“We’re done, Callahan,” her voice shaky as she tries her best not to cry. This was not something she was prepared to say to him. Never once did she think she would ever utter those words after she married him three years ago.
She took a deep breath to gather her strength and to keep herself from further breaking down. She could feel her throat tightening as her body shook a little.
‘Calm down, Celine. You can do this,’ she thought to herself. She looks at him with all the remaining pride in her before she speaks.
“I’m letting you go. Isn’t this what you’ve wanted to hear from me? Fine! I’ll file for a divorce, and you don’t have to worry about your money. I won’t take a single cent. I don’t need you to stay with me out of pity. I can stand on my own. I know when it’s time to leave when I’m no longer wanted.” The words, heavy with heartbreak, hung in the air, a sad declaration of her strength in the face of her crumbling love.
His eyes devour no emotion as he looks at her like nothing is surprising from what she just said. It was like he was anticipating it like it was just a matter of time before she uttered those words.
With a broken heart, she turned her back, her steps heavy as she walked away from the love that she thought she would forever have.
And as she does, Celine can’t help but look back on the past and reminisce how everything started for her and Callahan.
Celine Dashiell Everson had always enjoyed living a life away from the shadows of her family’s wealth. Being the youngest daughter of Achilles Everson, her bank account contains millions, if not billions, as her family owns an empire that was enough to buy not just a whole city but another.
Does she enjoy her family’s wealth? Of course, she does.
But Celine had long learned that being away from the spotlight and living anonymously without the shadow of her last name is the most effective way to live a happier life.
That’s why to people who barely know her, she is Celine Montgomery. She hides her real identity with her mother’s last name.
Celine enjoys everything that doesn’t involve her family name. When no one knows who you are, they treat you better. Some may not always be real to her, but at least no one licks her feet like a dog just because they know how much money and power she has.
She was on vacation in one of the rooms of a villa reserved just for herself in the Maldives because she was desperate to relax when she noticed a man who appeared to have just emerged from the water and was walking toward the shore like a model, brushing his hair backward and appearing to be a Greek god who had just descended from heaven.
Celine, who was on her sun lounger sipping her juice, was astonished by the massive body of the stranger. The trickling water flowing down his body was like paid actors doing wonders to him, and even the scorching heat of the sun kissing him made him look so vividly hot that Celine gasped as she lost touch with reality.
He was like the real perfection of how intense men were built. He looked tall, brooding, massive, and immaculately handsome. It was that kind of physique that any woman would wish to date, do them hard on the bed with, and even have lots of kids with because of the genes.
She couldn’t take her eyes off him, and the stranger noticed it while walking to the other lounger that wasn’t away from her as she shamelessly glanced to his side, making sure that he wouldn’t leave her sight.
The stranger smirked and picked up the towel on the lounger, including the rum that was resting on the side, as he gulped it down while side-eyeing her.
Celine could feel the playfulness in his eyes. She could sense that it feeds their ego when women are drooling and head over heels for them.
As soon as Celine got a snap back from her reality, she took her eyes off him and decided to take a deep dive into the sea instead of staying there and ogling the stranger.
She took a dip and dove into the water. It was so relaxing that she forgot the part where she was captivated by a stranger earlier.
Though Celine wasn’t really invested in having a relationship, she knew that she didn’t really need it yet because she was focused on her studies.
Though she could already do everything she wanted with the massive wealth of her parents, she wanted to take things slow to enjoy every bit of it.
When she was satisfied, she rose out of the water and pushed her wet hair backward as she squeezed its length a bit while walking back to her sun lounger until she noticed the stranger, who was now watching her the way she watched him earlier, while he was resting on his sun lounger.
So, like what the stranger did to her earlier, she smirked and picked up her own towel.
“Like what you see?” she fired nonchalantly, as she wasn’t that nervous for him not to talk because he didn’t intimidate her.
Celine is the type of woman who just doesn’t get intimidated by someone else’s stance as she believes that every human is justly equal despite differences in height, color of skin, and size. She was the kind of person who wouldn’t really step aside unless she really had to because it’s part of the law, and she’s just so invested in obeying orders to keep things organized, which is what she’s obsessed with.
“I’m enjoying it,” the man replied in his husky voice.
Celine glanced at him once again, smiled, and turned her back without saying anything anymore as she walked back to her room so she could change and prepare for dinner later.
One thing about her was that no matter how someone got her attention, making an effort or giving them too much of her time that it would affect her whole day schedule, wasn’t really her cup of tea. She is obsessed with doing things accordingly. She’s a woman who follows a schedule. A woman with a plan.
She wanted a perfect dinner at exactly six while the sunset was peeking over the horizon and she thought spending more time on the lounger might reduce her time getting ready.
She doesn’t like doing things in a rush so, she really makes sure that she does things on time.
She chose a backless white dress that was an A-line. It covered her whole legs so that the only thing that showed was her feet as she didn’t like stepping on them, while at the back, it cascaded down the ground.
She put her hair in a bun and put on a little make-up. She brought her phone this time so she could take pictures of the beautiful sunset.
“This way, ma’am,” the waitress told her, guiding her to her own reservation so she could have a nice view.
It was perfect timing as she had more than enough time to order food for herself while the sunset was almost peeking and making everything golden as the wind kissed her.
Another man occupied the front table and she could feel someone watching her, so she raised her eyes a bit to look who it was and saw the stranger on the sun lounger earlier.
The man locked gazes with her. He smirked at her as if telling her that they met again and she tried to escape an important meeting earlier. Elyse smiled back, brought her eyes to the menu, and called the waiter so she could place her order.
While waiting for the food, she impassively rested her elbow on the side of the table and glanced at the sunset to watch how it slowly turned a dark shade. She took her phone and took a video of it while she could sense the eyes of the stranger at the front still looking at her.
She side-eyed him to capture his eyes as she shamelessly grazed her gaze on his physique. He was wearing a black button-down shirt, and the two buttons were opened as his disheveled hair was being played by the wind. He was leaning against his chair while looking straight at her as if he were already imagining her on the bed while he hovered over her.
Though, despite the attention he was giving, she could sense the emotion that was ruling over him—pure lust.
For the longest time that she’s been surrounded by different boys in different parties, places, and even countries, she could already tell the shit that they were hiding and what the meaning behind those playful smiles and those sparkling eyes.
The men with sparkling eyes don’t really mean they’re genuinely attractive to her with no lust in their minds. Of course, they were still imagining things, such as banging her roughly while looking at her with those sparkling eyes, as if they adored her that much.
The stranger in front of her exudes this kind of mystery into which she can’t delve deeply, but one thing is for sure: he wants her body. He wants to taste her every time his eyes lay on her. He wants her legs wrapped around his waist, as he would do for her.
When he had no patience for watching her, as soon as the stranger stood and went to her table, Celine had already seen it coming. She predicted it. She foresaw it.
“May I?” The stranger gestured to occupy the seat in front of her.
“Sure. I’m alone,” she pointed out.
“That would be a waste if you were with your boyfriend,” he chuckled while taking a seat.
“And you are trying to hit on me? Does this that you don’t have a girlfriend that will be mad?” Celine asked in her taunting voice, and the stranger laughed a bit charmingly.He extended his arm and showed his hand for a handshake. “Callahan, by the way. Callahan Alec Simmons…”She took it and shook his hand. “Celine…”“Celine?” Callahan demanded.Celine’s life has been so private since day one that she cannot expose herself so suddenly. Knowing she belongs to a family that is leading big businesses in so many countries and her father is well-known as a business tycoon, claiming that she is an Everson is quite a big scoop and scandalous in the business world that one of the heiresses is exposed.“Celine. Celine Montgomery,” she said, using her mother’s surname because it was more lowkey and less suspicious because her mother’s surname wasn’t really a big deal. Other than that, her mother’s identity has never been exposed as that of the business tycoon’s husband, so she would be free f
Celine’s mind was going haywire while processing what just happened on her little vacation. A stranger she met who was dropped-dead gorgeous, who seemed too good to be true and had passed all of her standards when it came to physical appearance, just asked for her number.She was looking forward to his message as the days passed by. But it seems like it was just a fleeting moment because Callahan has never contacted her.She wanted to think that Gaile had stepped in again, but then it was impossible because he asked for her number directly.Then what could be the reason why he hasn’t contacted me for a week?Despite not getting messages from him, she was still hopeful that maybe they would cross paths again at the university she transferred to.“Why are you suddenly transferring here? You’ve been enrolled in a prestigious university, the best school for you, and yet, you’ve chosen a university that seems…” her bother, Chance, said with an arching brow when he told her to meet him up i
Celine wasn’t expecting too much from Callahan. But every time they have some short-lived interactions at the university, it flutters her heart.After a month of being there, Callahan is kind of persistent in making her remember that he exists. She continued being on her own, living her life independently in the university without having a wide group of circles as she enjoyed her own company, while she noticed how Callahan immediately had a wide set of friends, and most of them were girls; some were boys who were part of a group he’s in as well.She was not sure what else Callahan was taking but he was able to join so many stuff at the University, even the sports one. He was now getting so much attention at the university that sometimes Celine would think he was naturally approachable to pretty girlsCallahan:Do you want to come to a house party?She was already in her condo unit when Callahan texted her.One thing that Celine hates when it comes to parties is that they are too crow
Celine tried to stay normal in the middle of the trip when her heart was already doing some backflips inside her ribcage as she couldn’t calm it down. Though she may have looked more invested in looking at the scenery outside, it was all blurred out, as what only rang in her mind were the last words Callahan had told her.She couldn’t tell why Callahan was so persistent about being with her. She wanted to ask things, but at the same time, she watched him get friendly with other girls at the university. She could clearly tell he was a total chic magnet on his own, and he could make friends with them because he seemed built to be that charming to any woman.Why are you overthinking it anyway? You can’t date. Imagine Gaile and the rest of your siblings finding it out. They would dig up any possible details about Callahan, and they would only sabotage it. They would find fault in him while giving you a long list of reasons why he’s bad news.She rested her head against the open window of
Celine can’t believe that Callahan has seen through her alibi right away that she was just trying to avoid him. But then, she’s quite thankful that he didn’t jump to more conclusions, such as that everything was just a lie and a made-up story by her.“It’s true that I’d help the harvest,” she said, eager to make a point.Callahan scoffs in disbelief that she was determined to defend herself when she was already caught making alibis just to not come with him at the party.Callahan leaned forward until their faces leveled, and Celine didn’t show any sign that she looked guilty or even shy a bit about what she had done. Instead, she looked at him with great determination too.“A girl who was full of determination, I see.” He nodded while looking at her with full confidence.Celine took her fruit shake again and sipped on it as her eyes remained on him, being watchful and letting him know she wouldn’t back down so easily.But despite the coldness she was trying to strike, her chest was ba
Callahan could sense how unbothered Celine sometimes appeared. She sometimes appears so cold and less interested. His hand was resting on the sides of her waist, and he could feel how small it was as his mind started remembering the moment he saw her on vacation in her bikini.That moment when she left without even asking his name or giving signals that she was attracted to him, he could really tell how she wasn’t that interested in him, so he immediately aborted his mission to try whatever was circulating in his mind at that moment.But he wouldn’t lie to himself and say that he really found her attractive. She’s hot and beautiful. She looked so feminine, and her alluring beauty told him that she had rejected a lot of men who’d been trying their luck on her. Because no man would not consider her.Callahan tilted his head to see Celine’s reaction. It was her usual cold expression, her less interested face that seemed too mysterious and he was wondering what was on her mind because she
And because Celine doesn’t want Callahan to fall on his horse again, when she tours him around so they can look at the farm full of trees, she lets him join her horse again, as the horse only walks calmly.Callahan looked at the trees, amazed by how they looked so healthy. They seem to have such a lot of fruits that it could already be the main source of exporting fruits from other countries.Though he was really curious, Celine just named it not too big, or it was already failing.“Why was it failing?” he asked.“I don’t know about my parents. Ask them?” She challenged him and arched her brow at him.“It seems to be progressing. This land could actually be the main export in the other country if it was well handled. It could probably be successful.”Celine didn’t expect Callahan would be that interested in their land as if he could see the future of it.“You like businesses?” she asked.“I’m taking a business class,” he smiled.“Hmm, let me guess. Your parents want you to handle the
That afternoon, when her pretend-father showed up, acting like he got busy checking up on the market for the potential client where they could deliver their fruits for the harvest, he went home with an obviously tired face.“Dad,” Celine called, immediately getting into her little drama that he is her father.“Oh, Celine, you’re here." Roel went to Celine and acted like a real father who was so excited to see his daughter that he even smiled.“You’re with him?” He looked at Callahan, who stood formally. “Boyfriend?” he joked, but his strict voice was so believable—how fathers would make a joke about their daughter but glare in a judging way at the boys their daughter has brought home, like how Roel looked at Callahan from head to foot.“Ah, no. He’s only my schoolmate,” Celine explained.“Hmm. Schoolmate. I’m kind of curious why your other schoolmate didn’t come with you, and only he did.” Roel arched his brow as he pulled the chair roughly and occupied it, while Janna put the drink i
“Just follow my order, Gaile. It’s fine. I’ll handle Celine,” Chase muttered, speaking into his phone with a serious tone laced in his voice.Celine paused, overhearing her brother’s voice as she entered the study. They had only just arrived at her parents’ house, surprising everyone. Now Calliope was happily entertaining her grandparents, and their laughter was echoing all over the house. The house sounded so lovely after a long time, as her parents say.Celine’s brow furrowed as she approached Chase, her footsteps barely making a sound. “What was that about?” she asked, trying to keep her tone casual. But there was an undeniable control to her voice.Chase turned to face her; his expression tinged with annoyance. “I heard what happened to you and Calliope earlier,” he said, crossing his arms as if bracing himself for a confrontation. “Don’t even try to deny it. That woman’s little stunt wasn’t just harmless teasing, and you know it.”Celine sighed, the memory of Katherine’s condesce
It was a bright afternoon when Celine and her three-year-old daughter, Calliope, stepped into a clothing store after landing back in the country. The sun filtered through the glass storefront, illuminating its glow on the rows of high-end clothing. They were nothing like the high-end stores she had been but that would work for now. Celine had made a big decision to leave Europe, and for her, it felt like coming back home. After what seemed like forever, she was finally reuniting with her family who had missed her and Calliope dearly.As they entered, Celine adjusted her button-down shirt, its crisp white fabric a stark contrast against her sun-kissed skin. It was casual yet expensive, typical of her style. Calliope, however, looked less like the daughter of a woman with good taste and more like a little girl who just didn’t care. She was still wearing her cozy pajamas—soft, colorful, and perhaps more suited for bedtime than shopping. They had flown in on the family’s private plane
Celine was just a few days away from giving birth. Her anxiety mixed with anticipation, creating a constant chaos of emotions within her. The villa in Europe had become her safe space. It was a place where she could hide from the world and prepare for the arrival of her baby. She was not expecting any visitors, so when the doorbell rang, she felt nervous.There was a part of her that knew that the only possible people to stand in front of her villa were non other than her siblings but perhaps this was the feeling of someone who was hiding, in constant fear of being found. C’mon, Celine. Are you really thinking that Callahan will stand outside your door? He must have been partying the past year to celebrate being single. Or maybe he was already married to his ex. Just thinking about it makes her heart in so much pain. It’s been nine months but the pain doesn’t feel like it was being lessened. In fact, it gets worse as days pass. As she opened the door, her heart skipped a beat. Ther
The soft hum of the ocean was the only sound that broke the peaceful silence of the small villa that she was in. Celine had chosen this quiet town in Europe, hoping to find some peace during her pregnancy. She had asked Gaile to choose a place where Callahan would never think to look for her. It wasn’t that she hoped he would come searching, but she knew her family would try to find her.Celine had hidden her identity for so long, living under her mother’s maiden name to escape the pressure of being an Everson. She had hoped to live a peaceful life, away from the scrutiny and expectations. But as she stood at the door of her villa, looking at the worried faces of her three siblings, she knew that peace was about to be disrupted.She was already five months into her pregnancy.Lucas, her eldest brother, was the first to speak. His eyes immediately landed on her rounded stomach. “So, it was true. You are indeed pregnant,” he said, his voice a mix of coldness, and yet Celine knew that h
Callahan’s office was masked in a heavy silence, interrupted only by the steady ticking of the clock on the wall. His new secretary, a tall woman with a no-nonsense demeanor, stood in front of his desk, her expression a mix of concern and frustration.“Mr. Simmons, we still haven’t been able to locate Mrs. Simmons’ whereabouts,” she reported, her voice strained.Callahan leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. It had been a month since Celine told him she would be divorcing him. He could still remember that day vividly. Her words had left him frozen, unable to process the finality in her voice. If it hadn’t been for Natalie’s incessant nagging, he might never have snapped out of his blankness.“Keep looking,” he said finally, his voice hoarse. “I need to find her.”“Yes, sir,” the secretary replied, turning to leave. She paused at the door, her eyes softening with pity before she exited.Callahan’s mind drifted back to the moment when Celine had stood in front of him, her eyes
After she went to the car, she didn’t utter a thing. The guards were all silent and simply drove, not even sure where they should go. They were waiting for her signal, her instructions as to where they should go.However, knowing that Celine hadn’t called for them to drive her for so long now, the guards sensed her distress.As the car moved through the city, Celine felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She pressed a hand to her mouth, trying to fight it off, but it was no use. “Stop the car,” she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.The guards exchanged worried glances. “Miss Everson, are you okay?”“I need to get out. I feel sick,” she said urgently.They quickly pulled over in front of the Grand Luxe, one of the most renowned and expensive restaurants in the city. The upper management knew Celine well due to her Everson family ties, though they were unaware of her hidden identity and her marriage to Callahan Simmons.The doorman, recognizing her immediately, rushed to o
Callahan stared at her with a mix of emotions that Celine couldn’t decipher. One moment, his face softened, but the next, it was as if he was a stranger, his expression unreadable. He felt foreign to her, and that scared her.Her eyes locked with his, hoping he would say something, anything. She hoped he would believe her, and side with her. She had never asked him to listen before. Callahan used to surprise her, but now, she didn’t know him anymore.‘Please. Just tell me you believe me, and I’ll hold on. Just tell me you’ll do something, and I won’t let go,’ she silently wished to herself, afraid to voice her thoughts, scared she would be disappointed. Her heart was beating rapidly. She was aching, aching so bad that she wanted it to stop. She waited for him to speak. And he did. Only to break her heart.“Are you sure? Maybe you are mistaken. Natalie didn’t have any reason to do that,” he whispered. She saw a glimpse of a different emotion on his face, but her heart was already s
“Miss Celine, your brother has been asking things about you. It looks like what Troy said really made Sir Chance think that something was happening to you when he saw you at the hospital.”Celine scratches the side of her head as she hears what Gaile reported to her after she received her call.A long sigh escaped her lips. She knows that Chance is really pushy in terms of that, and she knows how protective her family can get.“Just send him a fake file of my doctor's visit. Just makeup something like a mild headache or anything. Just do anything to make him think that nothing was wrong.”Celine heard all of the reports that Gaile stated, even the news about the investor that Natalie claimed to have settled through her family connections.“Are you sure you are not going to tell him about how you were the one who made that investment possible?” Gaile asked, her tone hanging.She didn’t bother to correct it since Callahan didn’t even bother to ask her. And now that Gaile was asking her
The office lounge was quiet; the soft hum of the microwave was the only sound. Celine stood by, staring at her sandwich as it rotated inside. She was lost in thought, her mind swirling with the secret she was carrying—the baby she hadn’t yet told Callahan about.Days have passed, and the moment she realized she was pregnant, her body appears to have begun reacting swiftly to the news. She was unaware that the process would be so challenging at such an early stage, and she was concerned about the length of time she would have to conceal her pregnancy.Things had been harder. Even waking up early was hard, but she was trying her best just so she wouldn’t miss any meetings ever again. She just doesn’t want to have more trouble with Callahan.The door opened, and Callahan walked in, followed closely by Natalie. Celine’s heart skipped a beat, but she kept her face impassive, her cold demeanor masking her inner chaos.These days, Natalie keeps appearing at the office, as if she were also wo