"I will not go. And I will make my husband retract his words. In the end, Nico will definitely keep me as his wife. Because I -"
"Enough, Celine!" snapped Mrs. Maria cutting Celine off.
"Why, Mom?" asked Celine with a faint smile. "Are you afraid?"
"Already... already!" said Nicolas, "We'll see, ma'am, if Celine will be able to prove what she said!" Nicolas challenged Celine.
"We'll see," Celine said, pulling up a chair and getting up to go upstairs.
Nicolas held one hand of Ruby who was sitting next to him.
"You don't have to think about what he said, darling. I will still make you my wife," Nicolas said reassuringly.
"Yes, Nico, I believe you," Ruby said.
Madame Maria and Mr. Morgan could only hope that Celine would give up and walk away from their son's life.
"Nico, you should just ask Celine to prepare your wedding party with Ruby," Mrs. Maria suggested, hoping that this way, Celine would give in.
"Well, mom's right, dear. Celine should take care of our wedding. Then we can just sit back and relax," Ruby said, agreeing with Madam Maria's suggestion.
"Alright, I'll have Celine organize and take care of my wedding party with Ruby," said Nico who finally agreed too.
Celine who was already in her room just cried. After only a day of Ruby's stay at the mansion, Celine's position had already been displaced. If she hadn't remembered that she was pregnant, Celine probably would have left.
"Don't cry, Celine, you have to keep fighting for your marriage," Celine whispered trying to encourage herself.
Celine had one month to maintain her position as Nicolas' wife. She was confident that even if Celine kept her pregnancy a secret, she would be able to defend her marriage and get rid of Ruby.
Nicolas and Mr. Morgan left for the office straight after breakfast.
Madame Maria and Ruby rushed to Celine's room after Nicolas and Mr. Morgan left for the office. They knocked loudly on the door, and Celine opened the door with tearful eyes.
"What's wrong, Mom?" asked Celine in a weak voice.
"I have a task for you, Celine," said Mrs. Maria in a cold tone.
"What task, ma'am?" asked Celine.
"Wash the dirty clothes of Ruby, my daughter-in-law!" ordered Madame Maria.
Celine frowned. "Sorry, ma'am, I don't want to do it. It's not my job. I'm still Nico's wife, you and Ruby should order the maid to wash Ruby's clothes," Celine said, immediately refusing her mother-in-law's order.
Ruby laughed sarcastically and she stepped forward to Celine. "You're right, Celine, you're not a maid. But you're also a nobody in this house. So, you'd better do what I tell you to do. Did you forget? Nico will cheer you up."
"I know, but I won't do it," Celine said firmly.
Ruby immediately pulled Celine's hair roughly. "Who do you think you are? I can make your life here worse and more painful. You should be grateful that I didn't ask Nico to kick you out. So, you should just do what mom tells you to do! Got it!" Ruby pulled Celine's hair even harder.
Celine winced in pain and finally gave in. "Alright, I'll wash your clothes." She didn't want to make a fuss, so Celine should just give in.
Ruby let go of Celine's hair and smiled with satisfaction. Then told Celine to go to the main room, to get Ruby's dirty clothes.
"Remember, don't use the washing machine!" Ruby reminded.
So, Celine brought a pile of Ruby's dirty clothes to the laundry room. She started washing them one by one without the help of the washing machine. The servants who saw Celine felt sorry for her, but they didn't dare to help for fear of being fired.
"Miss Celine, do you need help?" a waiter asked cautiously.
"No need, I can do it myself," Celine replied weakly, holding back tears. However, she was still able to smile in front of the maid.
After hours of washing, Celine's hands began to chafe and her body felt very tired. However, she persisted. She even felt her stomach starting to cramp, but she continued to work until she finished.
When she finally finished, Celine felt very tired and the pain in her stomach was getting worse. She immediately went to the doctor to have her condition checked.
Arriving at the hospital, the doctor immediately checked Celine's pregnancy.
"Your pregnancy is weak, Miss Celine," the doctor said after examining her. "You should get plenty of rest and avoid stress. I will prescribe you medication to help strengthen your pregnancy."
Celine nodded weakly. "Okay, Doc, thank you."
Celine stroked her stomach which was still in pain. Due to overexertion and stress, Celine had almost lost her baby.
"You have to be strong, child," Celine whispered softly.
After the doctor gave her a prescription, Celine immediately went to the pharmacy to fill it.
Celine returned to the Mansion after she got the medicine.
Arriving at the Mansion, she met Ruby in the living room.
"Where have you been, Celine?" asked Ruby sarcastically.
"None of your business, Ruby," Celine replied equally sarcastically.
Then, Celine ventured to look at Ruby. "Remember, Ruby, even though you and mom treat me like a maid. But... I won't give up, I'll stick it out. And I assure you, you will be the one to leave this house," Celine said.
Ruby chuckled, she mocked Celine's words. "We'll see, Celine. We'll see who survives." Ruby was not at all afraid of losing to Celine.
Celine had just arrived at her room when her mother-in-law arrived.
"Celine, my migraine medicine has run out. You'd better go to the pharmacy now, and buy some medicine for me," Mrs. Maria ordered.
"But, Mom, I... "
"I don't want to hear your excuses, Celine. Quickly, buy me the medicine. Don't argue!" snapped Madame Maria.
Celine could only let out a long sigh. She wanted to rest immediately. But if she argued, her mother-in-law would not remain silent.
For the sake of her love for Nicolas, Celine was willing to be badly needed by her mother-in-law. She always hoped that Madame Maria could accept her as a daughter-in-law. However, until now, her hopes have only been wishful thinking.
"Maybe... after Mom and Dad find out that I'm pregnant. Mom and Dad will definitely accept me as their son-in-law," Celine whispered hopefully.
At seven in the evening, Nico had just gotten home from work. Celine, who was waiting for him, immediately greeted him with a warm smile, even though she was not in a good mood. "You must be tired, honey," Celine said gently. Nicolas only replied with a brief nod, his face looking irritated. Celine tried to keep smiling, even though her heart was hurting even more. Not long after, Ruby appeared from the direction of the living room with a big smile. "Honey..." Nico immediately embraced and kissed Ruby passionately on the lips in front of Celine.Celine looked down, trying to hide the pain that was increasingly squeezing her heart. "Oh my God... make me strong," Celine whispered. After removing the kiss, Nico looked at Celine coldly. "Celine, I have a task for you."Celine raised her face, trying to remain calm. "What is it, Nico?""I want you to organize my wedding party with Ruby," Nico said dispassionately.Celine was dumbfounded. "Nico, that's impossible. I don't want to." Ce
As the party progressed, the atmosphere became more and more festive. The guests laughed and joked, enjoying the party.In the middle of the crowd, a handsome and businesslike-looking man, named Billy Andara, one of Nico's important clients, noticed Celine from a distance. His eyes narrowed, trying to recognize the woman who looked different among the waiters.Billy approached Celine who was carrying a tray of drinks. "Hey, aren't you CELINE EVALYNE VIONETTA? The Celine who was once a famous model?" he asked in a mocking tone.Celine was startled and looked down, trying to avoid Billy's gaze. "Sorry, sir. You may have the wrong person," she replied softly, trying to remain calm.Billy laughed loudly, drawing the attention of several guests around him. "No, I'm not mistaken. You are Celine Evalyne Vionetta, who was once very famous! What's going on? Why are you a waitress here now?" he continued in a sarcastic tone. "Haha... haven't heard of you in a while, apparently you've gone down
After the incident with Billy, the party was back on. Soft music played, and decorative lights glittered throughout the room. In the center of it all, Nico and Ruby stood on a small stage decorated with white flowers and candles. Guests gathered around them, waiting for the moment they had been waiting for: the pinning of the engagement rings.Celine stood in the corner of the room, watching from a distance with a heavy heart. Her eyes could not escape the couple who were celebrating love over the misery of the Basin."You're really bad, Nico! You're not the Nico I used to know," Celine whispered, her heart feeling like it had been pierced by thorns multiple times as she watched Nico and Ruby about to exchange rings. Nico held Ruby's hand gently, then took the ring from the small box given by a waiter. "I, Nicolas William Khiel, hereby pin this ring as a token of my love and loyalty to Ruby," Nico said in a firm yet gentle voice. He slipped the ring onto Ruby's ring finger, and inst
Celine woke up with puffy eyes from crying all night. She knew today would be difficult, but she tried to stay strong. After taking a shower and getting dressed, Celine decided to stay in the guest room that was now her bed. Nico and Ruby were still sleeping in the same room, in the master suite. Even though they were not officially married yet. Just then, the door to the room opened, and Nico entered with a serious face. He closed the door carefully, as if he didn't want anyone to hear their conversation. Celine stood up from her seat and looked at Nico, trying to calm her heart that was still beating fast."Nico, what's wrong?" asked Celine in a low voice.Nico looked at Celine coldly. "I came to tell you something. From now on, I don't want to see you appear in front of the guests or my coworkers who come to this mansion," he said matter-of-factly.Celine frowned, trying to digest Nico's words. "But why, Nico?""I don't want them to know that you're still here," Nico replied firm
Celine began to feel sudden nausea and dizziness, when she just woke up, she immediately ran to the bathroom and vomited. Her stomach was churning, and her head was spinning. After a while, she sat on the bathroom toilet, her breath coming in gasps."I think I need to rest," Celine whispered to herself. She knew that her pregnancy was making her more fragile, but she tried to stay strong so that no one would realize that she was pregnant. Just as she returned to her room and was about to lie down to rest, the door opened and her mother-in-law, Mrs. Maria, walked in with Ruby.Mrs. Maria's face as always looked cynical, while Ruby smiled with a smirk- with a mocking expression. "Celine, why are you still in bed?" scolded Madame Maria in a cold tone. "There's a social gathering here today, and you should have already started preparing everything," said Mrs. Maria curtly. Celine looked at them with a tired face. "I'm not feeling well, ma'am. I need to rest," she replied firmly, "After
After finishing preparations for the social gathering, Celine felt very tired. She tried to forget the physical and emotional pain she was experiencing. As she returned upstairs using the stairs to rest, she smiled when she saw Nico coming out of the main room, still half-drowsy after his nap. Nico was writhing deliciously, his body covered only by boxer briefs showing off his bare chest.Despite all the bad treatment he had received, Nico's charm could still make Celine's heart flutter. She was reminded of the good times they used to have, when Nico was still affectionate and caring. The urge of desire made her approach Nico, and without thinking, Celine hugged him from behind, resting her head on her husband's back."Nico, I miss you," Celine whispered in a soft voice, holding back the tears that began to well up in her eyes. "I want us to go back to the way we used to be. I... I want to make love to you."Nico was surprised for a moment, then his face turned into an angry expressio
Celine was busy in the kitchen, preparing dinner. She tried to focus on her work, chopping vegetables and stirring the sauce carefully. Celine knew that everything had to be perfect, or else she would face more scorn from her in-laws.However, no matter how hard she tried, her mind kept returning to the incident earlier, when Nico rejected her rudely and showed his intimacy with Ruby."Focus, Celine! Focus!"Meanwhile, Ruby walked into the kitchen with a big smile. She was wearing a thin dress that revealed her smooth neck. Celine could clearly see the red marks on Ruby's neck, traces of Nico's pecking and biting. Ruby deliberately tossed her hair to one side, exposing those marks clearly."Ah, dinner's almost ready," Ruby said with feigned enthusiasm. "You know, Celine, I'm really grateful you're still here. I don't know how I would get through my days without a good helper like you."Celine set her jaw, trying to remain calm. She didn't want to start an argument, especially while sh
After Nico and Ruby left her slumped on the kitchen floor, Celine felt a sharp pain in her stomach. At first she thought it was just from the bump on the table, but the pain became more intense and unbearable. In a panic, she realized that her condition might be more serious than she thought. Without thinking, she grabbed her cell phone and called a taxi to take her to the hospital.At the hospital, Celine was immediately admitted to the emergency room. The doctor on duty, Dr. Arra examined her carefully. After a while, he told Celine the results of his examination with a serious expression."Mrs. Celine," Dr. Arra said. "Your condition is quite serious. You almost lost your baby.""What, Doc?"The words felt like a slap to Celine. She fell silent, feeling her whole body weaken. All this time, even though she had been treated so badly, she had always hoped that the baby in her womb could be the source of happiness she needed. However, now she was faced with the possibility of losing h
The long-awaited day had finally arrived. The inauguration of the Calco Group took place grandly in the company's new building in the city center. Invitations from all walks of life, from entrepreneurs and business partners to family and close friends, attended the event. On the main stage, Nico stood proudly in his black suit, while beside him, Celine looked elegant in a navy blue dress. Between them, Calvin stood excitedly, ready to carry out his important duties today. An MC took the stage and began to speak, "Dear audience, today is a historic moment for Calco Group. After a long journey, the company is finally firmly established and ready to enter a new era. To inaugurate this company, we will witness the ribbon cutting by the first son of our CEO, Calvin!" The audience applauded loudly. Nico squatted towards Calvin, handing him a small golden scissors. "Come on, son. It's time for you to be part of history." Calvin nodded confidently. With both hands, he grasped the sc
One month has passed since the tense incident at the hospital. Now, the twins were healthy and at home with their families. The mansion felt more alive with the cries and laughter of the babies filling the room. Celine sat on the living room sofa, holding their baby girl, now named Aurora, on her lap. Meanwhile, Nico held their baby boy, named Alva. Calvin, their older brother, sat next to Celine, occasionally stroking Aurora's head gently. "Mommy, why is Aurora so small?" Calvin asked with curious eyes. Celine smiled, kissing her son's forehead. "Because she was born earlier than she should have been, dear. But look, she's healthy and strong now, right?" Calvin nodded firmly. "I promise I'll take care of them both, Mommy. I'm a big brother!" Nico chuckled, patting Calvin's head proudly. "That's Daddy's boy! Big Brother should always love the younger siblings, right?" "Of course!" Calvin patted his chest, acting gallant. "If anyone bothers Aurora or Alva, I'll go first!"
"Celine! Wake up! Don't joke around like this, wake up!" Nico shook his wife's body violently, his voice hoarse from shouting too much. His tears fell relentlessly. "I can't live without you! You promised you would always be by my side! Don't leave me!" Maria, who was standing in the corner of the room, finally couldn't take it anymore. She covered her mouth, turned around, and walked out with tears in her eyes. Seeing her son like this was too painful. Meanwhile, Nico was still in place, his hand grasping Celine's cold hand tightly. "Honey... please... if this is my punishment, I accept it. But don't leave. I beg you, don't leave me alone..." Suddenly, Celine's fingers moved slowly. Nico gasped. His breath caught in his throat. He looked at his wife's hand, then frantically felt his wrist. There was a pulse! There was still a heartbeat! Nico's eyes widened, he brought his face closer to Celine's chest and heard a weak heartbeat. "Celine?! Can you hear me?!" There was no r
Nico stood as soon as the doctor came out of the operating room. He held his breath, waiting for the news to come out of the doctor's mouth. "How is my wife, Doc?" he asked in a hoarse voice. The doctor removed his mask, his face looking exhausted. "We managed to save your twins, Mr. Nico. Although premature, they are in stable condition, but will have to stay in the incubator for some time." Nico breathed a sigh of relief for a moment. However, he saw the doctor's expression turn tense. "And... Celine?" his voice weakened. The doctor looked down for a moment before saying, "I'm sorry, sir... We tried our best. But Mrs. Celine lost too much blood... She didn't survive." The world seemed to stop spinning. The doctor's voice echoed in her head, but her brain refused to understand. "No... It's impossible," she whispered, her body faltering. Maria covered her mouth, her tears falling instantly. "Oh my God... Celine..." Nico stepped forward, gripping the collar of the doc
That morning, the smell of cooking filled the entire mansion. Maria was busy in the kitchen, stirring the warm soup while checking on some side dishes she was frying in the pan. The servants could only stand at the side of the kitchen, looking at her in confusion. "Madam, let us do the cooking," one of the servants said politely. Maria smiled, but her hands remained busy stirring the dishes. "No need. I haven't cooked for the family in a long time. Besides, Calvin would love his grandmother's cooking." Celine who had just come down from the room immediately approached, surprised to see Maria in the kitchen. "Mommy, why are you cooking alone? There are servants." Maria glanced over with a smile. "Mommy wants to cook for you once in a while. It's been a long time since I've cooked for the kids." Celine sighed while holding her growing belly. "But Mommy should just rest. Let the servants take care of it." Maria chuckled. "Celine, when you get older and have grandchildren, you
Three months passed quickly. The company Nico had built, Calco Group, was finally firmly established. The building was magnificent, his team was ready to work, and some projects were already well underway. Nico looked at his company logo displayed in front of the building with pride. All his hard work had finally paid off. Leo stood beside him, also gazing at the building in awe. "Finally, everything is ready. Just waiting for the right time to launch," he said, glancing at Nico. Nico nodded. "Yes. I want everything to run smoothly first before it's announced to the public. And most importantly, I want Celine to give birth first. I don't want her to be stressed because of this." Leo chuckled. "You're really protective of your wife, huh." Nico glanced at him with a flat expression. "What's wrong?" Leo raised his hands in surrender. "No, not wrong. In fact, it's good. Celine is a great woman, but she still needs support. Especially now that she's pregnant with twins." Nico t
Leo returned to Nico's room with a serious expression. He closed the door slowly before placing a file on the table. "We have a problem." Nico gave Leo a sharp look. "How big?" Leo took a breath before explaining, "The company we want to work with has outstanding debts to several large vendors. They look stable on the outside, but their finances are actually in trouble. If we continue to work with them, we might be dragged down if they go bankrupt." Nico sighed, then opened the file Leo had given him. His eyes quickly scanned the reports attached to it. "So they're covering all this up with organized financial statements?" "Right," Leo nodded. "They diverted funds from one project to another to make it look healthy. But as I investigated further, there were some transactions that didn't make sense." Nico clenched his fists on the table. "If we're not careful, we could get into big trouble." Leo sat opposite Nico, leaning back in his chair. "What do you want to do?" N
That morning, Nico woke up earlier than usual. He looked at Celine who was still sleeping beside Calvin, smiling at how peaceful his wife's face was. Carefully, he got out of bed, arranged the blankets for them, then hurried to take a shower and get ready. As he finished putting on his white shirt and suit, Celine began to squirm, her eyes opening slightly. "Are you ready to go?" asked Celine in a hoarse voice from just waking up. Nico approached her and sat on the edge of the bed, gently rubbing his wife's cheek. "Yes, sweetheart. You just go back to sleep. I don't want to disturb your rest." Celine smiled slightly. "Be careful." Nico kissed her forehead. "Always." Celine nodded, then closed her eyes again. Nico smiled a little, then got up and walked out of the room. Once he reached the garage, he got into his car and drove straight to the construction site. Today was an important day, as he wanted to see the progress firsthand and make sure everything was going accord
The grand room was filled with classy guests who came in their finest attire. Crystal chandeliers hung beautifully from the ceiling, illuminating the neatly arranged tables with sumptuous dishes. Tonight, Nico and Celine's family were hosting a special banquet to celebrate Celine's fourth month of pregnancy. Celine stands beside Nico, wearing an elegant light blue dress that falls gracefully on her body. Although her belly wasn't too big yet, there was happiness clearly on her face. "Good evening everyone," Nico's voice was firm as he stood before the guests. "Thank you for coming to celebrate our happiness. Tonight, Celine and I would like to share some exciting news..." The guests began to whisper curiously. Nico turned to his wife with a loving gaze. "According to the results of the last ultrasound, we're not just going to have one child... but two." The room immediately erupted in applause. Celine smiled happily, while Nico wrapped his arms around his wife's waist. "Wo