Celine's POVI take the staircase up, trying to be quick to meet up with Bryan before he leaves for work. I want to see how he is doing this morning and to know if he had a good night's rest.He looked really broken and restless last night but I had to respect myself by leaving before he asked me to. After leaving, it was harder for me to go to bed because his distorted face kept appearing in front of me, making me wish I had supernatural powers to wipe it off and turn it into happiness.Bryan might not be the kindest man on earth but he deserves to be happy. I wish he can be happy someday and be able to let go of his past so they won't hurt anymore.I do not know if I am feeling this way because I care or because I know what it feels like to be in such a situation. I was in this position and it was indeed hard for me to let go.When my parents died, I was broken. I never thought I was going to survive without them. I was left with no one but my grandma who also died before I was abl
Bryan's POVI twirl the swivel chair around idly, a pen in my hand and my lower lips in between my teeth.Coming to work today is a mistake. I haven't been able to do a single thing since I arrived here. This is because I have been distracted by one thing or the other.Celine's thought fills my mind and I am trying to comprehend just how and why the kiss happened this morning.I am still trying to figure out what the hell came over me that pushed me to kiss her that way. I haven't figured out why I have suddenly become attracted to her and now I am left with sorting this out again.What excuse do I have this time to give for kissing her? I have no excuse. The first time something like this happened, I was drunk. I wasn't in my right frame of mind but this morning, I wasn't drunk yet I kissed her.I felt a stab of anger in me when I wanted more of her. I wanted to kiss her more but I had to stop it. I do not know what is wrong with me but I need to get myself together and stop this s
Celine's POVI am on my phone but my mind is far away from what I am doing. I have pictures from five years ago on my phone. This is why I love this phone so much. It brings back memories but when I want to go along the lane willingly, it helps.I have pictures of this house on my phone as well as the picture of Bryan. He didn't know when I took this picture because he was asleep when I did. The picture I am staring at right now is the picture of Bryan on the night we had sex. I couldn't believe it when it happened and I expected things to change between us.Out of excitement, I had taken his picture while he was sleeping when I woke up the next morning. The moment he stirred in his sleep and groaned, I knew he was about to wake up so I faked sleeping too.The next thing I heard was a scream and the next thing that happened was his loud orders for me to get out of his room.It broke my heart. Shattered my world. It dampened my spirit.I zoom into the picture, sighing loudly. I keep a
Bryan's POVI feel nothing but guilt for everything. This is something I haven't felt in a year. I have only felt this kind of emotion for Helena but now I don't feel guilty for her death, what I feel is guilt for how I have always treated Celine.What bothers me the most is why she seems calm with everything. She has never raised her voice on me until the other day.I want to stop mistreating her and I want to give her the freedom she deserves when everything is settled. Father would come to New York soon and sort it out for me. Then Celine can leave but as much as I think of it, I don't want her to leave.I am thinking it is because I don't want her to get hurt but this is more than just being protective of her.There is something else in me that I can place. Something new that I have never felt before. Or maybe it has always been there but I never took cognizance of it.When I kissed her this morning, it felt right. I felt the same overwhelming feeling I used to feel for Helena. It
Celine's POVI stir in my sleep to see myself enclosed around something hard. I want to get up but masculine arms wrap around me tightly, making the memories of last night come rushing and making me realize I am not on my bed but Bryan's bed and in his arms.What the hell happened? I ask within me, wondering what happened before I slept off and how I fell asleep.Did anything happen between us? Did he kiss me again?I glance up to see his sleepy face, he looks calm and handsome. His face reminds me of Jason.Jason? I gasp softly and jerk upright when the reality of what I have done crashed upon me heavily. I left my son all alone in the room and came here to spend the night with his father.Bryan wakes up with a start. His eyes open quickly and our eyes interlock."Good morning", I say, trying to get out of the encaved arms around me.He tightens his arms around me, pulling me down and closer to him. He drags my head to his chest and replies. "Good morning."What is happening? What is
Bryan's POVThe moment I got inside the room after taking a bath, I picked up my phone to call Celine, scared that she would be asleep already.I came back from work very late today because I spent my whole morning thinking about the sex we had. I was distracted all through until it was time for my first appointment and I realized I didn't make preparations for that.Trying so hard not to think much about it, I got to work after my first appointment and I didn't finish up on time until the next appointment and the third. I wished to come home early today but I couldn't because I don't intend to go to work early tomorrow.I won't be able to sleep. I am sure of that. But if she is here and she falls asleep, maybe sleep will elude me too."Hello, Bryan", she whispers and I feel my bulge getting hard at the voice."Are you asleep?" I ask her, praying she isn't."No, I am not.""What are you doing?" I scratch my head, nervous about asking her to come over. I don't know if she is ok with le
Celine's POVA shout rings out from nowhere and I wake up with a start. My eyes fly open, wondering where the sound is coming from.Bryan jerks upright too, grabbing a hold of his head with both hands. His body shakes tremendously and this is when I know the shout is from him."Bryan", I grab his hand and he flinches, pushing me away from him.I let out a loud gasp and quickly get out of bed, throwing the comforter away. I run to the other side of the bed where he is and take a hold of his hands again. He is breathing heavily and there are tears in his red eyes. There are beads of sweat on his forehead trailing down to his sleepwear.The shock of the shout made me speechless and also the fact that I was scared by it.What happened? Why did he shout that way? Is it a nightmare?Careful not to voice out my thoughts, I remove his other hand from his head also but he shrugs me off."Bryan, calm down", I try to persuade him to let me help. I am not going to ask him anything, I just want h
Bryan's POVI don't know what the hell happened to me but I knew it was a nightmare. It was one of those nightmares that are scary and hard to remember after waking up with sweats all over.Those were the type of nightmares I used to have during Helena's first few months of death. I always wake up without a single memory of how the nightmare went.But the feeling was horrible. I always feel a deep shit of anger and pain and fright in me and I usually spend the day trying so hard to recall what happened.After a while, I got rid of it but when it came back, it wasn't the usual wake-up-to-forget nightmare. I always remembered them but I was always frightened.Her death did not only leave a scar in my heart, but the nightmares also did too, alongside regrets that I would have done something better and if only I had done something better, maybe she wouldn't have died.I saw Celine beside me on the bed and that intensified my rage. I vowed to Helena not to have anything to do with a woman
EIGHT MONTHS LATERCeline's POVA hand touches my protruding belly as I sit in front of the dresser, trying to get my makeup done before we leave for the party. Today is the company's anniversary and also Bryan's birthday. I have planned a surprise birthday party for him and I hope it goes well.Just like he accused me the other day, I have never seen him celebrate his birthday either. Mine was better. I only stopped celebrating my birthday after that night and the absence of my best friend was also a factor.Before the year when I got married to him, I used to celebrate my birthday, no matter how little it was. When I was in preschool, my father would buy me a lot of things to take to school and share with my classmates for my birthday, and at night, we usually ate out whenever anyone was celebrating his or her birthday.While growing up, things changed and when I became an adult and an orphan, I celebrated my birthday on my own, as a reminder of how life used to be and as a remembr
Bryan's POVCeline has been indoors for three days now and I have no idea what this is all about. I don't know if this is from the shock of hearing about her pregnancy or because she is still mad at me.She didn't even let me help her into my room as we planned. She has been in her room since she arrived from the hospital and her actions aren't straightforward.Today, I am going to go ahead with my plans. The news of her unconsciousness that night made me let go of the plan to take her on a trip but now is the right time.We need to talk. She is expecting my child. We are going to have a second child soon and these behaviors aren't the best for us as couples.I move into the kitchen and Camilla almost bumps into me."Sorry, sir", she says quickly and bows her head slightly. The other maids in the kitchen also do the same.I can't remember the last time I came towards this side of the house. And this is because I want to see Camilla about Celine."Can I see you?" I ask her. She looks s
Celine's POVMy eyes flutter open sharply and I shut them back as fast as I opened them because of how it hurts.I must have slept for so long, I say to myself before opening my eyes again, adjusting to the bright light of the room.I am staring at the white ceiling for a while before I turn to realize this isn't my room. It isn't Bryan's room either and fear grips me.Where am I? Has Paxton gotten a hold of me again?I look down to see that I am dressed in white cloth. Wait, am I in a hospital? What happened?Just before I can find answers to the questions in my head, the door opens and Bryan comes in with his mother.When he notices I am awake, he rushes to me."Celine?" The look of concern on his face is something I will love to always see. I don't want to be the only one concerned about him. I don't want this to be one-sided. I want every feeling I feel for him to be mutual. That way, my anger will dissipate easily and I can finally give this a chance. This is when I remember how
Bryan's POVFather and I walk out into the courtyard as we speak. I already spoke to my mother about my feelings for Celine and there is really no need to hide it from my father.I have always been more closer to him than my mother but Helena's death and my refusal to keep up with the family business almost drifted us apart Since my father has been gone for a long time, I never knew the bond would still be there. It is as strong as ever even though there are a lot of things we aren't talking about.I have noticed a lot of changes too and I am suspecting that he will soon quit the business too."Your mother loves shopping and that is the only weapon to get her to forgive me whenever I do something wrong. I doubt if there is any girl on earth who doesn't like shopping", he says and I shake my head.Celine is different. She isn't materialistic like the rest of the girls. I know how materialistic my mother can be but Celine isn't that way and I doubt if shopping will do the trick.Apart
Celine's POVI pack my hair hurriedly into a loose low bun so I can go out and meet with Bryan's mother who said she wanted us to meet.I have something to tell her too but I am damn curious to know what she has to say to me. I also wonder why she didn't tell me she wanted to see me when I refused to let her into the room.It's been hours since she arrived and I am surprised to know that she is still around. Camilla told me because I had gone into the kitchen to take lunch and to see Jason who was playing around.After making sure that I look presentable, I move out of the room, closing the door behind me before heading out.On my way out, my eyes dart upwards towards the staircase leading to Bryan's room and I begin to wonder if he is still around or if he has gone to work.It is late evening already and if he has gone to work, he should be back any moment from now. More reason why I need to see his mother as quickly as possible and rush back into the room so we won't meet.I haven't
Bryan's POVDejectedly, I take the staircase to my room. I am debating within me on what to do to win her over and stop her from leaving.I have done the worst things to Celine and she forgave me, why isn't she forgiving me for something as trivial as the outcome of my nightmare?I didn't do it on purpose. It isn't my fault. Why is she finding it hard to forgive me now?All this while, I never asked for forgiveness yet she forgave me and now that I am genuinely asking for it, she isn't willing to give it to me.I am trying my best to be a better person. I can't believe I also skipped work because of the fear of coming back to see her gone.Celine is good at running away and I don't know how long it will take me to find her now if she runs off like she once did.I halt in my tracks when someone approaches and I look up to see my mother.She smirks proudly and I raise a brow, wondering why she is looking amused."Are you coming from Celine's room?" She asks me. This is when it dawns on
Celine's POVI wake up to see myself in Bryan's arms and I move away slowly, making an effort not to wake him up from his deep slumber.Today is Thursday and Bryan is here sleeping in my room instead of going to work. I don't know how I feel about what has happened between Bryan and me when I am supposed to be making plans on how to leave.I have given myself to him again after everything and I begin to wonder why this has to continue happening.All I have ever shown Bryan was love but he gave me pain instead. Is it so easy to let go of everything?I thought I have forgiven him for everything he has done to me but what broke the camel's back was what he did the last time. How he sent me out like a prostitute and how he made me cry.As much as I want to pretend as if all is well, I can't let go of everything. I am confused about what to do. Remembering that Bryan talked about how we signed the original certificate instead of the fake one, I sigh loudly as I sit on the edge of the bed
Celine's POV "What the hell do you mean by that?" A deep frown descends on my face and I shoot to my feet immediately. I can't hide my displeasure. "How is that even possible? How can I be your wife? Is this your trick to let me stay back or what sort of rubbish is this, Bryan?!" He isn't responding. He is just watching me and I am beginning to think this is a joke. It has to be a joke. How is this even possible? We had a wedding in the church but the certificate was a fake one. What is he talking about then? Antonio's face holds pain and sorrow and I wonder why he isn't looking happy like I expect him to. Aside from the fact that he doesn't want Jason to be out of his reach, he should be happy he will be free from my troubles. He has taken care of Paxton and his family members, what then is going to stop him from letting us go? He told me he would let us go when this has been sorted out. I won't let him convince me with a silly talk like this. I was there. I was right there in t
Celine's POV I walk slowly into my room with Camilla trudging quietly behind me and Jason in her arms. My heart is heavy for no reason even though I know I really want to be free from all of these. Going back to Los Angeles seems like the best solution right now to heal; physically and emotionally. I am going back to my old aunt and I will start a new life over there. I am done with all of this. I am done playing the fool and the victim. I am done with Bryan. I sit on the bed, my face in a frown. I insisted on getting discharged today, even though the doctor wanted me to be in the hospital till next tomorrow. I don't want to keep seeing Bryan's face. He won't stop coming. I want to be far away from him just like the last time. Even though my mind and heart were here when I ran away from here, I was at peace with myself for the no-trouble that comes with having Bryan in my life. "You should rest today, at least", Camilla pleads with me once more, in an attempt to convince me and