CELINE POV-“My name is Tristan, and this woman’s name is Celine, my future wife.”The surrounding people applauded, following the hired ones, while I mentally let out a sigh.Tristan has been like this often, especially to people who don’t know both of us or people who praise how handsome he is. Tristan will introduce himself, then he will empathize with me to introduce him as his future wife.I don’t protest anymore because I know Tristan is doing this to avoid the people who have always had a crush on him and admire him. “So, let’s start your training.” I said and separated Tristan’s hand so I could move.———Training newly hired has been not difficult. They all follow what we teach and ask what they should do or not do.I am more glad they’re asking every detail. For me, it’s better to ask questions than to guess what to do.Sebastian and Olivia are the only ones who have experience working in a restaurant and the rest are first-timers to have a job.I think in the past few day
CELINE POV-In the end, I decided to continue our trip to Florida.Tristan is right, he is the acknowledged father of my twins and another thing is that I promised my twins we would have family bonding. I don’t want to break the promise I made to Skye and Sunny because I am sure that if I cause our family bonding not to continue, it will leave a lasting impression on the minds and hearts of the twins. And maybe at their young age the next time I promise them they won’t believe me anymore. What I fear the most is that the twins might get mad at me for breaking a promise. It was midnight when I woke up with Skye and Sunny.Waking up this early is not something they are used to, and despite my prior notification yesterday that I would wake them up at this early time, and their excitement expressed last night, it will still be hard to wake them up, especially Skye, who still has a frown on their face.One of Skye’s inheritances from their sperm donor is always frowning and being grumpy
CELINE POV-As Tristan expected, when we arrived at the hotel before the time we will go to Disneyland, we were equally tired and went to sleep again, fortunately we had time to rest before morning.We left the hotel before eight in the morning to go to Disneyland. I’m still a little nervous because maybe, no matter how wide Florida is, someone will see us who might be an acquaintance of the sperm donor of my twins.“Tristan, did you rent this car?”We were in a private car where Tristan was still the driver. I fully thought we were going to ride public transportation.“No. I bought it.”“What!?”“We can’t ride in public vehicles. It’s not safe for you and for our twin.”This car looks expensive. I mean anyway, a four-vehicle car is expensive and did Tristan buy a car during his hectic day yesterday? What if his schedule is not hectic? What else can he do?“You bought it for our weekend bonding?”“Yup. Don’t you want a Bentley? Once we arrive at Disneyland, I can buy another car. May
CELINE POV-I immediately sensed a headache when I woke up. Besides this, I also sensed the softness of the bed and the coziness of the blanket.“Madame Celine?”I perceived the sound of a familiar female voice. I’m simply uncertain about the source of that information.“Does your head hurt?”As I opened my eyes and beheld the face of the owner of that voice, I examined her countenance to verify if what I was witnessing was accurate. I rub my eyes to see her face more clearly.“Hannah?” I got up. “What happened...” I said, my voice gradually becoming weak as I noticed our surroundings, leaving my jaw hanging in the air. I was in a room, but it was definitely not a room in a house or hotel room. I looked back at Hanna. “Where am I? Where are we?”“On boss Lance’s private jet.”“What? Private jet? Are you fooling me?”“Apparently, no.”“If we are on a private jet, where is it going?”“New York.”“N-New York?”“There’s only one hour left before we land in New York, Madame Celine.”“Yo
CELINE POV-I quietly hum.Lance already knows about our children? When did he find out? Is that his reason he is going to a Stellar restaurant? Is that his sign to why he is returning to warn me?My heart and head seemed to overflow with an abundance of questions that I desired to comprehend the answer to, yet I lacked the means to initiate it and asked. “I thought Lance and I are friends with no secret to hide, yet he didn’t tell me about this,” Hanna says innocent and clueless.Does that mean Lance already knows?My fears for Skye and Sunny are adding. Does that meanwhile I’m here, Lance is in Florida?“Where’s Lance?” I breathlessly asked Hanna.I try to be steadfast and my tears do not shed. I don’t think Lance already knows about Skye and Sunny. He should not know about my kids.“As far as I know, Lance is in Chicago this morning so he doesn’t–oh my gosh! Are you okay, Celine? What’s going on with you? Why are you so pale? Do you have a fear of heights or something?”My heart
CELINE POV-“It will mean nothing for you what Lance’s reaction will be about the children, because he’s not their father, right?”“Hanna...”I know Hanna is trying to see how far I will go in denying Skye and Sunny’s real father. Hanna wants the truth to come out of my mouth, and my words may be the only evidence Hanna will use to tell Lance.Hanna took a deep breath and sat next to me again. “Like this, let me clear one thing to you, Celine. I will not interfere in whatever problem is between you and Lance. As like before, I will not interfere with what you and Lance have a problem with. I just want to know the truth about those children. For my mind to be quiet? You know, curiosity. But if you don’t want to tell Lance that, I won’t lead you to tell Lance.”Hanna sounds sincere, the same as before.“You can trust me, Celine.”“But you’re Lance’s friend and right hand?”“And so?” Hanna said nonchalantly about the matter. “Even though I’m Lance’s most loyal person, there are still l
CELINE POV-“You don’t want Lance to be aware of this, do you?”I involuntarily nodded.Following her previous deception, I am unsure if I can place trust in Hanna. Her loyalty to Lance is unwavering, despite the lack of any reason for her to fight with me.“Got it.”My eyes widened. “What do you mean?” I was confused.“I won’t tell Lance about this matter.”“Why?” I was still confused.“Why not? If that’s what you want. Every word I told you a while ago, I will do. Not until you tell Lance about this matter, will I not tell him either.”“Can I trust what you say?I question, even though I am conscious of her ability to trick me.“You can’t trust me, but I will show you I do what I say.”I looked at Hanna without knowing what to say. If I trust her, it’s like I trusted her with the lives of Skye and Sunny.She glanced at her wristwatch. “We have to hurry. Let’s go outside so the glam team can take care of you.”“Glam team, for me? Why?”Hanna shrugs her shoulders. “I don’t know either
CELINE POV-After doing my makeup, Hanna helped me put on the red dress she said I should wear.Confusion causes my forehead to wrinkle as I look at my reflection. This look makes my heart shattered and range. What did Lance want to prove, or what did he want to happen and did this look to me?“Celine, you are beautiful!” A wide smile spread across Hanna’s face as she felt pure happiness and astonishment.My eyes are hurting with tears. I stop them from coming down. I don’t want to cry and my tears fall. I won’t allow this minor concern to make me appear feeble.“Isn’t there another dress?” I asked Hanna behind me.“No more. That is the only dress boss Lance wants you to wear.”I took a deep breath and sat on the bed. I don’t want to look at myself in the mirror and because of this look I feel various emotional pains.“What does Lance really want to happen? Why is he doing this to me?” I looked at Hanna. “We are divorced. I don’t bother them with his new wife, I never communicate wit
THIRD PERSON POV-“I’ll explain again from the beginning?” Celine asked reassuringly while hiding her irritation.“I think you need a break first,” Lance said formally. “I’ll review what’s in the folder again.”Celine blinked her eyes innocently a few times for a second while looking at Lance, who was so engrossed in the folder that he didn’t notice Celine’s actions.She didn’t know what to do as she waited for Lance to finish reading the document in the folder again. She could already feel the pain in her feet from wearing three and a half inches heels.Celine wanted to sit down for a moment to rest her feet, but thinking that she was in a formal meeting, she wasn’t sure if she should sit down, so she stood up.By chance, Lance glanced at Celine’s feet and was surprised to see her wearing high heels. He hadn’t noticed that Celine had been wearing such high heels all this time.Lance shifted his gaze from what he was reading. “Miss Andrea, you can sit down.” Lance said, still formal.
CELINE (ANDREA) POV-A wry smile glimpsed on my lips after I presented Mr Lance Hart with the best wines we could offer him, as well as other wines he requested me to explain.In my last explanation of the presentation, I no longer look at the slides. Out of the thirty slides, I didn’t memorize five or four slides because of how many times I explained it to him.No. I was wrong. This is not a familiar occurrence, I prefer to call it an annoying occurrence.He tilted his head while looking at the folder Enzo had given him a while ago, where the printed slide I had presented to him several times was attached.Lance and I were the only two left in the conference room. His secretary, who was with him earlier, had to be dismissed because he had an emergency job that needed to be fixed. While Enzo, who was with me, also left because he had other work to do that Giovanni left.After a second, he looked back at me. “Can you repeat your explanation from the beginning? I don’t understand what’
CELINE (ANDREA) POV-I tilt my head, cross my arms, frowning as I look at Giovanni.“Andrea, why are you looking at me like that?” He asked.Giovanni is in the hospital, lying in a hospital bed. His favorite car crashed into a pole because he dodged a cat, so now he has a mild arm and leg injury.“After driving for so long and taking such good care of your car, you suddenly crashed your car into a pole? And now, really?”“Accident. I can’t avoid an accident.”“Why do I felt that I don’t want to believe you?” I blurted.“Are you saying I’m lying?”“No,” I shook my head. “I was just pointing out that… the timing of your accident was great.” I said with a sarcasm tone then sighed.While he was on his way to the company, he called me and said he was in the hospital.I was at the coffee shop when he called, serving customers’ orders. I was startled by his screaming in the other line, causing me to call our mother to come see him. He said that what happened to him was serious and that he
CELINE (ANDREA) POV-When my parent’s mansion came home, I went straight to our room. Skye and Sunny are asleep. My mom is next to them. I kiss my children’s forehead first before bathing.I took a quick shower to just freshen up.Getting out of the bathroom, I slowly wake up my mom.“Are you just coming?” Mommy asked as she woke up.“Yes, mom.”“Who brought you here?”“Hendrix. They took me here before heading to the airport with Sabrina. ”Mommy smiled when I mentioned Sabrina’s name.“Sabrina, she looks nice.”“Yes, mom.” I proudly answered. “As I say, she is the last person I know will never leave me.”My mom kissed my forehead. “I’m happy you have someone to depend on when we are not with you.”I smile.I didn’t even tell my family what I had experienced in the hands of Sabrina’s parents.“I’ll take you to your room?”“Don’t bother. I will not get lost going to our room.” Mommy jokes. “Go to sleep. You must be tired. Good night.”“Good night, mom.”When Mommy got out of the ro
CELINE POV-After setting the coffee on the table along with the chocolate cake and muffin, I sat down.“I’m sorry if I only took care of you now. Ashley is still not very used to interacting with people.” I explained to Sabrina. “Taste them. They’re one of her specialties.”It was late at ten at night when Ashley and I closed our coffee shop. I helped her talk to our guests, so I didn’t have time to take a break and attend to Sabrina. Before Ashley left, she made coffee and baked Sabrina so that Sabrina would eat freshly baked.My family takes care of my children during these times.“It’s okay, Sunny and Skye entertained me, so I wasn’t bored either, also your brother.”I laughed when she mentioned my brother. “I hope Giovanni didn’t hurt your head.” I said, laughing. Knowing my brother, he has a talkative nature.“I’m used to it.” Sabrina laughed until she let out a sigh.“How are you?” I asked.She sipped her cappuccino, then smiled. “I’m fine. Your friends didn’t abandon me. Than
CELINE POV-The crowd applauded after the ribbon cutting for Ashley and I’s coffee shop.“I hope you all enjoy and–”I stopped speaking and left my hands in the air when I saw Lucian at the end of the guests with a bouquet of red roses.“Why did you stop speaking?” Ashley asked in a whisper, not yet noticing her fiancée.I pointed at Lucian.At the same time Ashley looked at what I was pointing at, our guests also looked.“Lucian…” I heard Ashley whisper in disbelief as she stared at her fiancée.As Lucian walked towards him, the crowd parted ways and gave Lucian a way to get to his fiancée.I took a few steps to the side so as not to interfere with them.Hendrix approached me. “Are you okay?” he whispered.I nodded. “I need to.” My answer whenever I am asked that question.I fix my gaze without emotion on the red roses that Lucian gave to Ashley.I don’t have a splendid memory of red roses, because of that memory I hated red roses. But Ashley loves red roses so I don’t just let her
( 7 M O N T H S L A T E R )[ MILAN, ITALY ]....THIRD PERSON POV-Rayne Ashley Evans was busy checking every item, every corner of the cafe that was just hours away from its grand opening. She had asked the staff several times if anything was missing and each of them patiently answered the cafe owner’s repeated questions.“I’m sorry for asking so many times,” she apologized to her staff. “I was just nervous.” She explained.“It’s okay Ma’am.” One of her female staff members assigned to clean said.“We understand, Ma’am,” her barista agreed.Ashley smiled at how her staff at her coffee shop were giving her so much patience.“Alright, get ready. We’ll be opening in less than two hours.” Ashley announced to everyone with a smile.“Yes, Ma’am.” Everyone said in unison before leaving Ashley’s presence to check how many times they had checked their respective jobs and positions assigned to them since two weeks ago.Meanwhile, Ashley sat down at the table and let out a sigh. Her he
CELINE POV-“Are you not going to stop messing around and now you make up stories?” I angrily asked Hendrix.After we had breakfast earlier and I dropped my kids off at school, Hendrix blocked my path and pulled me into his car. Before I could get out of the car, he got me inside and quickly started it.He took me to a private resort I assumed he was building because I saw its name outside.Everything was still being built at this resort and only in front of the beach could we talk quietly.He handed me some papers. When I saw its contents, I didn’t bother to examine it anymore, especially after he told me what this thing was.“What should I do so that you don’t come near me anymore?”It was getting annoying that he kept coming near me. I was tiring of pushing him away and now he was making up stories?“I’m not forcing you to believe. I’m just giving you a choice.”“Choice for what?” I asked, holding back my irritation. “One more thing,” I took a quick look at the paper he showed me,
LANCE POV-I looked at the sky where I ordered the fireworks. Celine would see my birthday surprise for her. I’m hoping she liked it and I also sent Hendrix to that place. Hendrix agreed to work with me, but he had one condition and that was to protect my family in his own way. I agreed as long as he would update me if my family was safe.“It’s so beautiful. Are those for me, babe?”I shut my eyes before looking at Freya with a forced smile. “Yes.” I answered sparingly.I need to be with Freya, I need to show I regret everything I did to her. It’s unfair to her after what happened to her. I will make her bait to those who betrayed me.I waited all night for a message from Hendrix and after he said someone was still trying to kill Celine, it was not enough to show a sudden change of mind. I had to make everyone believe what I was doing with Freya..I went back to Chicago. I shouldn’t have gone to Celine that day, but I couldn’t stop myself. I went to her and left because I might not s