The oak and kapok trees were designed with magnetic clasps. Celeste brought the two trees together, and they connected with a "click." She had previously received a standing ovation for this clever design.Damon said she lacked integrity and humiliated her by giving her the lowest score. It was also the day she visited his villa for the first time, never expecting to stay there after for over a year.She considered herself somewhat educated and dignified. If she hadn't had a difficult life, determined to avenge her mother, she wouldn't have approached Damon in such an ugly manner, forcing him to marry her.A love that was forced would eventually be taken away. Even if it weren't Fiona, it would have been someone else. Their fate was destined.Celeste smiled bitterly as her tears moistened.Savanna's "An Ode to the Crape Myrtle" was her interpretation of love."I must be the kapok tree beside you, standing with you as the image of a tree. Our roots are grounded firmly on the earth
On that day, Celeste invited Megan for afternoon tea after finishing a day's work at home. Megan brought many beautiful dresses, baby pacifiers, and dolls and proudly showed them to Celeste."I've already picked out gifts suitable for ages one to six for my goddaughter. When she learns to walk, I'll take her to Disneyland and Universal Studios," Megan said.Autumn was approaching. Celeste wore a knitted cardigan over a pure cotton sundress. Her belly was slightly bulged and couldn't be hidden anymore."How do you know it's a daughter?" she asked Megan with a smile."I have a good feeling about it. Plus, she probably won't be as smart as Leo. She'll be a lively and cute ordinary little girl," Megan said. "I'm manifesting it.""But what if it's a boy?" Celeste teased her."Then, so be it. I won't buy anything for him. He can wear his big brother's old clothes and play with his old toys," Megan began to sulk.Then, she remembered something and said hopefully, "Lately, I've been rea
Henry was sentenced to 20 years, and everyone thought he would serve his full term. He was already nearing 50 when he went to prison, and if he served the entire sentence, he would be too old to cause trouble again. No one expected him to single-handedly reduce his sentence by more than 10 years, getting out of prison after only six years.Celeste's expression immediately turned serious. "He was sentenced to 20 years of prison. How did he get out so quickly?" Megan read Celeste's mind as she asked."Your father asked around, and they said he assisted the prison in upgrading the anti-jailbreak detection system, earning two major achievements. First, his sentence was reduced by five years, then by another eight years," Megan's mother said. She reminded, "Tell Cece that Henry will want his revenge. She must be careful and not fall for it. After all, it's no surprise what this man is capable of."Celeste felt fuzzy in her heart. "Auntie, I know. I'll be careful," she quickly replied on
When Henry was arrested, his assets were confiscated, and even the house was foreclosed, leaving him with nothing. Based on Celeste's understanding, Hannah had been living in a low-rent apartment outside the city since his release from prison. The Kissingers were not wealthy, to begin with, and they were not out in the woods yet from the implication in Henry's smuggling case. So, they couldn't help Henry in any way.Now, he willingly appeared in front of the media in such a high-profile manner. There was only one possibility for this—he had already thoroughly prepared for the next step. If he were ready to wander the streets and wait for his demise, there would be no need to establish an image of a reformed entrepreneur to elevate himself.Megan pondered for a moment and immediately understood what Celeste was implying. "Henry has done many treacherous things, taking people's livelihoods lightly. The people investing in him are not afraid of retaliation."She felt indignant.Howeve
The first person Celeste wanted to take down was Diego. After all, Lawrence was a good friend, so it made it easier for her to gather information about Diego. After five years, Lawrence had become the head of the Radcliffe family. The Radcliffe family was managed even better than when Jonah was alive, and their reputation had skyrocketed. Celeste went to visit Lawrence immediately. She had been abroad for over four years, and the two hadn't met then. After returning to the country, Lawrence had been on an extended business trip, and they hadn't seen each other for five years.At this moment, they looked somewhat surprised when they saw each other. There was no need to explain why Lawrence was surprised. Celeste wore flats and wasn't wearing loose clothes to hide her pregnant belly, so Lawrence immediately noticed.On the other hand, Celeste noticed something different about Lawrence. In the past, Lawrence had a special place in Celeste's heart. He was born into a chaotic family but r
Celeste knew Lawrence would ask. She didn't avoid the topic and nodded openly. "I'm pregnant with my second baby. Lawrence, I already have one son." She realized she never posted anything on social media, so Lawrence probably didn't know about Leo's existence. She took out her phone and showed Lawrence a photo of Leo."I know Leo. He's a little genius," Lawrence unexpectedly said.Celeste was slightly surprised. Although they had occasionally communicated over the past few years, she had never mentioned remarrying and having a child."How did you know?" she asked."People have ways to know more about the things and people they care about," Lawrence replied frankly, showing no hesitation. In this regard, he hadn't changed much."Lawrence..." Celeste felt moved and a little guilty."It has nothing to do with you. It's just my personal choice. You don't have to feel guilty," Lawrence immediately reassured her, waving his hand. "I'm contented enough to call you my friend."Celeste d
Celeste had someone secretly tail Diego for many days before understanding what "different from others" meant.Although Diego came from a wealthy and influential family, he had no real power or status. No precautionary measures were taken to protect him from any surveillance. Of course, it may happen in the future, but Celeste seized the opportunity for now.Based on photos and videos, Diego's suburban mansion was home to many exotic pets. Snakes, lizards, crocodiles, and various other cold-blooded animals roamed freely. Celeste felt a chill as she noticed dozens of snakes with their mouths wide open and spitting venom.Most of these animals were not kept in cages; they were allowed to roam freely, and the servants of the Radcliffe family were dressed like zookeepers and animal trainers.But what truly caught Celeste off guard was the sight of monkeys. How he cared for these monkeys would surely raise eyebrows, even among the most lenient animal rights activists.Diego gave the mo
Celeste and Lawrence decided to have lunch together."I've had someone track Diego these past few days, and there's progress," she got straight to the point as soon as they met.Lawrence nodded. "Does it have to do with me that makes you feel uneasy?"Celeste was taken aback. Lawrence had matured a lot over these years. He had become more meticulous in his thinking and was no longer the slightly careless boy he used to be.It definitely shaped him after taking charge for so long and so well."Yeah," Celeste handed Lawrence the video of Diego and his mother.After watching it, Lawrence's expression became extremely grave. He remained silent for a long time, unable to find the words to speak."I thought this matter would affect the Radcliffe family's reputation, so I wanted to discuss it with you."If the Radcliffe family's reputation was further tarnished, Diego might just be criticized for his heartlessness and shamelessness. However, it would significantly affect Lawrence. Aft