At around 9:00 pm, Trevor and Jordyn returned home.Jordyn clung to the hem of Trevor's coat and got out of the car sluggishly. Because Celeste was at home, she was reluctant to return that night.But Wynn had said that Celeste came specifically to be with her and Trevor, and if they didn't return, she would be sad. Trevor also said that if they didn't go home that night, Celeste would definitely insist on joining them on their outing to the sea the next day.Reluctantly, Jordyn agreed to come home.Still worried, she muttered gloomily, "Dad, what if Mom insists on tagging along with us tomorrow?""She won't," Trevor replied confidently.In all the years they'd been married, Celeste had always tried to find ways to spend more time with him. But she was also sensible. As long as he made his stance clear, she wouldn't dare make him upset.In Jordyn's memory, Celeste always listened to Trevor. Since he said she wouldn't, she felt reassured. As a result, her mood lifted. She made he
Zeke was one of Trevor's personal secretaries. When he saw Celeste's resignation letter, he was extremely surprised.He was one of the few in the company who knew about the relationship between Celeste and Trevor.Anyone familiar with Trevor knew that he didn't love Celeste. So, he had been cold to her and rarely went home after their marriage.To get closer to and win over Trevor, Celeste had chosen to work at Fleming Group.Her initial goal was to become his personal secretary, but Trevor refused vehemently. Even when Arnold stepped in, he couldn't get Trevor to agree. In the end, Celeste had to settle for a position in the secretarial team, becoming one of Trevor's many ordinary secretaries.At first, Zeke had worried that Celeste's presence in the secretarial team would create chaos. But to his surprise, she didn't bring them any trouble. Although Celeste used her position to get closer to Trevor, she was mindful of her timing and never overstepped her boundaries. On the con
Jordyn jumped out of bed in excitement. "Really?""Yes, really," Trevor replied."Then why didn't Wynn tell me just now?""It was just finalized. She doesn't know yet."Jordyn was ecstatic. "Dad, let's keep this a secret from Wynn. We'll surprise her when we go back to the country, okay?""Alright.""You're the best, Dad! I love you so much!"After hanging up, Jordyn was still overjoyed. She sang and danced on her bed.After a while, she suddenly thought of Celeste. For the past few days, she had been in a great mood because Celeste hadn't called her. In fact, to avoid talking to Celeste, she had deliberately left home early and even turned off her phone or kept it far away from her after school.But after two days, she was worried that Celeste might get angry if she found out. So, she stopped doing that. To her surprise, Celeste hadn't called at all in the days that followed.At first, she thought Celeste had discovered that she was deliberately avoiding her calls. But then
Over the years, Matthias and Celeste had rarely seen each other. Yet, even from just a few encounters, Matthias could tell that she was no longer the confident and spirited person she had once been.Matthias thought back to the Celeste he knew from the past. He could never have associated the word "insecure" with that individual. He didn't know much about Celeste's marriage to Trevor, but he was completely clueless about her sorry state which was essentially an open secret.He had his suspicions but didn't voice them. Instead, he sincerely encouraged, "Falling behind for a time doesn't matter. Your ability and talent surpass that of most geniuses. As long as you're still passionate about this field, it's never too late to start again."Don't forget that you were our teacher's favorite student throughout his entire career."Celeste smiled as she listened to him. "If he heard that, he'd probably scoff and say that he didn't have much of a choice and could only settle on the least bad
The next day, Celeste unexpectedly ran into Trevor at the company. She hadn't known that Trevor and Jordyn had returned to the country. Caught off guard by their sudden encounter, Celeste froze mid-step.Trevor also seemed slightly surprised to see her, but he assumed she had just returned from the business trip and didn't think much of it.He passed by her coldly, his face expressionless. As usual, he treated her like she was a stranger and turned to enter the building.In the past, if Celeste had found out that he'd suddenly come back, she would have been overjoyed. Even if she couldn't throw herself into his arms in such a scenario, she would have been very happy and excited. Her eyes would light up as she greeted him. Even if Trevor remained indifferent, she would have smiled and wished him good morning enthusiastically.But now, Celeste merely glanced at his handsome face before lowering her eyes. There was no longer any trace of the joy and excitement she once felt.Trevor
The two colleagues beside Celeste stole glances at Wynn and hurriedly stepped back, pressing themselves against the wall.Wynn noticed Celeste too but quickly looked away. Her expression was indifferent, and she acted as if Celeste didn't exist. She stepped into the elevator with the managers surrounding her.As the elevator doors closed, Celeste's two colleagues breathed a sigh of relief before resuming their excited gossip."That must've been Mr. Fleming's girlfriend, right? Wow, she's stunning! Look at all those designer labels—what she's wearing must cost a fortune! As expected of someone from an affluent family. She's so confident and poised. Compared to us ordinary people, she's on a different level!""Exactly!"They turned to Celeste and asked quietly, "What do you think, Celeste?"Lowering her eyes, Celeste answered lightly, "Yeah, you're right."Wynn was, in fact, the illegitimate daughter of Harvey Locket, Celeste's birth father.Well, the term "illegitimate" wasn't e
One of Miles' companions asked, "What's wrong?""I think I saw someone I know," Miles replied.He and the others had grown up with Trevor and knew about Celeste's affection for him.To be frank, Celeste was beautiful in her own right. But her reserved nature made her unremarkable. Hence, she was just not Trevor's type.Because Trevor kept his distance from her, they too looked down on her. They hadn't seen Celeste many times, and even when they did, they rarely greeted her.In truth, Miles couldn't quite remember what Celeste looked like. He wasn't even sure if he had indeed seen her. But even if it had been her, it didn't matter to him.He said nothing more and returned to the private room.…Celeste didn't notice Miles.After leaving the restaurant, she took Lottie home and stayed over to take care of her.When Lottie woke up and saw Celeste, she hugged her gratefully. "Thanks for last night. I owe you dinner!"Celeste had already prepared breakfast. She patted Lottie's he
Jacob's expression darkened as he accused Celeste of taking advantage of her position. "This isn't the right work attitude to have, Ms. Rodriguez. Do you think this is your home?"Celeste picked up her bag, unfazed. She retorted, "If you're dissatisfied, you're welcome to dismiss me right now.""You—" Jacob began. Although he had accompanied Trevor to Andostan, he was aware that Celeste had already submitted her resignation.Even though he had Trevor's trust, the company didn't revolve around him. He didn't have the authority to fire her on the spot.Moreover, Martha favored Celeste. If she went to Fleming Manor to complain about him, Jacob knew he wouldn't come out unscathed even if he had Trevor's support.Not bothered to get a response from Jacob, Celeste walked past him and left.Jacob's face turned purple with anger as he stormed out of the secretarial office.Zeke noticed his sour expression and asked, "What happened?"Instantly, Jacob recounted their whole exchange.Zek
Trevor put away the glass and responded, "The honor is mine, Mr. Keller Senior."Then, he settled into the seat across from Brandon. "Mr. Keller Senior, please go easy on me."Wynn, Beck, and the others came over to spectate the match. Celeste and Matthias joined the crowd as well. However, they were standing behind Brandon. Wynn, Beck, and the others knew how to play chess. Seeing Celeste watching intently, as if she was familiar with chess, Beck headed over to her. He asked, "You play chess?"Celeste answered, "A little bit."With that, Matthias went speechless.A bit? More like a whole lot. But he didn't say that aloud. Since they weren't familiar with each other's playstyles, Brandon and Trevor started off with cautious, unclear moves. Over time, they seemed to grasp each other's tendencies, and Brandon adopted a more offensive strategy. Trevor, on the other hand, was countering Brandon's aggressive moves and searching carefully for his own openings. It loo
After briefly greeting everyone once more, Harry left and disappeared into his private quarters. Celeste, Matthias, Trevor, Beck, the Shaws, and the Lockets all went inside as well. With so many people inside, the Lockets and the Shaws didn't stand out at all. Everyone took their seats in the pavilion while the servants served tea and snacks. Harry and Betty had a lively and cheerful discussion. Apart from Betty, Harry had two friends who were also well-versed in painting. In high spirits, Harry and his friends opted to create a painting right then and there, asking Betty to join in. Harry instructed Caleb, "Go to my study and get me my painting tools, Caleb.""Okay."Upon finishing, Harry spoke highly of Betty's artistic skill. Then, they started talking about the painting again. Celeste and Matthias chose not to interrupt their conversation and instead relaxed in the pavilion, enjoying the tea and snacks. Her seat was quite a distance away from the Lockets and S
Wynn replied politely, "That's very kind of you to say."Harry then glanced at the group and teased, "Looks like it's time for you guys to step up, too."Just then, Harold arrived with Celeste and Matthias in tow. He turned to Harry. "Father, meet the youngest Yoder. His company, YodaVision, has seen remarkable growth and is on the government's priority list for future support." He continued, "This is Celeste Rodriguez, the core technical developer at YodaVision and a rare talent in the field. The company owes much of its success to her." People of the older generation often had a greater concern for the future of the country. Hearing Harold's words, Harry's smile softened as he remarked, "That's wonderful. With the talent we have, there's a lot to look forward to."Harold also took the opportunity to introduce Betty to Harry. Then, Harry and Betty started chatting about art. Having been raised in a cultured household, Betty regularly practiced calligraphy and painting.
"You're back, Beck," Linda called out sweetly when she saw Beck return. Beck gave her a cold nod. Lilian noticed Trevor was looking for Wynn. "Wynn's outside. She's on the phone," she said. Trevor replied, "Okay, thanks."Just as he finished his words, a commotion arose in the distance.It was Harry making his way to the crowd. Harold, Caleb, and the rest of the Jennings were there as well. With a packed house, Harry patiently waited for the chatter to die down before thanking everyone else for coming. Celeste and Matthias stood further at the back, but Harold still saw them.Matthias attended with a gift on behalf of his grandfather, Alvin. Caleb had already informed Harold and Harry about it. Yet Harold didn't know Celeste came as well. Seeing her, Harold greeted her with a warm nod and a smile. Celeste had never known there was a connection between Harold and Harry. She returned Harold's greeting with a polite smile. The Lockets and Shaws noticed that Harold
Seeing Beck actually talking to Celeste, Linda's eyes widened in shock. She couldn't help but ask Miles, "Why is Beck talking to her?"Before Miles could respond, she immediately started walking in their direction.Lilian grabbed her arm and said calmly, "They're discussing business.""Business?""Mhm."Linda pursed her lips and huffed, suppressing her impulses, but her eyes remained fixed on Celeste and Beck.Celeste was wearing a long winter dress today. Even though she hadn't put much effort into dressing up, she still stood out.Standing next to Beck, they unexpectedly looked well-matched.Although Linda knew there couldn't be anything between them, she still felt uneasy. She couldn't help but tug at Miles' sleeve. "Miles, what are they talking about? Why is it taking so long?"Linda's feelings for Beck were obvious.Miles had known Beck for years and was well aware that Beck wasn't interested in girls with a spoiled, willful personality like hers.Besides, Beck had made
Jorge recalled that Harvey had mentioned Wynn and Trevor would also be attending. So, he stood up and said, "Alright, once your grandfather is done, send me a message.""Sure."Jorge and Xavier then stepped outside.Just as they left, Beck and Miles arrived.The Lockets and the Shaws immediately went up to greet them.Beck shook hands with Harvey. Then, Miles glanced around. "Where are Trevor and Wynn? They haven't—"Before he could finish his sentence, his gaze landed on Celeste. "Damn!"She was here too.Beck, unaware of what was going on, followed his gaze and also spotted Celeste. His eyes darkened slightly.At that moment, Matthias was walking toward Celeste and Betty.Beck turned back to Miles and Harvey and said, "I'm going over to say hello." With that, he left."Mr. Yoder, Ms. Rodriguez." Hearing his voice, Matthias and Celeste turned around.Matthias greeted, "Oh, it's Mr. Harper."Upon hearing the name, Betty recalled what Hector and Ivan had mentioned before an
Celeste tightened her grip on Betty's arm.Betty calmly patted the back of her hand and said, "It's fine."If they could predict that she would come, how could she not have anticipated that they would be here as well?Matthias said, "Madam Klein, I'll go inside and find Mr. Jennings Senior. Why don't you and Cel come with me?"He was offering to introduce them to Harry, giving her a chance to speak with her idol.But Betty shook her head and said, "Being able to see so many of the artist's paintings in one place is already an honor for me. I don't want to disturb him."Since she had made up her mind, Matthias had no choice but to drop the idea. Still, with the Lockets and the Shaws present, he was a little worried about them.Celeste reassured him, "Go ahead, don't worry about us."The Lockets and the Shaws cared a lot about their reputation. In this kind of setting, they wouldn't dare do anything to them.With that, Matthias left.Celeste asked, "Grandma, which painting woul
Trevor's feelings for Wynn were beyond doubt. So, that scene where Trevor was holding Celeste was most likely just a misunderstanding.…On Friday morning, shortly after Celeste got up, she received a call from Betty, asking her to accompany her to Harry Jennings' art exhibition on Sunday morning.Betty was a devoted fan of Harry, a renowned artist. The last time he held an exhibition was over a decade ago.Since this was a rare opportunity, Celeste said, "Sure, I'll go with you on Sunday."Just as she hung up, another call came in—it was Jordyn.This was the first time Jordyn had called her since Monday, after attending the parent-child event at her school.Celeste didn't pick up.…On Saturday afternoon, she went back to the Rodriguez residence for dinner.Then, on Sunday morning, Celeste and Betty left together for the exhibition.When they arrived, just as Celeste stepped out of the car, she saw Matthias' car pulling in as well.Surprised, she called out, "Matthias?"M
Not long after, Trevor received a call from the auction house.Upon hearing the news, his expression remained unchanged as he replied, "Alright, I got it."The person on the other end asked, "Would you like us to hold onto these two items for you?"Trevor said, "No need."Sensing his indifference, the caller didn't dare to ask further and quickly ended the call.Sitting beside him at the dining table, Wynn asked, "Something wrong with the company?"Trevor put his phone back in his pocket and replied, "No, it was a call from the auction house."Wynn smiled and was about to say something when Jordyn interjected, "What's an auction house?"Trevor, holding his knife and fork, cut a piece of meat and replied, "A place where treasures are auctioned.""Auctioning treasures? What kind of treasures? Is it fun?"Wynn chuckled. "It's actually quite fun. Jordyn, have you never been to one?"Jordyn shook her head. "Nope." She then asked, "Are there a lot of treasures there?"Trevor repl