Celeste had previously heard from Megan and other friends that Lawrence had feelings for her. He even used his connections to have the same advisor as Celeste halfway through his master's degree, and he was especially caring toward her abroad. The only thing missing was the unspoken "I like you" from him. However, Celeste never thought of Lawrence in any other way than as a friend or an older brother."Don't be like this, Lawrence," Celeste said as she lowered her head and looked away."Figgy, you know I like you, right?" Lawrence was drunk and he said irrationally, "You don't love Damon. You're just using him to deal with the York family. You shouldn't gamble away your future happiness!"Lawrence's loud voice cut through the noisy music and caught the attention of those around them.He knew everything. Celeste had always thought he was unaware of her relationship with the York family!"Lawrence, you drank too much. Let me take you home," Celeste tried to avoid further convers
"Give me your phone," Damon said.Celeste handed over her phone without hesitation. She observed as he added himself on her WhatsApp and casually marked it as a favorite."From now on, inform me in advance if there's anything you need. And also, don't meet Lawrence alone," he asserted.This time, she was relatively honest and had just left a note for Edna to pass on to him. If she had not, who knows what could have happened to her?Still, Damon could not shake off the unease at the image of Celeste in Lawrence's embrace."Absolutely, I promise," she hurriedly replied with a forced smile.Damon returned her phone and casually scrolled through her Facebook. When he saw her proudly posting their marriage license, a sense of relief softened his expression.He thought the matter had passed. But the next day, just as he went to work, the butler from the Bishop residence came knocking."Ms. York, Mrs. Bishop would like to see you," the butler said.The butler knew about Celeste and D
To Celeste, the notion of "family rules" felt like something out of a historical drama. It seemed slightly odd hearing it from someone in the present day. After all, the colonial era had ended many years ago."I misjudged the situation this time and acted recklessly. Mrs. Bishop has every right to punish me, and I accept it," Celeste stated calmly. Her expression showed no obvious emotions.Serena could not stand Celeste's response and her attitude. To Serena, Celeste, a mere bartender, acted as if she were some kind of noble. Serena was convinced that Celeste had seduced Damon and was stubbornly refusing to back down."You've finally admitted your mistake," Serena remarked. Then, she issued a command and prompted several imposing household staff to approach."In the old days, if a daughter-in-law in the Bishop family didn't follow the rules, she'd kneel on a nail board. But now, in the present day, let her kneel on the acupressure mat." Serena had prepared beforehand a large plast
Damon decided that he needed to talk to Serena about what had happened."Get some more sleep," Damon said as he rocked Celeste gently. He tucked her in like a child and slipped a blanket over her.He grabbed his phone and headed to his study, planning to call Serena. Surprisingly, his mother's call came through before he could initiate it."Celeste might be venting to you at this very moment, Damon. I had to lay down some family rules. She just crossed the line." Serena was still fuming and could not resist calling her son."In front of elders, she keeps up this defiant attitude, no soft words whatsoever. And after getting married, she's out there embracing other men. If Shannon hadn't seen it with her own eyes, you'd be completely clueless about Celeste's unfaithfulness," complained Serena.She went on, "Damon, you really shouldn't be married to someone like her. If Shannon isn't your cup of tea, Leah Sullivan is back in the country. You used to have a thing for her, right? Maybe
It read, "Twenty years later, the Bishop family's eldest grandson will tie the knot with the York family's eldest daughter. Consider this emerald pendant and engagement agreement as evidence. Yours truly, James Bishop."Damon recognized the familiar golden script as his grandfather's handwriting. The engagement agreement did not mention a specific name. It simply referred to "the York family's eldest daughter." In James's final years, as he battled severe Alzheimer's, he lost the ability to recognize anyone when the York family came to visit. Naturally, the Bishop family accepted Shannon as the sole daughter of the York family.The York family was respected among Taverdale's elite, but the Bishops, with their long-established lineage, held an even more esteemed position. Their wealth had been in the family for generations, unlike the Yorks, who acquired their fortune in recent years. Due to these differences, the elders of the Bishop family could not understand James's intentio
At Jasper's office, Megan sat in the reception area and waited until 11:00 pm. While sipping her third cup of coffee, he finally returned after finishing his tasks."What couldn't be said over the phone that required a late-night visit?" he asked her.He ruffled her hair and sat across from her. As the prospective head of the Schultz family, he was undeniably the busiest among the siblings. Despite being cousins, it was not unusual for months to pass without them crossing paths."Jasper, I wanted to talk to you about Celeste and Damon." Megan went straight to the point. He had gotten hold of the latest marketing draft she sent out for Celeste. That was how Megan found out about the close relationship between Jasper and Damon."Oh? What's she after now?" Jasper had only crossed paths with Celeste a few times, but his biases ran deep.In his view, Celeste was cunning, icy, and ready to go to any lengths to get what she wanted. So, when Megan broached the subject, he grew even more
No matter what she did, Celeste could not fall asleep again.She searched the internet for the name "Leah Sullivan." It was not difficult to find Leah, given her name and family background.Leah was five years older than Celeste and the founder of a renowned jewelry brand. Despite her success, Leah had the face of a campus idol drama heroine—innocent and sweet.The gossip surrounding her and Damon was even more intriguing. However, Megan's narration about spending tens of millions of dollars just to make a woman happy sounded a bit too disguised. However, the online gossip forums painted a vivid picture of the drama.The gossip making the rounds hinted that Leah, under family pressure, married a financial tycoon from Xiandora. This supposedly triggered Damon to seal off his emotions and throw himself wholeheartedly into his career.In two years, he grew the Bishop Group into a leading company with assets worth billions.Meanwhile, Leah divorced the tycoon when Damon and Shannon's
Damon wrapped his arm around Celeste's waist and led her into the master bedroom."You're quite generous," he remarked, closing the door with a disdainful snort.She could not be bothered to justify herself. She respected his choices, providing him with an opportunity to relive an unforgettable first love. Should he not be grateful?"Thank you." She grabbed a fresh bathrobe and walked to the bathroom.But he grabbed her arm and pinned her down onto the bed. His arms propped on either side of her body. He looked down at her with a blend of inquiry and desire in his eyes."Celeste, why the rush to pass me off to someone else?" he questioned.When Damon returned home that night to find Celeste sitting alone in the yard, he initially regretted leaving her. Little did he expect that she would willingly grab her pillow and offer the bedroom to Leah.He used to have feelings for Leah a while back, but things have changed. Now, their relationship was more like that of friends. A few d