As soon as Celeste opened the door, she found her husband standing before her with a woman clinging to his side, her pregnant belly protruding prominently.“Let us in first,” Darson said in an emotionless tone.Celeste, her face a mask of cold detachment, stepped aside to let them enter. She watched with a composed demeanor as Darson helped the pregnant woman settle onto the living room sofa.“Thank you, Daddy,” the woman said softly, a delicate smile playing on her lips.Celeste’s eyes narrowed slightly at the term of endearment. Her expression remained stoic, but her heart clenched painfully. She remained silent, her breaths shallow as she struggled to maintain her composure.“Darson, who is this woman?” she finally inquired, her voice steady but laced with an underlying strain.Married to Darson for five years, Celeste had always devoted herself to him, believing their bond unbreakable. But now, the reality of their strained relationship hit her like a cold wave. Her heart felt hea
"The woman Sir Darson brought to the mansion is beautiful and kind. I really admire her! Madam Celeste, on the other hand, even after five years in the mansion, is still difficult to approach. She always wants to be greeted and respected. But with Madam Chiarra, we became close right away!""Be careful with what you say, Tami. They might think you're taking the mistress's side. Even if Madam Chiarra is kind, we shouldn't support what's wrong.""Hmp! Why not? I feel like Sir Darson is going to leave Madam Celeste sooner than later. He's not happy with her anymore. But if you look at him now, his happiness has returned with Madam Chiarra! I guess that's just how it is. When a woman lacks something, the man will look for another woman to fill that void.""For me, Madam Celeste doesn't lack anything. It's just that she can't give birth to a child for Sir Darson. What kind of wife would deny her husband the chance to have a child, right? Honestly, in this day and age, they can use technolo
"Don’t leave me, Darson!" Celeste cried, her voice trembling with desperation as she clung to her husband.Her heart ached, not from love, but from the fear of losing the last chance to exact the revenge she had been planning all along. She couldn’t let him go, not now, not when she was so close. The thought of being abandoned here, on this dark, empty road, with no one around and no way to carry out her plans, filled her with terror. The moon and stars offered no comfort, only a reminder of the loneliness that awaited her if she failed.“P-Please, my love!” She forced herself to sound pitiful, trying to appeal to whatever lingering affection he might have had. “Believe me, I didn’t push Chiarra! I-I didn’t hurt her! She did it to herself, p-please believe me, Darson!” Her words were a lie, a pitiful mask she wore to buy herself time. Inside, she was seething with hatred, not only for Chiarra but for Darson as well. How dare he turn his back on her after all she had endured, after ev
Celeste looked up at the enormous mansion before her. It was brilliantly lit, with lights and decor gleaming in gold. Even though she came from a wealthy family and was married to a billionaire, their home wasn’t nearly as grand as this. It was as if the entire family’s fortune had been poured into this mansion.She couldn’t believe that the man who was just in critical condition earlier lived here. She couldn’t help but wonder why he was dying in that remote place where Darson had left her. She was also curious about the commotion among the battalion of guards she now saw milling about.“Sorry for the confusion, Miss,” a man said as he approached her, where she stood near the doorway.“Are you Diego?” she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.The man nodded, his expression serious, his sharp eyes assessing her as if trying to gauge her entire being. Celeste blinked and looked away, feeling self-conscious. She knew she looked like a mess. Her face was swollen from crying earlier, th
“Wait a minute, why can’t I leave?” Celeste asked in confusion after being confined in the mansion of the stranger she had saved for a week.“That’s what Diego instructed before he left, so I’m sorry, but we can’t let you out until he returns. If you need anything, you can let us know, and we’ll take care of it.”Despite the guard’s respectful tone at the mansion’s gate, his voice was firm, showing that he wasn’t going to let her leave.“I don’t understand.” Celeste furrowed her brows. “At least give me a decent reason why I can’t go out.”The burly man nodded. “It’s because Boss is still unconscious. Until our investigation into what happened is complete, we can’t release you.”“Sir, I’ve already explained everything that happened. Why am I still involved?”“I’m really sorry. Is there a specific reason you need to leave?”“Yes! I need to go home, please! Someone’s waiting for me there. I have a lot to take care of at home. Don’t you realize that keeping me locked up here is wrong?” H
Celeste often heard conversations about Primo Semion Lombardi whenever she attended events.He was always the hot topic among her female friends, which she couldn’t quite join in on because she was already tied to Darson.Aside from coming from a very wealthy family, Semion had a charm that could captivate any woman.So, it was well-known that he had different women with him every night, but no one had seen him with a steady partner. He seemed to be a playboy, treating women like mere toys.When she heard this from her friend Loren, who had some experience with Semion, she immediately lost interest. To her, men should show respect to women.She had only interacted with him in passing—simple greetings and casual smiles as etiquette at gatherings—but nothing more. So she was only vaguely familiar with the Lombardi family and had almost forgotten about the man now in front of her.“Hey, look at me.”Celeste’s gaze dropped to her lap as she sat in front of Semion in the dimly lit living r
Semion was stunned when Celeste wanted to go home without asking for anything in exchange for saving his life.It was obvious he was wealthy, as seen just from his mansion. So why didn’t the woman take the opportunity to ask for material things?“Are you sure that’s all you want?” he asked, his tone serious. “You’re asking for less than the bare minimum. My life is worth a mansion, nice cars, and money. Just name your reward.”“I don’t need any of that. I just want to go home and get a ride because I don’t know where I am. I’ve been missing for a week, and someone is looking for me.”What the heck? Semion wondered if the woman was also wealthy to refuse his offers. But if she were wealthy, she should be even more demanding, not less, than someone poor asking for a large sum or territory.“Where exactly do you want to go home?” he asked, scrutinizing her. “To your husband? I thought you’d already been abandoned.”Celeste hesitated briefly before responding. “I still need to go home.”W
"How dare you come back here?!" Darson shouted angrily at Celeste.Celeste remained on the cold, dirty cement, trembling with intense fear. Before she could even speak or beg to return, this was the reception she faced."You've got some nerve!" Priscilla snapped, emerging from the gate. "Don't you have any shame, Celeste? What made you think of coming back here after hurting Chiarra?!""I already told you, Celeste, never to show your face in front of me again! Do you have no self-respect? We’re separated! Do you want me to announce it to the world and humiliate you?!"Her long nails dug into her palms. Her eyes were red, but no tears fell. She struggled to get up from where she had fallen.Memories of the Allegra family, especially Priscilla, treating her well played in her mind. Priscilla had cared for her like a second mother. From the age of thirteen, she was spoiled and showered with sweet words. The Allegra family became her second home.Darson was always by her side back then, a