CHAPTER 0001

CELINE’s POV

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After I fixed myself, I left the mansion and hailed a taxi that came into my view. I right away told the taxi driver to take me to Rodeo drive.

I will buy my husband Lance a present. Today is our third year anniversary. I felt that he might be busy this whole day and there is a possibility that he will come home late, but I still want to celebrate our wedding anniversary even if it’s simple and there is a possibility that we can celebrate it late.

After I finish buying a gift for him, I plan to cook him his favorite food.

Lance and I, our marriage, was an arranged marriage. Prior to our marriage, I had no knowledge of him except his name and the extent of his impact on various matters. After all, he is a businessperson and a mafia boss. 

When I initially discovered Lance’s involvement in the mafia, fear overwhelmed me. I don’t know much about the mafia thing. The only thing I am aware of is that they are dangerous individuals. But at that point, my love for Lance prevailed.

Lance and I started not loving each other. He solely needed a bride then, so he agreed to marry me. In my case, I agreed because of my parents. Throughout the three years Lance and I were together, despite my awareness of his lack of love and his cold treatment towards me, my affection for him grew. Whenever I am with him, I feel safe.

Arriving at Rodeo Drive, I walked around and looked for something I could buy: a gift for Lance. However, almost two hours have passed and I still have found nothing that I can give him as a gift.

Lance already has all expensive and luxury items and brands. My husband loves cars but I don’t have money to buy him any kind of car.

When I saw an empty bench, I sat on it and reached out to Christine, who had the capacity to aid me. She was a friend of Lance who also became my friend. 

Christine is a nice person, a loving wife, a wonderful mother and happily married. During her second wedding with her husband, I was there and I could see how happy she and her husband were. Christine told me that starting her and her husband’s marriage was not good either, but looking at it, it seems hard to imagine that they didn’t have problems in their marriage and it was obvious to them that they loved each other.

Just two rings before Christine answered my call. “Hey, Celine, what’s up?”

“Hi, sorry for the inconvenience and the sudden call.”

“Of course not. You are not a nuisance, you called me at the right time, because my son just fell asleep. Why were you calling by the way?”

“Uh, it’s Lance and I’s third year wedding anniversary today.”

“Omg!” I heard her scream but she immediately took it back because her two-year-old son might have woken up. “Congratulations!” she happily shouted in a whisper on the other line. 

“Thank you. I was called because I wanted to give Lance a present. I still don’t know what I should give him. He already has all the expensive and luxury brands, so I don’t know. I wonder if you can give me a suggestion about what I must give to him.”

“Oh, right–wait. Why don’t you give him a necktie?”

“A necktie?” I rustle.

“Yes. You know, when I gave my husband a tie as a gift, that’s what he always wears. The color of it is fading, but he still wants to wear it even though he has a lot of better neckties he can wear.”

Christine’s short story made me smile. I was more envious of his marriage with his husband.

“Thank you for the suggestion, Christine.”

“You’re welcome. Congratulations again to you. Tell Astrid and me about what will happen to your third wedding anniversary, okay?” She giggled.

“Of course. I have to hang up. I will buy a necktie for Lance. Bye.” I said with a smile.

“Bye!”

I ended the call. When I hid my phone in my purse, I sighed.

Christine and Astrid are Lance’s friends.Lance has many friends and they are boys, but Christine and Astrid are the ones I became very close to them, to where they could almost tell me about their lives. 

One thing I’m thankful for in Lance and I’s marriage is that I made friends. My whole life I just hid in my parents’ mansion and didn’t make any friends. Even in important gatherings back then, my parents didn’t take me with them, that’s why no one knew my parents had a child–me.

After I rested from walking, I went to one of Lance’s favorite luxury brands and bought a blue necktie, his favorite color.

“I hope Lance will like this,” I mutter with hope as I leave the store. I hope Lance’s reaction is the same as Christine’s husband’s reaction or even if Lance wears it at least once.

Next, I also bought a dress that I will wear later. I want this day to be somehow special for Lance and me.

I was about to walk to hail a taxi but I felt my phone vibrate inside my purse. Picking up and looking at the caller, I swallowed at the same time as my heart beat rapidly because of the nervousness of seeing that the caller was my mother.

I took a deep breath before answering the call. “Hello, mom?”

“Where are you?” my mother asked me straightforwardly.

I felt nervous about my mom’s question. I hope my mother doesn’t invite me to meet me today.

“I’m here on Rodeo drive.” I still answered politely and didn’t show the nervousness in my voice.

“Good. Your father and I will go there. Let’s meet at the restaurant I will send to you. After fifteen to twenty minutes we were there.”

I closed my eyes for a second before answering, “Okay mom. I will wait.’

As my mom ended the call, I held my breath for a second.