"Back in the day, Danny and I used to play around here a lot," Leah said as she strolled alongside Celeste by the Bishop family's artificial lake. Her voice carried a gentle undertone."We would often play by the lake. One time, Danny wasn't watching me, and I accidentally fell into the water."He was so frantic, crying on the shore. The butler had to come and rescue me."Because of that incident, Mrs. Bishop made Danny kneel for an entire day and wouldn't let him eat."Danny lost his father at a young age. Since our family had no boys, my father treated Danny like his own son, stepping up as a male figure whenever he needed one."Of course, Danny was quite the protector. He got into plenty of fights at school to defend me."As they walked, Leah continued sharing her history with Damon."The night before I married Robin, I spent the whole night in tears with Danny. Ms. York, has a man ever shed tears for you?"Celeste, still caught up in the innocent and carefree childhood tale
Celeste stood on the shore, watching Leah splashing around in the lake.Her mind raced for half a minute.Serena had hoped for a rekindling of the connection between Damon and Leah.Whether Celeste could prove her innocence or not, this would surely be pinned on her.Moreover, everyone was busy at the banquet, with no witnesses around.If the accusation of "pushing Leah into the water" stuck, not only Serena, but even Damon wouldn't let her off.After all, they shared a bond deep enough to cry in each other's arms all night.This realization left Celeste with a momentarily suffocating feeling.Now, the only conceivable solution was to jump in herself.Fight fire with fire. It was a reluctantly chosen path to clear her name.Leah continued shouting, and without overthinking, Celeste hastily took a step and plunged into the water as well."Don't be afraid, Ms. Sullivan! I'll rescue you!" she yelled. She intentionally thrashed around a bit near Leah before sinking to the bottom
Did Celeste love him?Damon pondered on it, unable to be sure.Nicholas had left, leaving Damon looking at Celeste, both angry and frightened.This woman was truly insane. Setting aside the fact that Leah was Damon's childhood friend, her actions were inappropriate.Even for the sake of her well-being, she shouldn't act this way! Why couldn't they communicate properly?Just then, Celeste, seemingly disturbed by a dream, suddenly woke up and sat up.Her gaze around the room was vacant and fragile. After a while, her focus shifted to Damon's face.Damon's heart ached, but he kept a cold demeanor."Not afraid to die when awake, yet every time you sleep, nightmares terrify you. Celeste, you've done too much wrong."Celeste stared blankly for a moment before saying, "Still alive, huh? That's nice."After speaking, she surprisingly lowered her head and chuckled.Damon's suppressed anger erupted. He grabbed Celeste by the neck, veins bulging on his forehead."If you want to die so
Damon returned to the villa, still angry with Celeste.Edna greeted him, noticing his gloomy expression."Mr. Bishop, why did you come back alone? Where's Mrs. Bishop? I even made scallop risotto for Mrs. Bishop.""Are you all being so nice to Celeste because of me?" he suddenly asked, recalling Liam's phone call."I can't speak for others, but I certainly am not. Although Mrs. Bishop doesn't talk much, she's kind-hearted and gentle. I like Mrs. Bishop."Edna, who had served in wealthy households for many years, had encountered various high-and-mighty attitudes.Someone like Celeste, who was easy to serve, was a first."One time, I cut my hand while working, and Mrs. Bishop, to keep me from cooking lunch, specifically said she had no appetite."I later found her quietly cooking instant noodles in the kitchen in the afternoon.""Is that so?"Celeste had never shown such a side in front of him. She was like a hedgehog with all its spines intact, unwilling to reveal her soft sid
Damon escorted Kayden to the door of Celeste's hospital room."Go on, spend some time with Celeste. She's not in a good mood, be a good boy." He patted Kayden's head."Don't worry, I'm very gentle with beautiful ladies!" Kayden assured with a solemn expression. "Aren't you coming in, Damon?"Damon shook his head. He had more pressing matters to attend to.Sitting in the hospital lobby, about to call Liam, a WhatsApp message came in first."Mr. Bishop, there may be some misunderstanding regarding the incident with Ms. Sullivan and Mrs. Bishop falling into the water."…The Bishop's residence was filled with people. Surveillance cameras were installed in almost every corner of the courtyard.Exploiting her familiarity with the layout of the Bishop's residence, Leah had deliberately chosen a blind spot in the surveillance to jump into the lake.However, during her years abroad, Leah was unaware that the surveillance system at the Bishop's residence had been updated and upgraded.
"What do you mean?" Damon's expression immediately became serious."Nothing, just don't want something that doesn't belong to me. Wearing it feels like holding a hot potato," Celeste spoke with a cold tone as if Damon were a stranger.Damon felt annoyed under her scrutinizing gaze."If you don't want it, just throw it away. Toss it on the street and see if it doesn't cause a stampede among all the women in Taverdale!"Who do you think you are, Celeste? I forgot how you managed to look down on my filthy money!"In the moment she returned the bracelet, Damon felt an inexplicable sense of panic.Suddenly, it felt like Celeste wasn't rejecting the necklace, she was rejecting him!Compared to mistakenly thinking Celeste had dragged Leah into the lake, he was clearly more upset about her disregard for her well-being.But he couldn't bring himself to say it now."I'm tired. After you throw your tantrum, just leave. Remember to close the door on your way out," Celeste said dismissivel
Damon had the waiter bring a dry towel and handed it to Leah."Dry yourself," he said, leaning back on the sofa, observing her.Leah, noticing Damon's continued concern, felt a glimmer of hope. She took the towel with a pitiful expression."Danny, that day, when I saw Celeste wearing the Pink Diamond, I felt jealous. Can you forgive me?"We grew up together, and you always gave me the best things. Now, you suddenly started giving them to Celeste."I couldn't stand it, so I made a mistake," she explained while attempting to embrace Damon.Damon subtly dodged her, watching Leah dry her hair.He spoke slowly, his expression unusually serious and cold, "Leah, you learned to swim when you were a child, so you're not afraid."But this time, Celeste almost drowned. You should be thankful that Celeste is alive."Otherwise, you would never be given the chance to have a calm conversation with me like this again."His seriousness terrified Leah. She forgot to breathe for a second."Dan
Celeste spent quite a while in the hospital with a pulmonary infection. After the day she melodramatically returned Damon the Pink Diamond bracelet, she resumed interacting with him as if nothing had happened.Yet, Damon could sense subtle differences.In the past, despite not having heart-to-heart conversations, they had been close. Now, everything seemed a bit … restrained and formal."What's on your mind?"Megan was paying Celeste a visit at the hospital, cutting apples by her bedside."If I had no other expectations of him and he still distrusts me like this, the marriage would definitely end."But now, since I have something to ask of him, I can't let emotions get in the way. Let it be like this," Celeste spoke candidly.Growing up in such a dysfunctional family, she inherently lacked a sense of security. Her outlook on love and marriage was rather pessimistic.During the time spent with Damon, she gradually opened up emotionally. However, facing such a situation now was