There was an important meeting in the morning that Trevor would also attend.When Celeste and the others had been seated for more than ten minutes in the conference room, Trevor finally walked in.The moment he appeared, Naomi gasped, and her eyes shone with admiration as she couldn't tear her gaze away from him.When the meeting officially began, she snapped out of her daze and tugged on Celeste's sleeve."Mr. Fleming is really handsome!"Celeste had only glanced up when Trevor entered the room. At Naomi's comment, she merely responded without lifting her head, "Mm."Naomi was surprised by Celeste's apparent lack of interest but quickly reminded herself that Celeste was already married and had a child.Throughout the meeting, Naomi's heart fluttered as she couldn't stop staring at Trevor. She barely heard anything discussed during the meeting.Celeste, on the other hand, was diligently taking notes on her laptop.Once the meeting ended, Trevor left first, and the others slowl
At that moment, Zeke had just arrived in the break room and paused when he overheard Celeste and Naomi's conversation.He and Jacob had always thought that Celeste wouldn't be able to leave the company. They were confident that she would find a way to stay.When Naomi took over Celeste's duties, they expected Celeste to make a move. After all, Naomi was stunning. How could Celeste let her stay so close to Trevor?However, during the past couple of days, Celeste had not only accepted Naomi but also gotten along well with her. Now, she was even willing to teach Naomi how to make the coffee Trevor liked.What on earth was going on?Celeste was oblivious to Zeke's thoughts. She was focused on finishing her work and politely turned down Naomi's offer to go out for dinner that evening.She planned to head home for a quick meal and continue researching AI-related topics.Just as she left the company, her phone rang. It was Jordyn calling."Mom, are you done with work?"Celeste got in
The others exchanged glances.For years, there had been rumors that Trevor had been married for some time, but no one knew who his wife was. Some even said he was never married at all.The truth remained unclear, and they dared not ask too many questions. Now that Trevor had casually mentioned having a daughter, many were surprised. But most didn't dare to probe.…After dinner, Jordyn continued waiting for Celeste to return home.By 9:00 pm, after taking a shower, Jordyn was still anxiously awaiting. She kept listening for any sounds outside. When she heard a car approaching around 10:00 pm, she rushed downstairs excitedly."Mom—"Her cheerful voice halted when she saw Trevor walking in instead."Dad?"Trevor handed his coat to Peter and noticed the disappointment on Jordyn's face. "What's wrong?""I thought Mom was back..."Trevor wasn't bothered by the typical "kids only care about their mom" sentiment. He paused for a moment and said, "She's not back yet?""Yeah…"He s
Just then, Trevor's phone rang. Celeste happened to glance over and saw that the incoming call displayed the word "Babe" on the screen.She had convinced herself that she no longer cared, but after loving someone for so many years, it wasn't easy to let go completely.The sight of those two words stung her eyes, and she quickly averted her gaze.Trevor noticed her reaction when he looked up, but without hesitation, he answered the phone right in front of her and spoke in a gentle tone, "Yes?"Jordyn also noticed Trevor's actions.In Jordyn's memory, Trevor only showed this kind of tenderness when speaking to Wynn. For a moment, she forgot that Celeste was there and excitedly asked, "Dad, is that Wynn?"Trevor calmly replied, "Yes."Jordyn wanted to say that she wanted to chat with Wynn too but hesitated, remembering that Celeste didn't like Wynn. She swallowed the words back, her good mood slightly dampened.She furrowed her brow and couldn't help but think, "If only Mom could
Zeke didn't expect her to agree so decisively. "You…"Celeste stretched out her hand as she said, "Thank you for taking care of me over the years."Zeke hadn't yet recovered from his surprise but still reached out to shake her hand. "It was nothing."Then, Celeste packed her things and left.Zeke was still in disbelief as Celeste walked away."Why are you zoning out?" Jacob patted him on the shoulder."Celeste left the company."Jacob paused for a moment. "Really?"He couldn't believe it.He then said with a snort, "She might be leaving now, but that doesn't mean she won't find a way to come back. I bet not long from now, she'll be back with help from Mrs. Fleming Senior."Zeke didn't say anything. Though it seemed unbelievable, he was starting to think Celeste might actually be serious about leaving after the way she had been acting recently.After leaving Fleming Group, Celeste went straight home. She didn't receive any calls from Jordyn in the next two days as the latter
After Lottie's fever had completely subsided, Celeste returned home. She hadn't yet prepared a dress for the upcoming banquet, so in the afternoon, she headed out to shop for one.At a high-end boutique, the store manager and several attendants were busy with a particular dress. It wasn't until Celeste approached that they noticed her presence."Sorry, miss, how can we help you?""I'm just looking around.""Of course."Though Celeste had become part of an affluent family like the Flemings, she's attended very few banquets over the years. After all, Trevor and Queenie never took her along to any formal events.As for Martha, she'd stepped out of the limelight long ago and had no interest in the social scene.Celeste wasn't an expert on dresses, but Lottie worked in high-end fashion. Hence, she had developed a basic sense of style.However, the boutique was filled with so many beautiful dresses that it was hard to choose.She wasn't looking to be too picky and just wanted someth
Celeste's expression stiffened. "Wynn? Do you mean Wynn Locket? The one who returned from Andostan recently?"Matthias nodded, surprised. "Yes. Do you know her?""She's my half-sister."Matthias was dumbfounded. Although he knew a little about Celeste's family situation, he hadn't expected such a coincidence.Celeste's gaze turned cold, and she added, "She's also Trevor's lover."The car suddenly screeched to a halt.Matthias' eyes widened in shock. "You—"Celeste shook her head and kept a cool composure. She said, "I'm fine. I just don't agree with her joining our company."Matthias agreed without hesitation. "I support your decision."Celeste felt touched. "Thank you."After a pause, she said, "But that means you'll be losing a genius."Chuckling, Matthias shook his head and glanced at her. He replied with utmost sincerity, "She may be an algorithm genius, but compared to you, she's nothing."Celeste was stunned. She thought Matthias was exaggerating, but he stated, "I'm
Celeste and Matthias arrived at the banquet hall, where most guests had already gathered. Celeste's outstanding appearance and graceful presence immediately attracted many of their attention.The host of the event, Joshua Simpson, was familiar with Matthias. He smiled and made his way over to greet them. Just as he was about to approach, however, more guests arrived at the entrance of the hall.Seeing the newcomers, Joshua froze, his disbelief apparent.The other guests, too, were stunned by the unexpected arrival.Celeste and Matthias were still facing away from the entrance and were puzzled at the sudden expressions of surprise and delight from the other guests.As they were about to turn around to see what was happening, Joshua shot them a brief apologetic look before moving past them and heading toward the entrance."Good evening, Mr. Fleming, Mr. Harper, and Mr. Quinton."Celeste's heart skipped a beat as a sudden realization formed in her mind. She turned around and her sm
Jordyn wrapped her arms around Celeste's neck, burying her small face against it to shield herself from the cold wind.Celeste's clothes were soft and warm, and Jordyn snuggled into her embrace, rubbing her face against her neck with enjoyment.Trevor was always punctual. By the time Celeste carried Jordyn to the parking lot, his car had pulled in.Seeing them, the car stopped right beside Celeste.Even though her dad had arrived, Jordyn didn't get down from Celeste's arms. Instead, she playfully said to Trevor, who had lowered the car window, "Dad, carry me inside."Trevor didn't say anything. He simply got out of the car and took Jordyn from Celeste's arms.Happily, Jordyn swung her legs in the air while nestled in his hold.As Trevor leaned in to take her, Celeste caught a familiar scent—Wynn's perfume.When he had been sitting beside her earlier, he hadn't smelled like this.This meant that after leaving them, he had gone to the Shaw family.Trevor looked at her and said,
Zachary said, "Sure."Trevor nodded and turned to Celeste. "Are you going home tonight?"Celeste had still been going over the conversation between Trevor and Zachary in her head. When he suddenly spoke to her, she paused for a moment before responding, "No."Trevor nodded again. "Got it." Then he stood up and said, "I'll come by later to pick Jo up."That meant he was leaving.Celeste replied coldly, "Got it."Trevor didn't say anything else to her. Instead, he walked over to Betty and said, "Madam Klein, I have things to attend to, so I'll be leaving now."Betty didn't stand up, and her tone was equally cold, "Sure. I won't see you off."Trevor didn't seem bothered by her indifference. He turned to Ivan, gave him a slight nod as a form of greeting, and then left the banquet hall.Outside the hotel, Beck had just stepped out of his car when he saw Trevor walking out. His movements stalled for a brief moment.Trevor quickly got into his car and drove off.Beck watched but re
Neither Celeste nor Trevor spoke again.Celeste's younger cousins had rarely seen Trevor before. Now that they were seeing him in person, they couldn't help but look at him with curiosity.As someone who had held a position of power for years, Trevor exuded authority effortlessly, even without trying. When he noticed their gazes, he glanced at them briefly.Unable to meet his eyes, they instinctively looked away, not daring to stare any longer.Trevor showed no reaction to this, nor did he make any effort to exchange pleasantries. He simply shifted his gaze away, calm and indifferent.Trevor was the man Celeste loved. She had thrown herself into this love headfirst, and after all these years, she still couldn't escape.Given the way Trevor had treated his own niece for so long, it was impossible for Ivan not to harbor resentment toward him.However, what could he do?The Rodriguez family was powerless against Trevor.Now that Trevor was here, as the host, Ivan had no choice bu
Wynn didn't panic at all when she heard that Trevor was at the Rodriguez family's party.After all, Martha had such a close relationship with Betty. She'd definitely let Trevor attend Betty's 70th birthday on her behalf since she couldn't make it herself.Wynn had known this long ago. Still, she was a little upset even though Trevor was there because of Martha's order. When the crowd found out that Trevor went to the Rodriguez family's party instead of coming here, they assumed something had happened between Wynn and Trevor. Wynn remarked in a cold voice, "Madam Daniels and Madam Klein have a good relationship, and Trevor was only there as instructed by Madam Daniels."There had been rumors that the Rodriguez family and the Fleming family were on good terms.But people hadn't seen them interacting with each other before, so they only took it as a rumor.Perhaps it was true then, judging by what Wynn had said. At that moment, someone came in. They had a gift box in their
"Yes."Linda scoffed. "That's so shameless of her!"Just talking about that made her upset. "Could it be that they have a great connection, which is why such a significant person is attending her birthday?""No," Wynn replied coldly. "They just barely know each other." From her perspective, Celeste got to know Zachary through Matthias. So, the reason why Zachary was there today was probably because of Matthias."Oh, okay," Linda said.Beck and Miles were sitting at the table beside Wynn's, right behind her.Initially, Beck was quietly enjoying his meal. He paused for a moment when he heard how Zachary was at Betty's birthday party. He asked, "The Rodriguez family's birthday party?"Miles then explained, "Oh, today's the birthday of Celeste's maternal grandmother. The parties for the Rodriguez family and the Shaw family are on the same day, and the guest lists coincide. Thus, most of the overlapping guests are attending this one because of Trevor and Wynn."Miles had no prio
Celeste was sitting beside Zachary.He was still talking to Betty, and he hadn't spared her a glance yet. Celeste turned a little to Matthias. "Thank you, Matthias."She could tell that Betty was in a much better mood after Zachary came. "There's no need to thank me." Matthias shrugged. "Mr. Newman just happened to reply to me regarding the project you came up with not long ago. Then I told him about this, and he came. So, really, you should be thanking yourself."As Celeste was about to speak, she heard someone mention Trevor's name. Hesitating for a moment, she turned around, only to see Trevor at the entrance. With all eyes on him, he approached Betty with steady steps. "Happy birthday."Then, he handed the gift box to her and said, "Just in case the first gift wasn't to your taste, I brought another. I hope you like it."Betty didn't realize Trevor would attend at all. Yet his arrival didn't bring joy to her.Sure, the Shaws were shameless, but without his support,
With that, Matthias interrupted, "Can we hold off for a bit, Mr. Rodriguez? There's someone else coming, and they should be here in ten minutes."Ivan was well aware of how Matthias and Celeste were connected.Matthias had always taken care of Celeste as well. Hence, Betty and Ivan were pretty grateful to him. Upon hearing what Matthias had just said, Ivan asked, "Is he by himself? We still have empty seats at the main table if he doesn't mind joining us.""He's totally okay with it," Matthias replied. "Okay."Ivan nodded and instructed the staff to serve the other tables first, while their dishes would be served later. As the first few dishes arrived, Matthias glanced at his phone. Then, he pulled Celeste aside and said, "The person is here. I'll go get them."Celeste nodded. The moment she turned around, she heard a familiar yet icy voice. "No need, I'm here already."Celeste was stunned. She immediately turned around. "Mr. Newman?"Zachary hummed a reply.The remaini
Just then, Beck and Miles arrived. The moment the Shaws and Lockets noticed the two, they went up to them.After all, these two were anything but ordinary in Baumond. It was only natural that they held the two in high regard. Linda had already met Beck before. The moment she laid eyes on him again today, a blush crept onto her face, barely concealed by her makeup.Ruby laughed, seeing Linda's reaction. The Harpers were just as distinguished as the Flemings, and with Beck's remarkable qualities, the Shaws were more than happy to see Linda take an interest in him.With Wynn and Trevor a certainty, and now Linda and Beck potentially forming a match, the Shaws would definitely hold undeniable power in Baumond in the future. With that in mind, the Shaws showed even greater enthusiasm when talking to Beck and Miler.Wynn furrowed her brows when she noticed the Shaws' attitude toward the two men. She thought they were being too sycophantic.As friends, Wynn and Beck were e
Seeing the endless stream of arriving guests, Patricia and Mason were all smiles.It was just as what the Rodriguez family thought, they did remember Betty's birthday. No, in fact, after so many years of celebrating Betty's birthday, forgetting it was simply out of the question. Thus, it was no coincidence that they held their housewarming party today. They couldn't help but fume, thinking back to how they had planned to move across from the Rodriguez family, only for Celeste to interfere and enlist Trevor's help, throwing their plans into disarray. But Trevor later made up for it, and ironically, they ended up better off because of it. It made them even more delighted, thinking about how they had scheduled their housewarming party to clash with the Rodriguez family's event and successfully diverted their guests. "Their party must be nearly empty now, huh?" Linda stifled a quiet laugh. "They couldn't even keep their guests after all that effort. It's just humiliating at th