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." Celine refused Nico's order.
"You have to do it, Celine. I don't want to know," Nico said firmly.
"But, Nico, I'm your wife. How can I be the one to arrange your marriage to another woman?" Celine still refused.
Nico sighed in annoyance. "No buts. I want you to do it," Nico said firmly.
Celine looked at Nico with teary eyes. "Alright, I'll do it," she replied finally, forced to agree.
"Good. You'd better prepare the engagement party first. The day after tomorrow I'm going to have a wedding party, and you have to prepare as perfectly as possible. Do you understand?" Nico said.
"Yes, Nico, I understand."
Then, Nico and Ruby joined hands and headed upstairs. Celine followed behind them, carrying Nico's bag and work coat. Arriving at the room, Nico went straight to the bathroom, leaving Celine and Ruby behind.
After Celine put her husband's suit and briefcase away, she returned to her room.
Ruby smiled sarcastically. Then, she opened the wardrobe. She took out the lingerie that Celine often used when making love with Nico. Ruby quickly changed her clothes with the lingerie.
Then Ruby walked confidently into Celine's room.
"Ruby, take those clothes off! They're mine!" Celine snapped when she saw Ruby wearing her lingerie.
Ruby just chuckled. "Why, you don't like it?"
Celine stepped forward and pulled Ruby's hair roughly. "Take it off right now! Those clothes are mine!" Celine urged, not willing to let Ruby use her own clothes.
Ruby cried out in pain. "Let go of me, you crazy woman!"
Nico suddenly appeared, he had just finished showering, "What are you doing, Celine? Let go of Ruby!" shouted Nico who immediately pulled Celine's hand.
Celine reluctantly let go of Ruby's hair. "Nico, she's wearing my lingerie! I don't like her using my stuff!" said Celine m
Nico gave Celine a sharp look. "What's the problem? It's just clothes. After all, Ruby will soon become my wife. And tonight, Ruby will be serving me in bed, so what's the big deal?"
Celine was silent, her tears starting to flow. "Nico, you're really bad, you don't think about my feelings at all!" Celine shouted softly.
Nico approached Celine and looked at her coldly. "You're the one making things difficult, Celine. If you want to stay here, just do as I say. If you mind my girlfriend wearing this lingerie, no problem."
Then Nico looked at Ruby, "Honey, you take off this ugly lingerie, yes. Later, I'll buy you a better one. How about it?"
And again, in front of Celine, Nico kissed Ruby on the lips.
"Yes, baby, I'll return this ugly lingerie to Celine," Ruby said with a satisfied smile after Nico finished smacking her lips.
After that, Nico took Ruby's hand and walked out of Celine's room, leaving Celine standing rooted to the spot, with her heart in pieces.
After a while, Celine sat on the edge of her bed, holding her stomach which was starting to ache. She knew that her pregnancy was in danger if she continued to stress like this. Celine closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down.
***
Celine woke up early as usual. She prepared breakfast, even though her heart felt very heavy. When Nico and Ruby came down to the dining room, followed by Mr. Morgan and Mrs. Maria, Celine tried to smile, even though her tears were about to spill.
"Good morning, Nico," Celine greeted with a trembling voice. She was still treating Nicolas sweetly.
"Yes," Nico replied briefly, without looking at Celine.
Ruby just grinned. "Morning, Celine. I hope you can handle the preparations for Nico and I's engagement party well today," Ruby said.
Celine nodded. "Yes, I will. You don't have to worry, Ruby.
After breakfast, Celine began to organize all the preparations for Nico and Ruby's engagement party. Every time she had to contact a service provider or organize small details.
The days passed quickly, and as Nico and Ruby's engagement day approached, the pressure Celine felt grew. She felt like a prisoner in her own home, forced to organize the party of the man who was still her husband.
After finishing all the preparations, Celine sat alone in her room. Suddenly, her bedroom door opened and Nico walked in.
"Have you finished all the preparations?" Nico asked without preamble.
Celine nodded. "Yes, everything is ready, Nico."
Nico looked at Celine with an expression that was hard to read. "You know, Celine, I once loved you. But now, everything has changed."
"Yes, Nico, because I haven't been able to give you children, right? Because I'm not as beautiful as I used to be, right?" Celine smiled slightly.
"It's good that you're self-aware," Nico said.
Celine shook her head, unable to say anything. Nico stepped closer to Celine and lifted her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes.
"Don't expect me to love you back again, Celine, it's impossible. You have to accept this fact," Nico said firmly.
Without waiting for a response from Celine, Nico let go of her hand and turned to walk out of the room, leaving a sobbing Celine alone.
On the day of Nico and Ruby's engagement, Celine wore a maid outfit. Celine tried to appear strong even though her heart was really hurting. In this house, she was truly treated like a servant.
In the middle of the party, Celine saw Nico and Ruby dancing together, looking so happy. Her heart was broken, but she stood her ground, holding back the tears that were about to fall.
"You're such a fool, Celine," Celine whispered. "Look, they're so happy without thinking about your feelings. You're a fool, Celine, you're a fool!"
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
It's been a week since Celine was hospitalized. A week ago, Celine had another hemorrhage and had to be hospitalized. Every night at the hospital, Celine felt very lonely. No one came to visit her, not her husband's family or even Nico himself. The feeling of heartache intensified as she realized that she was completely alone in this situation. The decision not to reveal her pregnancy was also a burden, but she felt there was no other choice. She had to protect her baby from any possible harm."Miss Celine, your condition has stabilized, so you can go home," said Doctor Arra. "Remember, don't get too tired and stressed. Because your womb is very weak," advised Doctor Arra. "Yes, Doc, thank you." Celine smiled while stroking her stomach. With slow steps, Celine returned to the mansion that now felt more like a prison than a home. She felt tired, but also that she had no choice but to endure. Once at the mansion, Celine entered the house carefully. However, she stopped when she hear
That morning at the hospitalNico stood at the door of the hospital room with a face full of doubt. His suitcase was already in the car, the plane ticket was in his hand. It was only a matter of time before he left to leave everything behind, including Celine and Calvin. But there was something he had to do first. He knocked lightly on the door, then opened it. Inside, Calvin was drawing at a small table, while Celine sat leaning back on the bed, her face looking more refreshed although her gaze was still cold. "Can I come in?" Nico asked softly, his voice almost a whisper. Celine didn't answer, just gave him a glance before looking away again. Calvin, on the other hand, immediately smiled widely. "Daddy!" he exclaimed happily as he jumped up from his chair and ran towards Nico. Nico lifted the boy into his arms, kissing his forehead gently. "Hi, Calvin. Did you eat breakfast?" "I did, Daddy," Calvin replied excitedly. "But why has Daddy been absent for so long? I miss you!"
The sunlight coming through the window curtains slowly woke Celine's consciousness. Her eyelids moved slowly before finally opening. Her vision blurred for a moment, but then caught the shadow of Nico sitting beside her bed. "Celine?" Nico called out softly, noticing the change on her face. "You're awake?" Celine blinked a few times, adjusting her gaze. The first look she gave Nico was neither grateful nor relieved, but cold and full of tension. "What are you doing here?" her voice was hoarse, almost a whisper. Nico was silent for a moment, trying to swallow the pain that came with the question. "I... I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Before Nico could continue, Calvin's small voice broke the silence. "Mommy! Mommy's awake!" Calvin ran over to the bed, hugging his mother's arm tightly. His face was beaming with happiness. "Mommy, I really miss you! Daddy and I wait for Mommy to wake up every day." Celine looked at Calvin and smiled slightly. However, the smile f
Two days later, in the ICU roomNicolas sat on a plastic chair. His eyes were fixed on Celine's drooping hands by her bedside. Next to her, Calvin drew something in his little book, occasionally looking up at his mother with a hopeful face. "Daddy," Calvin broke the silence, pointing at the drawing he had just finished. "This is me, Mommy, and you. We're playing in the park." Nicolas smiled a little, though his heart was heavy. "Nice drawing, Calvin. Mommy will like it when she sees it." "But when will Mommy wake up?" Calvin asked, his voice hoarse as if he was holding back tears. Nicolas didn't answer right away. He grasped Calvin's small hand, trying to provide a sense of security. "We have to be patient, son. Mommy is struggling to wake up. You know, Mommy is a strong woman." Suddenly, the fingers of Celine's hand that Nicolas was holding moved. At first glance, he thought it was just his imagination, but the movement happened again, this time more clearly. "Calvin! Loo
Nicolas stood in front of a large board full of photos, notes, and maps. Next to him, Devano was busy talking to a detective. "Gabriel can't get away again," Nicolas said in a firm tone. "We have all the evidence we need. We just need to catch him." The detective nodded, indicating their plan. "We've deployed teams to the three locations we suspect. In the afternoon, Nicolas stood in front of the desk, his face tense. In his hand was the latest report on Gabriel's escape to the Philippines. Across from him, Devano looked equally agitated, pacing the room with his cell phone in hand. "So that's it? We let him escape?" Nicolas' voice was full of pressure. "We did our best," Devano replied, trying to calm him down, though he was also disappointed inside. "The police here are limited. Gabriel must have planned everything. He has connections, Nicolas." "But I can't accept this! Celine is still in a coma, Calvin cries every night for his mother, and that bastard is enjoying his
Devano sat in front of his laptop in the corner of the waiting room. His face was serious, his fingers dancing over the keyboard. He had collected some evidence, but not enough to ensure Gabriel could be arrested. On the other side, Nicolas stood up while watching Calvin who was drawing in his little book. "Devano, do we have enough evidence?" asked Nicolas, his tone anxious yet hopeful. Devano sighed, staring at the laptop screen with a tired look. "Not yet. Gabriel is cunning. Even though I have recordings of his conversations with his henchmen, it's still not strong enough in court." Nicolas clenched his fists, frustrated. "So, what else do we need? That man almost killed Celine. He can't get away with it." "I'm trying to trace the flow of money he used to rent that car. If we can prove that the transaction came from his account, then we have a stronger case," Devano explained. Nicolas nodded, though his mind was not at ease. "Hurry up. I don't want him to have a chance t
The afternoon sky was dark when Celine came out of her office. Her heart was still heavy after canceling her wedding to Gabriel. She walked towards her car parked on the side of the road, unaware that a black car was slowly approaching from behind. Nicolas, who happened to be passing by, saw the figure. He felt there was something strange about the black car. Its speed increased slowly, and it was heading straight towards Celine. "Celine! Be careful!" shouted Nicolas, running with all his might. Celine turned her head with a confused look, but it was too late. The car was speeding away, just a few meters away from her body. In an instant, Nicolas pushed Celine to the side of the sidewalk, his own body bouncing onto the road. Celine screamed, her body falling to the edge of the sidewalk. Her head hit hard, and her vision began to blur. The black car sped off without stopping. At the hospitalThe hospital room was silent except for the sound of the monitor that kept beeping,
In a Luxury RestaurantGabriel, the man who would become Celine's husband tomorrow, sat at a corner table with a young woman in a red dress. They were chuckling, talking in low voices, as if they were hiding something. Nicolas, who was delivering documents for an odd job in the same building, accidentally saw Gabriel from a distance. At first, Nicolas only intended to ignore, but when he saw Gabriel touching the woman's hand intimately, he felt something was wrong. Nicolas decided to come closer, hiding behind a large curtain. "Honey, are you sure she's not suspicious?" the woman asked, her voice soft but full of sarcasm. Gabriel chuckled. "Celine is too busy taking care of the kids and the family business. Besides, she trusts me. The important thing is that I marry her tomorrow, and everything will be fine after that." The woman squinted. "Smooth how do you mean?" Gabriel leaned in, speaking more softly. However, Nicolas could still hear clearly. "Once I have full access to
At Celine's MansionCalvin's cries echoed throughout the mansion. The boy rolled on the living room floor, beating the carpet with his hands while crying loudly. His face reddened, the tears continued to flow non-stop. "I want Daddy! Take me to Daddy!" cried Calvin, his voice hoarse from crying so much. Celine stood by the stairs, clutching her throbbing temples. Her eyes looked tired, her hair a little messy. She looked at her son with a mixture of anger, frustration, and... helplessness. "Calvin, Mommy told you. Daddy is not someone you can trust. He can't give you a good life!" Celine tried to calm herself down, though her tone remained firm. However, Calvin's crying grew louder. The boy looked at his mother with eyes full of anger and hurt. "Daddy loves me! Daddy never yells at me like Mommy!" The words were like a hard slap to Celine. Her breath caught. She tried to approach Calvin, kneeling before him carefully. "Honey... listen to Mommy. Daddy's not a bad person, but
At Celine's Mansion, moments after Devano left without CalvinCeline stood in the center of the large living room, her eyes burning with anger. Devano had just entered the house with a worried expression, and Celine immediately approached, her arms folded across her chest. "Why didn't you bring Calvin?" asked Celine, her voice flat yet full of pressure. Devano looked uncomfortable, he looked down for a moment before answering. "Sorry, Celine. Calvin refused to go home. I tried to persuade him, but... he didn't want to come." "Doesn't want to come? Do you think I'm going to let that happen? You should have been more assertive!" snapped Celine, her tone getting higher. "Don't make excuses, Devano. I told you, no matter what, Calvin has to come home today!" Devano humbled himself, distressed by Celine's anger. "I... will go back to Mr. Nicolas' apartment." However, Celine was no longer patient. Wordlessly, she picked up the phone and called someone. After a few seconds, her voi