"Ms. Holmer, there's a surveillance camera in my office." After she was done, Celeste looked up and informed her calmly. In this day and age, she wasn't afraid of Sherry doing anything shady to her at all. The previous mayor brought his own son down for abusing his power and status. As expected, Sherry was terrified. But she said stubbornly, "Stop lying to me!" "Why should I lie to you? Look." Celeste threw a glance at the camera above them. "It records our voices too." Sherry lost her composure immediately. "Ms… Celeste, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said that! I—" She actually started to cry while grabbing Celeste's arm. Celeste let Sherry cry for a while before pulling out a tissue from her desk for Sherry. She advised her coolly. "Ms. Holmer, I don't intend to meddle in your relationship with Damon. Please talk to your boyfriend too, tell him to not disturb me anymore." "Then… Can you delete the surveillance footage?" Sherry asked while sobbing. "Ms. Holmer, it's
The upper-class circle of Taverdale was not all that large. Leah soon found out about Sherry. For a moment, she lost her mind. She went to Damon's office with teary eyes and demanded an answer. Damon was focused on his work. He lifted his head up. "What did you say?" He didn't even hear what she said. Leah suddenly looked humiliated. Her anger dissipated too. "I asked if you're dating Sherry now?" "Is that any of your business?" Ever since Leah failed to seduce Damon last time, it had been a while since she appeared anywhere near Damon. This time, she came to ask about such an irrelevant matter. Damon merely felt annoyed at her. He didn't even want to answer her at all. "I promised Uncle John to take care of you, but that doesn't mean you're allowed to test my patience again and again." Damon slammed his fists on the table. His eyes were dark and cold, but they were filled with fury. Around Damon, Leah had always been able to get her way because they'd grown up together
Liam was surprised to hear that Damon wanted to visit the grasslands. Damon's schedule had always been full and tight. Nonetheless, he was putting aside all his work and heading off for a trip. What's going on? "But there'll be an important client flying here from Mapolia this week—" "You can deal with him." Damon didn't hesitate at all. "But if I mess up—" "Liam, I'm not paying you a few million dollars a year just to hear you say no." Damon's voice became cold. Liam was blocked by Celeste as well, so he didn't know what she had been up to. But he had a feeling that this was related to Celeste. He checked Leo Jewels' official website. In their "Activity" section, he saw Spencer bringing a team of designers to the grasslands as he expected. They were already divorced, yet he was following his ex-wife all the way to the grasslands. Looking at the situation, Damon was no different from those women who were infatuated with him. "Liam, do you think Damon would like it if
Celeste's words immediately shut the designers up. The two gawked at her without a word. "That's my ex-husband, Damon," Celeste explained. "No… No way." The one who said that she wished she could sleep with Damon immediately stuttered. She felt so awkward. As their car slowed down on the uphill road, the sound of horses became clearer as they approached. When they looked out of the window again, the man had taken off his sunglasses. He was holding the reins with one hand while clutching the handle with another. Wearing riding boots, his legs pressed against the horse's belly as they galloped forward. Those deep-set eyes and tall nose of his clearly suggested that it was Damon. The designers exchanged an awkward look. But Celeste was unfazed. She moved away from the window where she had been admiring the scenery just a moment ago. "Why is he here? To chase after his ex-wife?" Spencer asked. Celeste shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he's on a trip with Ms. Holmer." When they
The familiar scent lingered around her nose. She could hear Damon chuckling. "Why aren't you asleep yet? Are you watching the house for me?" Being caught by him, Celeste's cheeks burned up. But she said, "Damon, you're so full of yourself. I couldn't sleep and went out to get some fresh air. How does that have anything to do with you?" The man behind her rested his head by her neck. He replied, "Ah…" It was as if he just realized what happened. "Why can't my dear ex-wife fall asleep then? Could she be afraid that I'm sleeping with Sherry?" "Damon, please know your own place! We're divorced already! It's your problem whether or not you sleep with other women! You're dating Sherry, yet you came to see me at midnight. Who do you think I am?" When Celeste was exposed, she reacted aggressively. It was her first time being so agitated. Damon could tell that too. His heart skipped a beat. Not daring to make fun of her, he hugged her and turned her around to face him. "Let me kiss
Celeste's condition was getting worse. She had no energy to scold Damon or tell him to lower his voice anymore. Damon whipped the horse, urging it to gallop faster. He could hear nothing but the howling wind and his own heartbeat. "Don't die, Celeste. Don't leave me alone in this world," he thought. Unknowingly, he was grabbing the reins so tightly that his fingernails dug into his palm. He had never imagined falling in love with such a woman. On the outside, she appeared intelligent, sophisticated, calm, and independent. But in truth, she was fragile and troublesome. She'd fall sick easily—each time dangerously close to death. The last time he was this terrified was when he found out she had self-harmed. She was bleeding profusely. He could even see her bones from a number of wounds. A voice in the back of his mind now whispered, "What if she dies?" No, he wouldn't allow that to happen. Damon rode the horse across the pastoral area at breakneck speed for almost an hour
Celeste was saved by a passing truck. When Damon was hugging her hopelessly on the grass field, a truck from an animal feed manufacturing plant happened to pass by. Only then were they able to be sent to the hospital. Celeste nearly died from a drug allergy. She was saved after a prolonged rescue effort. Meanwhile, Damon finally relaxed when he heard that Celeste's life was not in danger anymore. He then collapsed to the ground. He developed myocarditis due to intense fatigue and worry. "He rode a horse for over two hours across more than forty miles. He's a real man indeed," a designer commented to Celeste. "Wasn't he here on a vacation with his girlfriend? You're his ex-wife, yet he still treats you so well," another designer said thoughtlessly. Celeste didn't say a word. All she could think of was how Damon rode the horse at breakneck speed while carrying her in his arms. Although she was barely conscious, she could hear his frantic heartbeat and could tell how fast
"Celeste!" Nicholas followed her as she went out. "Sherry is still young and knows nothing. Don't take her words personally." "Alright." Celeste forced a smile. "I know, it's okay. I'll leave Damon in your care then." When she was on the verge of dying, Celeste thought that she might consider marrying Damon if she survived. After all, there weren't many people in this world who would go through near-death experiences together. Apart from her effort to approach him, it felt much more like she was fated to meet Damon. But she forgot about Sherry. Now, Sherry was Damon's girlfriend. Who would be able to force someone like Damon to do things he didn't want to? It's possible that he chose to date Sherry for his own reasons. Celeste was sure of Damon's feelings for her. But how would the issue of marrying him again be easy? Besides, wasn't she the one who was adamant about not wanting to remarry not long ago? Being inconsistent in her words would only breed disgust. Nichola
He never would have imagined that the intelligent and aloof Celeste would have a day like this, appearing adorably naive and innocent.Damon used to like girls who were delicate and pure, but that changed when he met Celeste.She had a face full of charm and allure, but her expression and personality were always cold and unyielding. She was pale and slim, yet not childlike. On the contrary, she resembled a young poplar tree, proud and upright.Because of her, he began to like girls who sparked his desire to conquer, and he scoffed at those who were simply weak and shy.But now with Celeste like this, he didn't feel annoyed. In fact, not only was he not annoyed, he actually found it cute and interesting.“What's your name?” she asked again."Damon.""Oh, that sounds really nice."The initial confusion in her eyes was gone, replaced by a sparkling glimmer, and her tone carried a touch of a young girl's excitement."You are actually my husband… Wow, great job, me! I've managed to
"What? Aren’t you my husband? Do I still need to avoid you while changing clothes?" The confusion in Celeste's eyes didn’t seem fake.Damon was speechless and didn't know how to respond at that moment.When Damon didn't respond, Celeste suddenly felt a bit nervous."I'm sorry… I can't remember clearly. Aren't you my husband?"Damon raised an eyebrow casually and asked, "Why do you think I am?"Celeste innocently blinked, her eyelashes fluttering like fans. "The nurse said it. Besides, if you're not my husband, why would you sleep with me at night?""What did the nurse say?" Her reasoning was actually logical and undeniable. For a moment, Damon found it somewhat amusing."The nurse said that my husband is really thoughtful," Celeste responded seriously. Then she asked, "Aren't you my husband? Then why would you be willing to stay here with me so late?"This one sentence left Damon speechless.The reason he was willing was because he was a coward. He said that he didn't care abo
Damon frowned upon hearing the classic amnesiac questions being asked."Celeste, are you trying to act out a TV drama?"Celeste still looked at him blankly. "What do you mean?"Damon didn't answer and went straight to the director's office to get Nicholas.Knowing her, she wasn't the type to joke around, especially not with Leo still missing. She must have hit her head hard.Nicholas was equally surprised and hurried back to the room with Damon.Celeste was sitting up, hugging her knees and staring into space."You're awake? How do you feel?" Nicholas asked with a smile as he entered."Why am I here?" Her voice sounded hesitant, and she turned to look at them.Her confusion seemed genuine. Nicholas and Damon exchanged worried glances."Celeste… you don't remember?""Celeste?" She asked, "Is that my name?""Yes.""I don't remember. My mind is blank.""Do you remember… Leo?" Nicholas hesitated. After all, if she knew that her child had been missing for three days, he was wo
"Alright," Celeste said in a deep voice. "Let me see Leo first."They pushed open the hidden door, revealing a staircase leading to the basement."Have Leo come to the stairway corner." She stood at the dark staircase and negotiated with the kidnapper."Mommy!" Suddenly, Leo's desperate cry echoed from inside."Leo!" Celeste ditched everything else and rushed down the stairs.She ran ahead, and as soon as she reached the corner, there was a loud explosion, and a wave of heat hit her face."Celeste!""Celeste!"Damon and Winston's faces changed drastically, shouting in alarm.The basement was empty. It was a trap.Had they been more careful, they would have noticed that both the kidnapper’s voice and Leo’s cry were artificially synthesized. But Celeste, in her desperation to save her son, had been too frantic to discern this.The basement was rigged with landmines. Unfortunately, something went wrong. The mine exploded when Celeste reached the stairway corner, instead of when
What? Damon was also coming? Celeste felt her heart leap, and her voice became sharper as she said, "I can handle this. You can't come!"There was no response from his end.Observing Damon’s silence, Celeste quickly softened her tone. "Damon, listen to me. I can handle this alone. There's no need for you to get involved… because I'm their main target, and they likely won't harm Leo. You need to stay home and wait for him. You need to take care of him later on…""Celeste," Damon interrupted coldly. "Are you planning on not coming out alive?"Of course, coming out alive would be ideal, but she couldn’t guarantee that."Damon, I do have a chance of surviving, but when it comes to exchanging myself for Leo, there can be no room for error. We must follow the kidnapper's instructions to ensure Leo's safety."It was out of the question to provide a false sense of security and pretend to comply with the kidnapper, only to backtrack and get Leo killed.She needed to ensure Leo’s safety a
They checked all the surveillance footage near the Bishop residence and investigated every suspicious vehicle. They also had people keeping an eye on Henry, but after half a day, there was still no breakthrough.The kidnappers had taken Leo to threaten Celeste, and the lack of communication was meant to unnerve her. If it was according to predictions, she was supposed to wait for their demands. But, as a mother, she couldn't just sit and do nothing.Celeste remembered that Shannon had called her, so she found her contact in the blacklist and called."Shannon, did you and Henry kidnap Leo?" she demanded.Shannon laughed coldly. "Don't accuse us without any evidence. Your son is missing? Maybe it's karma. Hahaha!"Celeste hung up, unable to stand Shannon's smugness.Several teams searched for over 20 hours, even involving the police, but still had no solid leads. Celeste suspected Henry, but they couldn't just arrest him without any proof.She was extremely desperate. She didn't e
"Lester isn't as clever as Leo. He's just a four-year-old child, and he shouldn't have done anything like that," Serena instinctively defended Lester. Then, recalling the last time she had misunderstood Leo for similar reasons, she felt a pang of guilt and added, "I don't mean to imply anything… I'll have someone bring Lester here."Celeste nodded. "I'm not blaming Lester. I just want to understand what happened."Soon, the nanny looking after Lester brought him in. Unexpectedly, upon seeing Celeste, Lester burst into tears."Aunty Celeste, please don't hit me. I didn't mean to lose my brother!""Lester, I just want to understand what happened." Celeste was taken aback by his crying but kneeled down to speak gently. "I'm not blaming you. Can you tell me what you saw that day?""Aunty Celeste, don't hit me!" Lester kept crying, not saying a word about Leo's disappearance."Am I that scary, Lester?"At this moment, Celeste felt at a loss. She could communicate normally with Leo,
Celeste perfectly understood what Cedric's implied. "I mean, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to entertain me today."Cedric had indeed wanted to help her that day, but his identity was too special to admit it openly. The scratch on the paper was a subtle hint, and whether or not she could interpret it depended on her intuition. The fact that she could decipher such a subtle hint proved her intelligence and luck.Over the years, Cedric had developed a sense of respect for Celeste after learning about her. He felt she was deserving of assistance, but he couldn't make it obvious."However, be careful. I see that Henry is at the end of his rope and might act irrationally. You should be on guard," Cedric warned.Celeste nodded, having considered this as well. "Henry wants me dead."This was why she had her brother stay abroad and sent Leo to the Bishops. With only herself remaining, it was harder for Henry to use her loved ones against her."Take care of yourse
Celeste's deduction was correct. Cedric intentionally left the mark. As Winston dug deeper, he slowly uncovered a series of issues.It was a bridge project on a highway in a poor mountainous area. Not uncommon.The problem was that the person in charge of this project was a leader assigned from a first-tier city to oversee the development. Officially, he was recognised for his capabilities, but in reality, this task was one he had to succeed in without failure.He had offended someone, and this transfer was a disguised punishment under the guise of a major responsibility.If he had managed it well, the chances of him returning to a higher development role would have been slim. At best, he could stay in this position until retirement. If he didn't manage it well, his entire career could be ruined.Someone of such status naturally had supporters as well as opponents. In such a situation, it was impossible for anyone to sabotage and create pitfalls along the way."It seems the next