

“I look good. I know it. I feel confident for the first time ever. I look too good for a cheater like you. That's all. You better listen to me and sign those papers, or else I'll make things very difficult for you going forward.”

“Tell me, what can you do?” He seethed, his own jaw clenched as he stalked towards me, and I unconsciously took steps back, feeling the room close in on me from the cornering, remembering…

My breathing was anything but rhythmic.

This man assaulted me before! How did I let myself go and talk carelessly just now?

“Don't come any closer!” I let out a choked cry, my eyes almost shaky.

“Or what?” He glared hard at me, and I stared back at a man who hated me to death.

“I'll scream!”

He scoffed.

“Everyone will just think you're crazy.”

Something cold ran down my spine.

The meds. Oh my God, the meds!

Something was wrong. That tone sounded practiced like he had planned to use it one day. That gave me renewed strength.

“You won't hurt me, Henry. You need a wife. You need me. But I don't need you. Until it's all over, be on your best behavior. Now get out of my face, you disgusting man.”

His fists clenched, but in restraint, realizing that truly, he wouldn't put a finger on me even if he wanted to. His face was still contorted in rage he couldn't let out.

I wished I knew that all this while. That stupid merger.

He turned around and stormed out, and that's when I let out a sigh I didn't even know I was holding. When I recovered, my eyes fell on his bedside table, and that's when I rushed to my medicine container.

Out of suspicion, I checked for the drug online, but that search left me where I stood, rooted, my jaw dropped, a chill spreading through my chest.

Not one single article, not one post, a single thing as a whole, was on the Internet about this drug. No name, no ingredients, no trace of it in existence.

My hands closed in on the container, trying my best not to tremble.

What had I been ingesting? I staggered backwards, reaching the bed, holding the container to my chest as though the answer could be in the plastic if I held on to it tight enough.

Looking back, I couldn't think of one reason why I needed it, or when I started taking it in the first place exactly, but it's been a year. It's been a whole year.

I picked up my phone and shot my new partner a text message, my fingers still trembling around it.

“When can we meet again? I have something personal I'd like you to check.”

“Personal?” Not only could I hear his voice in that text, but I also knew the tone.

I rolled my eyes, stunned he actually replied quickly, because I was about to toss my phone away.

“Yes, personal.”

“When is it to your liking?” My eyes narrowed.

“Aren't you supposed to be a busy man?”

“Tomorrow evening. I'll send you the address.”

Hmm. I think I might just like how this man works. I caught myself smiling at the text for a moment before I picked myself up and headed right for the shower.

At breakfast, mom was rather soft and easy going. Nancy was nowhere to be found. Henry wasn't speaking to me. I wasn't either. I don't care. He didn't come in last night, maybe he slept in a guest room, and I hope that keeps happening.

Hours later, I was hanging out with the housekeepers in the kitchen. They caught my attention because they wouldn't stop flooding my ears with compliments. That's when I met my mother's eyes.

How long she's been staring at me, I had no idea, but she made a gesture with her finger, ordering me to follow her, I guess for a chat.

I joined her in the living room, and she was all smiles when she pushed some documents my way, open documents that were already on the table.

My eyes fell on them, and after a few glances, my lips curled up in a smile. This was definitely cheap amusement.

“Mind sharing what's amusing to you, Celeste?” Her tone was a bit uncertain.

I hid the unease. I shouldn't be shocked that my mother would do something this humiliating.

“Estrangement from the family? Because I want a divorce? Shouldn't Henry be the estranged one?”

She didn't respond, she just looked at me like I was irritating her. I kept going.

“Apparently I'm unstable, and that makes Nancy the primary heir? Not me?”

So in both lives, this was always going to be constant. The reason I was put on meds I didn't even know why I was drinking.

“For now. Until you come to your senses. Sign, then we start arranging for some solutions to your problem. You need help. Henry is the best you'll ever get. So what if he's cheating? He still treats you well.”

“He's cheating with Nancy, and you don't think that's messed up?”

“It's in the past.” I was always trying to do right by this woman. I was such a fool.

I nodded my head, agreeing with her. They've decided I was crazy, and it was final.

“I'll sign.” I reached for the pen.

“You'll sign?” Her brow arched.

“Of course. I think you're right, I do need help.”

I scribbled my signature on the paper.

I lifted my gaze just in time to catch my mother's several blinks.

“Is that all?”

“Yes. Thanks for your understanding.”

She was trying to cut me out of my rights? We'll see who gets the last laugh.

I rose up, eyeing the documents in pure disgust.

“You know what I think?”

She shook her head.

“You should definitely have that notarized.”

“What?”

“Yes. Just in case, so you can have something to hold on to when the news of your embezzlement accidentally slips to the media.”

My mother's eyes grew wide.

“What…what embezzlement? What are you talking about?” The veins on her neck were prominent, her voice rising as she also stood.

My mouth twisted.

“I just assumed, I guess. If you're not embezzling company funds, you have no business yelling at me. As for the primary heir, it's not like you planned to let me have anything anyway—”

“Celeste! How did I end up with a daughter like you!” True anger flashed through her eyes.

It's not as if she was my real mother.

Looking back, it explained so much.

“How dare you say such ridiculous words and lay such heavy untrue accusations towards your mother?”

Ridiculous? Untrue?

I was about to respond when my eyes drifted to the television, the news finally registering in my head. My mom's head snapped to it too.

“The much anticipated merger between Miller Pharma and Thorn pharmaceutical industries has fallen through…both parties citing mutual terms….”

I saw the exact moment my mom's composure cracked… true horror breaking across her face as she cast me a hopeless glance.

“Celeste…what have you done?”