“GOOD EVENING, ladies and gentlemen.” the party host announced once everyone arrived. “As we begin the event, I would like to ask everyone to rise and give a warm greeting to the guest of honor for this special evening!”The room was filled with applause as everyone rose to their feet, their attention now focused on the door where the chairman and his wife were entering. Amidst the clapping, Celene’s eyes caught Martha’s pale face upon seeing Isabelle.Celene couldn’t stifle a giggle and shifted her gaze to her father, who was making his way towards the stage. As he reached it, the applause died down and he instructed everyone to take their seats again. Once seated, he cleared his throat and began speaking.“Thank you everyone for attending my 60th birthday,” the chairman began, his voice booming through the microphone. “But tonight is not just about me, it’s also about the future of our company.”The room fell silent as he continued, “As most of you know, I am getting old and it’s ti
“FUCK!” Jarred slammed his hand onto the steering wheel as they climbed into the car. Martha and Agnes both flinched, having witnessed his outburst before. The atmosphere in the car was tense and uncomfortable, causing everyone to feel on edge and unsure of what to do next.“How can this be.” Martha muttered, “Celene’s mom was the one who made me a gambling addict. She did it because she wanted to get revenge.”“What?” Jarred turned his head sharply towards the seat where his mother was sitting. He noticed Martha nervously nibbling on her thumb, her anxious and shocked expression causing him to worry even more about the situation. “What do you mean?”“T-the woman I was talking about before, the one who mocked me. It’s Celene’s mother.” she explained, causing Jarred to clench his jaw. The thought of going against a powerful family conglomerate filled him with fear for their future.“What are we going to do now?” Agnes asked anxiously, everything she said and done to Celene came rushing
“LENE...”“Celene!” The sound of the chairman’s voice jolted her back to the real world. She then turned to look at her father, who was seated on the couch across from her in his office.Today was the day Celene would officially introduce herself as the heiress and the new CEO of Salvatore. However, she was distracted. She rubbed her temples, finding it hard to focus with the news of the accident weighing heavily on her mind.“What’s wrong? Are you not ready to be introduced to all the employees yet?” Herman asked, his voice etched with concern because it was unusual for Celene to act this absent-mindedly, especially during an important conversation. “Should we postpone it?”“No, Dad. Let’s do as planned,” she answered, trying her best to snap out of it so that she could concentrate properly. Then, she proceeded to inform her father about all the details she had noticed during her first month working as a regular employee, providing him with a comprehensive summary.Once she was done
“ARE YOU SURE?” Noah asked when Celene mentioned that she would stop by the hospital before heading to the bridal boutique where they were supposed to meet in two hours.“Yeah, I just want to see with my own two eyes how karma made them pay,” Celene replied with her hands on the steering wheel. She was now on her way to the hospital since she had some spare time.Though she knew it wasn’t her business anymore to check on those three, she still wanted to see for herself what condition they were in after the accident.“All right, if that’s what you want to do,” Noah said as he loosened his necktie and gripped the phone slightly. “I have one more meeting to attend. After that, I’ll head straight to the bridal boutique.”“Okay, I’ll call you later.” After hanging up the call, Celene made a quick U-turn and arrived at the hospital in no time.According to the nurse, Martha and Agnes were sharing a room in the ward, while Jarred was still in the intensive care unit. Aside from that, the onl
CELENE sat still in front of the vanity, her eyes closed as the makeup artist worked on her face with precision. The soft brush strokes and gentle pats felt like a comforting balm on her nerves, soothing her jittery mind as she prepared for her wedding day.Her hair had been expertly styled in a stylish updo, adorned with delicate white flowers that matched the ones in her bouquet.As the makeup artist finished her final touches, she stepped back to admire her work. Celene then opened her eyes and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She couldn’t help but smile at the reflection staring back at her–a vision of sheer beauty and happiness.“Thank you,” Celene said, her voice laced with gratitude.“It was my pleasure,” the makeup artist smiled, “You can wear your wedding gown now.”With a nod, Celene rose gracefully from her seat and made her way towards the wedding dress hanging nearby.Meanwhile, Noah’s mind was consumed with thoughts of her as he anxiously paced back and forth i
“HOW IS IT?” Noah stood beside Celene as they arrived at their room. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”“Yeah, the view from here is breathtaking,” she replied, closing her eyes and relishing the feeling of fresh air filling her lungs.The room was built on the side of the hill, with a living room that opened to the outdoors and a private plunge pool right in front, overlooking the beach. The location was ideal for a honeymoon; not only was it breathtakingly beautiful, but it also offered a sense of romance and privacy.“We should take a quick rest before we go explore the beach,” Noah suggested before taking her hand and pulling her back inside the room where they slumped together in the spacious bed.A comfortable silence enveloped the room as both of them relaxed before looking at each other.“What’s wrong?” Celene asked as it seemed Noah had something he wanted to say. But he decided against telling her the news that Jarred had awoken from his coma. After all, she had no connection to him anym
“WAIT, slow down.” Celene’s voice echoed throughout the bathroom when Noah began kissing her hungrily as soon as he placed her down inside the shower stall. His kisses were intense and urgent, but she didn’t mind—yet, she wanted to savor every moment and go at a slower pace“You can’t possibly expect me to wait,” he mumbled against her lips. “I want you so much, Celene.”“I know, but let’s take a quick shower first then dry ourselves before continuing,” she chuckled, holding his face in her hands, their eyes locked together. “I’m not going anywhere, and we have the rest of the night for us.”“Right,” Noah let out a sigh and leaned his forehead against her shoulder, “Sorry, I totally lost myself for a minute there. Let’s take a warm shower.”Celene nodded in agreement, and they decided to shower together, taking turns washing each other’s hair and rubbing soap on each other’s bodies. However, her mind was preoccupied with something else.“Why is this not calming down?” she teased when
“I’M FULL.” Celene rubbed her stomach as soon as they left the restaurant where they had just finished lunch. She then looked at Noah when he took her hand and intertwined their fingers together as they walked. “Where are we going next?”“Let’s rest first, then we can do water activities later,” he answered, wanting their honeymoon to be filled with fun activities and memorable experiences. “But are you sure you’re fine? We quite did it a lot last night so...”Celene felt her cheeks grow warm as she recalled the intense and passionate night they had shared together. They had explored every inch of their room, trying out every position imaginable, and by the time the sun peeked over the horizon, they were both completely spent from the overwhelming pleasure they had given and received.“I-I’m fine,” she stammered shyly. Though her body was a little sore, it wasn’t a hindrance for her. Besides, they had rested enough since they woke up quite late.“Tell me if you’re hurting anywhere, ok
“WHAT?” Noah furrowed his brow, attempting to recall the events of earlier.Once he had taken care of everything at work, he ordered himself a cup of coffee from his favorite cafe. When it arrived, he had planned to call Celene, but after taking a sip of his coffee, something felt off and that was the last thing he could remember.“Your secretary informed me of the possibility that your coffee may have been tampered with. He is currently looking into the matter.” Celene explained between sniffles. Noah then gently pressed his lips together and brushed her cheeks with his fingertips, understanding exactly what she was going through at the moment.“I’m sorry for worrying you—”“Why are you apologizing? It wasn’t your fault.” she said as she touched his hand, “How are you feeling? Shall I call the doctor?”“No, I’m feeling fine.” Noah shook his head, “So, stop crying now. I don’t like that I’m making you cry.”“How can I not cry when I almost lost you? The doctor assured us that the pois
“GOOD MORNING,” Celene opened her eyes to see Noah’s smile. It was infectious, and she couldn’t help but smile back at him as he looked at her with his head propped up on his hand, “How are you feeling?”“I’m feeling great, I feel refreshed,” she responded, closing one eye as he leaned in to plant a gentle kiss on her forehead.“That’s a relief. I was afraid that you’d be sore from last night,” he chuckled, remembering how they had made love again and again after taking a quick break. Celene’s cheeks instantly turned red as she too, remembered how wild their night was.Not only did they continue to engage in intimate activities, but they also did it without protection throughout the night.“I cooked us breakfast, let’s go downstairs before it gets cold.” Noah chuckled because he could tell that his wife was reminiscing their passionate encounter last night.Celene nodded and got up out of bed, stretching her limbs while yawning. She then made her way to the bathroom to freshen up befo
THE SOUND of the bed creaking and their heavy breathing filled the room as Noah and Celene lay intertwined together, enjoying every inch of each other’s bodies. Tender kisses covered their bare skin, leaving their lips red from kissing. Their fingers entangled in each other’s hair making them forget everything else in the world, and only they mattered to each other.“I love you so much,” Noah muttered between kisses as his lips met Celene’s. They were both completely intoxicated with passion and bliss, unable to keep themselves from moaning at each other’s touch. His tongue danced against hers before sliding into her mouth, causing her to shudder underneath his touch.“Nghh~ I love you, too,” Celene breathed out, her hips moving against his own. She wanted him desperately, she craved him constantly for the past days they were apart, and now that they were finally together, she couldn’t get enough of him.A small smile curved Noah’s lips as he lowered his mouth to her chest, gently kis
“MOM,” Celene called out when she entered the private room where her father was currently sleeping. “How’s Dad?”“He’s recovering well. According to the doctor, he should be able to go home in about a week if everything continues to improve as expected.” Isabelle replied and Celene felt a sense of relief.At least there was some good news amidst the unpleasantness that had filled her day so far.“I see, that’s good to know.” She smiled, “By the way Mom, I’ll be going back to the penthouse.”“Oh, Is Noah returning tonight?”“Yes, Mom. I just drop by here so I can tell you personally.” Celene smiled before kissing her mother on the cheek, “Tomorrow, I’ll visit again and take care of Dad so, you can go home and rest.”“All right,” Isabelle nodded in understanding, and Celene moved over to the bed to give her father a gentle kiss on the forehead. With a wish for his speedy recovery, she left the hospital, hoping to see him back to full health soon.“Let’s swing by my parents’ place first
THE SOUND of her phone ringing jolted Celene awake from her peaceful sleep. With a groan, she fumbled for her phone with one eye still closed. When she saw that it was Martin calling, she quickly answered and brought the phone to her ear.“Hello?” she greeted, her voice groggy as she rolled onto her back.“Good morning, Ma’am. I’m already on my way to your parents’ house. I’ll be there in 30 minutes.” The moment those words reached Celene's ears, she shot up and glanced at the clock on the bedside table to check the time.It was already 9:00 AM.“All right, call me again when you’re already here.” She jumped out of bed and hurried into the bathroom to freshen up before ending the call abruptly. She realized she had overslept and had to be somewhere by 10:00 am, but she had just woken up. She cursed under her breath and rushed to get ready before Martin came to pick her up.She quickly took care of her appearance, brushing her hair and changing into a new outfit. She even added some ma
“CELENE!” Celene felt a surge of anxiety as she heard the desperation in Isabelle’s voice when she saw her rushing out of her father’s room with urgency.“W-what’s wrong? Did something happen to Dad?” she asked, her heart beating faster.“N-no, but he’s woken up.” Isabelle’s eyes welled up with tears, and Celene’s previously tense expression softened into one of relief.Together, they entered the room where Herman had finally awoken after a long period of sleep after his operation.“Dad,” She approached the bed, her eyes getting teary at the sight of him awake, “How are you feeling?”“Hmm, I’m feeling fine.” Herman’s lips curled into a smile as he extended his hand to gently brush his daughter’s cheek. He then turned to his wife, who was now overcome with emotion and tears. He tenderly touched Isabelle’s face just as he had done to Celene and smiled, “Dear, stop crying. I’m okay, I’m alive.”“I-I know, I’m just glad nothing bad happens to you.” she sobbed and Celene pursed her lips, t
THE AROMA of freshly brewed coffee greeted Noah as he entered the kitchen, where Celene was already busy making breakfast for them. He couldn’t resist wrapping his arms around her waist and planting a gentle kiss on her neck as he watched her cook.“Did you wake up early for this?” he asked and Celene nodded.“Yeah, I wanted to cook for you and eat breakfast together before you leave,” she answered before turning off the stove and facing him. She then wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down a bit so she could kiss him. “Let’s eat,”Noah gave a small nod and took a seat at the dining table. From there, he observed Celene as she finished arranging everything on the table. Once she was done, she joined him and started to eat together.“Are you going to work today?” he asked as he took a bite from his toast.“Yeah, I’m feeling fine now since I had plenty of sleep last night,” she replied, “After work,I’ll head directly to my parent’s house to drop off my bag before making a vi
“NO,” Celene’s response was firm and unwavering. She could see the desperation in Martha’s eyes, but she couldn’t bring herself to give in. After everything that had happened between her and Jarred, she didn’t owe them anything.“If that was your sole purpose for coming here, then you can go now. I have no intention of seeing your son ever again.” She added as she straightened her posture and went back to her swivel chair, “I have a lot on my plate already, so if you dare to show up here again, I’ll make sure that you and your son will never be able to escape the mess you’ve gotten yourselves into.”Martha winced at the harshness in her voice, but she remained resolute. She had to keep fighting for her son, no matter how much his ex-wife still despised them. It was a difficult battle, but she couldn’t give up.Watching Jarred struggle lately was devastating for Martha as a mother. She blamed herself for the crumbling of their family; not only she hadn’t been a bad mother-in-law to Cel
TIME FLEW BY and the false rumors about Celene and Noah’s alleged affair before their marriage were finally dispelled. Martha’s statement had a significant influence in restoring the couple’s reputation, and as a result, they were no longer subjected to any further falsehoods or gossip being spread about them.“Are you sure about going public?” Celene placed the cup of coffee on the center table and took a seat next to Noah, who was engrossed in reading some documents. However, as soon as he felt her by his side, he set aside his paperwork and focused his attention on his wife.“Yeah, I don’t plan on hiding my face from the media forever anyway,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her shoulder, “But, are you sure you won’t go to Paris with me?”“I’m sorry, as much as I wanted to be with you on your first public appearance, I have many other tasks that require my attention,” Celene said apologetically, leaning her head onto Noah’s chest.If only she weren’t busy, she would definitel