The party atmosphere grew more festive as the music resumed, and the guests started chatting with each other. Celine still looked elegant in her beautiful dress. Her father, Alex, a prominent businessman who had been known for his secrecy, stepped into the center of the room. With his strapping posture and stern gaze, he caught everyone's attention. The guests immediately fell silent, waiting to hear what the influential man had to say."Good evening everyone," Alex said in a steady voice. "Thank you for coming to my grandson Calvin Alexius' birthday party. Tonight, I'd like to introduce someone who means a lot to me, who is not well known to the public."The guests looked at each other, curious about what was about to happen. Nicolas, who stood in the corner of the room, watched anxiously. There was an uneasy feeling hanging over his heart, as if a bad premonition was coming.Alex continued, "Let me introduce my daughter, Celine. She is my sole heir and will continue our family busi
Calvin's birthday party was still in full swing. However, in the midst of the hubbub, Nicolas felt a heavy weight pressing on his chest. He couldn't take his eyes off Celine, the woman who had once been a part of his life. When the atmosphere was a little quiet, Nicolas decided to approach Celine."Celine," Nicolas called hesitantly. Celine, who was talking to one of the guests, turned to Nicolas who was standing next to her, "Nico? What's wrong?""I just want to talk for a minute," Nicolas replied, his face looking serious. "Just tell me," Celine agreed."About Devano... is he really your husband now?"Celine smiled slightly, then sighed. "Not yet, but he and I are getting married soon," Celine replied casually, "Why is that?" Celine asked sarcastically. Nicolas felt his heart stabbed again at that answer. "Celine, I want... I want to explain something to you. I know it probably won't change anything, but I have to say it.""What are you going to explain, Nico?" asked Celine but r
A few days later, a sunny morning in the city park was filled with children's voices and joyful laughter. Among the people who passed by, Nicolas' eyes were glued to the figures of Celine and Calvin who were playing in the meadow. Celine looked so beautiful in a simple dress, her face radiant, as if all the wounds of the past had disappeared. However, behind that warm smile, Nicolas knew that he himself had planted the deepest wound in the woman's heart."What have I done..." Nicolas whispered, his gaze fixed on Celine who was unaware of his presence. In his chest, there was a strong desire to go over, to apologize, to explain everything. However, he knew that no amount of explanation would erase the wounds he had left behind.While Nicolas was still trapped in his guilt, Calvin suddenly turned to him. Calvin's small eyes widened, a big smile graced his face, and without hesitation, the boy ran over to him."Uncle Nico!" he exclaimed cheerfully.Nicolas gasped, trying not to show too
Nicolas sat alone in his study, drowning in the shadows of a past that never allowed him to be truly free. The room was dim, with only the desk lamp shining on his regretful and exhausted face. Every second was heavy, as if the shadows of the past were gripping her tighter and tighter.The door to his room opened softly, and Maria, his mother, entered with her usual cold and controlling gaze. She stepped closer to Nicolas' desk, her gaze sharp, radiating the disapproval that had been weighing on Nicolas."You're thinking about Celine again, aren't you?" Maria said in a sharp, judgmental tone. "Stop thinking about that woman. She only brings trouble into your life. Now that she's a CEO, you want to beg her?"Nicolas sighed, bowing his head. "Enough, ma'am, all this, all this mess happened because of my old enemy, not Celine. She's never wrong."Maria squinted, her gaze full of annoyance. "Your enemy or not, Celine is still your source of weakness. I will never allow her back in your li
Nicolas walked into the house at exactly seven in the evening. His shirt was rumpled, his face was tired, and his mind was still reeling from all the problems at the office. As he closed the door, the sound of soft steps approached, accompanied by the scent of a perfume that was too sweet for his taste."Nico," Ruby greeted softly, standing nearby with a seductive smile. Her body was clad in a deliberately sheer dress, revealing her curves in all their glory. "You just got home? It's been a long time. I've been waiting for you, you know."Nicolas just sighed softly, looking away. "I'm tired, Ruby. Don't start, please."Ruby leaned further in, placing her hand on Nico's chest, her fingers stroking gently. "Tired? Always tired," Ruby said in an annoyed tone disguised with a smile. "Don't you want to have a little fun with me?"Nicolas shifted his body, avoiding Ruby's touch without a care in the world. "I don't need that right now. I just want to rest."Ruby snorted softly, annoyance st
Elsewhere, Celine sat looking at the window overlooking the garden. It was quiet, with only the wind whispering outside. Footsteps were heard approaching, then Devano's figure appeared, carrying a bouquet of white roses and a small blue velvet-lined box in his hand."Miss Celine," Devano called softly, walking over to her.Celine turned her head, smiling slightly at the sight of the bouquet of white roses in his hand. "You always knew my favorite flowers, Dev."Devano looked at her, taking a deep breath before kneeling before her. "And I also know the woman who always occupies my thoughts," he said as he opened the velvet box, revealing a diamond ring that glittered under the lights.Celine was startled, her eyes widening for a moment. "Devano what are you doing?""Miss Celine, I've been wanting to say this for a long time. I love you," Devano said firmly, his voice soft yet full of sincerity. "And I want you to be my life companion."Celine sighed softly, feeling the warmth and at th
Celine sat in her study, behind a neatly organized desk with files and an open laptop. Devano stood in front of her, looking at her seriously. There was something in Celine's gaze that he had never seen before-a strong, determined will."So, you really want to do it?" asked Devano, leaning forward slightly, trying to get a deeper understanding of her intentions.Celine nodded firmly. "I'm not messing around, Dev. Wiliam's company must fall into my hands. No matter what." Devano was silent for a moment, hesitating. "Celine... this means we have to play with a pretty risky strategy. Wiliam's company is one of the strongest in the market. And... well, you know who's behind that company."Celine smiled a small, cynical smile. "Who else if not Nicolas? And maybe this is the best way to get back at him for everything he's ever done to me.""Is it really about revenge?" asked Devano, trying to gauge what was really in Celine's heart.Celine sighed, her gaze directed towards the window. "It'
Celine had just walked into the house after a full day outside. As soon as the door opened, Calvin ran up to her, his face flushed with excitement. However, Celine's facial expression immediately changed, feeling like she didn't want to discuss the thing that had just popped into her mind."Mommy, Mommy, when can I see Uncle Nico again?" asked Calvin with sparkling eyes, jumping up and down a little with excitement. Celine stopped her steps for a moment, looking at her son with a serious face. "Calvin, Uncle Nico is very busy. You know that right? He works a lot, so we have to be patient."Calvin didn't seem satisfied with that answer. He came closer again, holding Celine's hand tightly. "But I miss Uncle Nico, Mommy. Uncle Nico is good. Why won't Mommy let me see Uncle Nico again?"Celine took a deep breath, trying to hold back the anger that was starting to emerge. "We've met Uncle Nico many times, Calvin. But right now, he's really busy.""I just want to play with Uncle Nico," Cal
After Nico left the break room, Celine stood still. For a moment, her instinct told her to run after Nico, apologize, or at least explain everything more deeply. However, she sighed heavily and shook her head lightly. "Never mind," she muttered to herself. "I'm not going to force anything anymore. If she won't listen, there's nothing I can do."She stepped out with a heavy heart. But in her head, she began to make a new decision: just focus on her career and Calvin. All of this was too exhausting to pursue.After that, Celine decided to return to the Mansion. Arriving at the Mansion, Celine sat in the living room with Calvin who was busy playing with his new toy. Calvin's laughter filled the room, making the atmosphere feel lighter. "Mommy, look at this!" Calvin exclaimed while showing the robot he had just finished building. "Wow, what a great kid Mommy," Celine praised with a smile. She stroked Calvin's head gently. "Daddy bought this for me," Calvin said proudly, then adde
Celine stared at her cell phone screen, which showed another missed call. Nico was not answering his phone. For the first time, she really felt annoyed and anxious at the same time. Did this mean Nico had really given up on her?She stood up from her chair, grabbed her bag, and walked out of the office without saying a word to anyone. If the phone wasn't answered, then she would have to go to Nico in person. She didn't care if it had to be done in front of all of Nico's coworkers.Arriving at Nico's workplace, it was busy as usual. Celine entered the building with quick steps. One of Nico's coworkers who recognized her immediately said hello."Good afternoon, Mrs. Celine. Can I help you?" the man asked politely."Where's Nico?" she asked without preamble."Looks like he's in the break room, lunchtime," the man replied as he pointed towards a room in the corner of the building.Without waiting any longer, Celine stepped there. She opened the door to the break room and immediately found
Celine sat on the edge of her bed with the divorce papers in hand. Her eyes stared at the papers for a long time, but her hand made no move to sign. It felt like something was holding her back. Calvin's soft voice calling Nico earlier, Nico's smile as he hugged Calvin-all came back to mind. Why did he feel so heavy to finish this?He took a deep breath and put the letter on the bedside table. In the silence of the room, her mind continued to wrestle. She knew Nico had betrayed her, but she also knew why. And now, when Nico seems to be getting farther away from her, why is her heart even more chaotic?Suddenly, she reached for her cell phone. She didn't know what prompted her to dial Nico's number, but she just wanted to talk to him. After a few rings, Nico's voice came from the other side."What's wrong, Celine?" Nico asked in a flat tone, as if he was holding back his emotions. Celine was silent for a moment before finally answering, "I just want to know what relationship you have w
Late at night, Celine finally could no longer bear the feelings of guilt and worry that were mixed in her heart. She reached for her cell phone and searched for Nico's name in the contact list. Her finger hesitated before she finally pressed the call button. On the other end, Nico's cell phone vibrated on the small table in his apartment. Nico was sitting with his head bowed, staring at the floor unfocused. The sound of his cell phone rang out loudly amidst the silence, making him look up. He saw Celine's name on the screen. His heart seemed to be cut again, but he didn't want to face the conversation right now.After letting the phone ring for a while, Nico picked it up and simply said, "Why?" his voice sounded flat, emotionless.Celine tried to hold back her irritated tone, but she couldn't hide her frustration. "Nico, why didn't you come? Calvin waited for you all day. He even slept hugging his doll because he was disappointed!"Nico was silent for a moment, swallowing his bitter-
Today is a weekend day. Nico is walking alone in the aisle of a large toy store. The atmosphere is so crowded. Nico's face looked serious, but there was a small smile as he imagined Calvin's face would light up with happiness when he received his gift. After getting his first paycheck from his new job, Nico felt this was the right thing to do. However, the small smile on his face vanished instantly when his eyes caught a very familiar figure. Bryan. The man was standing not far from where Nico was, picking through the toys on the shelf. Nico frowned. "What is he doing here?" he thought. However, before Nico could turn around or dodge away, Bryan had already noticed him."Oh, Nico." Bryan smiled slightly as he walked over. His hand held a box of toy cars.Nico didn't answer, just looked at Bryan coldly."Shopping for Calvin?" Bryan started the conversation in a friendly tone, but there was something in his voice that made Nico feel uncomfortable."Yeah," Nico replied briefly, not inte
That morning, the company where Nico worked was busy. Employees milled around with files and laptops in hand. In the large meeting room, Celine had just arrived with her team for an important meeting. She wore an elegant ivory-white suit that made her look authoritative. As she walked towards the room, her eyes accidentally met the figure of Nico who was standing near the stairs. Nico was wearing a light blue shirt that was rolled up at the sleeves, looking serious as he was reading a document. In that instant, Celine's heart was in turmoil. She wanted to greet Nico, but her pride held her back."Nico," she muttered to herself, hoping he would notice her presence.However, Nico only gave her a glance, then turned around and continued his work without saying a word. Nico's cold demeanor made Celine's chest feel tight. Anger mixed with disappointment began to rule her mind. "Do I really not matter to him anymore?" she thought, biting her lower lip to hold back her irritation.A few hou
Two days after Nicp left. Celine parked her car on the side of the road near a small cafe. She found Nico's location through the tracking app still installed on her phone. Her hands gripped the steering wheel, her heart pounding as she gazed at the café through the windshield. She was determined to get over her ego and have a heart-to-heart talk with Nico. However, what she saw inside left her transfixed.From the window of the cafe, Nico was sitting with a woman. The woman was Elissa. They seemed to be talking seriously, and soon after, Elissa hugged Nico tightly. The hug looked so intimate in Celine's eyes. She felt her chest tighten. Her breath was held. "So it's true, they are in a relationship?" thought Celine, her body feeling weak. She bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears from falling. She had come with the hope of making things right, but the sight destroyed all the courage she had gathered.Inside the cafe, Nico looked down, a grim look on his face. "I'm tired, Lis,"
That morning, Nico sat in the living room with his suitcase beside him. He had completed all the preparations. The divorce papers had been signed last night, just waiting for Celine's signature. His heart was still heavy, but he knew that this was the best decision-for him, for Celine, and maybe for Calvin too.Celine came down the stairs with an expressionless face. She wore her usual work suit, looking elegant but cold. She walked slowly towards Nico without looking directly at him. Calvin was behind Celine, his face full of confusion and sadness.Nico stood up, trying to smile even though his heart was aching. "Celine," he called softly, handing her the document in his hand. "This is the letter. All you have to do is sign it. After that, everything is done."Celine accepted the document without speaking. She just looked down, staring at the white paper that marked the end of everything. Celine's hand trembled slightly, but she hid it well. "I'll sign later," she said briefly.Nico
That night, Nico sat in the corner of the room, staring at the back of Celine who stood with her back to him. She was busy with her laptop, but Nico could tell her focus wasn't really there. The atmosphere in the room was cold and tense, although the dim lights gave the impression of warmth. Nico clasped his fingers tightly, trying to find the strength to say what he had been thinking all night."Celine," Nico finally called out. His voice was calm but deep, carrying a weight that was hard to explain.Celine turned her head briefly. "What's wrong?" she asked coldly, though there was a hint of hesitation behind her tone.Nico took a deep breath. He stood up from his chair and walked over, standing about two meters away from Celine. "I want to talk. One-on-one."Celine closed her laptop slowly, looking at Nico with a flat expression. "Alright, just talk. I'll listen."Nico bit his lower lip, his heart at war with himself. However, he knew he had to finish this. If not now, when?"Celine