She had always kept to herself, both in and out of the industry, and friends were few and far between.
But after all that had happened lately, she’d silently promoted Celestine from a
benefactor to a benefactor and a friend.
She didn’t want her friend to think she’d stabbed her in the back.
So Celestine’s feelings suddenly mattered a great deal.
Celestine herself couldn’t remember the last time someone cared this much about
her emotions. The realization stirred something deep inside.
“All right, I promise,” she said at last.
They chatted a bit longer, and only when Denton started urging her did Mirabelle finally hang up.
Knowing Mirabelle still had a shoot tonight, Celestine felt safe to call it a day and
head home.
By the time she reached her apartment, a gentle rain had begun to fall, soaking the city in that earthy, grassy scent.
She felt her whole body start to relax, tension ebbing away with each breath.
But as she reached her door, she was startled to find little Cynthia crouched there,
soaked to the skin.
“Cynthia?” Celestine exclaimed in surprise.
Cynthia looked up with big, pleading eyes. She seemed desperate for a hug but hesitated, aware of her drenched clothes.
Her voice trembled. “Miss Angel, Grandpa’s gone off on a trip with his friends. I was all alone at home and got scared. Can I sleep with you tonight?”
Celestine immediately took her cold little hand without a second thought. “Of course. But first, let’s get inside and change into something dry, all right? You have your key?”
Cynthia nodded.
She fished a keyring out of her pocket, adorned with a shiny mermaid charm.
Celestine unlocked the door.
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It was her first time stepping into Clifton’s place.
The entryway faced a wall of cabinets, all of them filled with medicine bottles and supplies.
A faint herbal scent lingered in the air.
Lush green plants and fresh flowers brightened every corner, filling the room with life.
The layout was similar to her own place, but the decor was entirely different–warm, purposeful, alive.
Celestine didn’t linger. She led Cynthia straight to the bathroom to shower and change.
Worried about her catching a cold, she even made Cynthia drink some cold medicine as a precaution.
Cynthia was surprisingly obedient.
Unlike most kids, she didn’t grimace or protest at the taste of the medicine.
Celestine thought of her own twins, who acted as if every dose of medicine was a mortal enemy. Their delicate health meant she was always searching for ways to make the concoctions more palatable, but no matter what she did, getting them to actually swallow it was a battle.
But Cynthia tilted her head back and downed it all in one go without complaint.
Oh, Uncle, if you can’t get the mermaid princess to dance on my bed tonight, I promise I’ll make a scene!
“Good girl,” Celestine praised, gently ruffling her hair.
Cynthia beamed, a little shy, then asked, “Miss Angel, you look so pretty today. You’re not going out on a date tonight, are you?”
“You little charmer.” Celestine tweaked her nose. “No dates, I promise. I said I’d stay, and I will.”
Cynthia pumped her little fists in the air. “Yay, yay! That’s awesome!”
As night fell, Celestine curled up with Cynthia in her blue, ocean–themed princess bedroom, telling mermaid bedtime stories until they both drifted off to sleep.
Half–awake, Celestine heard the soft drip–drip–drip of water.
At first, she thought it was just the rain outside, but the sound grew louder,
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Chapter 129
closer–like it was coming from the next room.
The noise finally dragged her from sleep.
She shrugged on a cardigan, got out of bed, and followed the sound out into the hallway.
It was coming from the shared bathroom.
Celestine’s heart skipped. Don’t tell me a pipe burst?
Anxiously, she shoved the bathroom door open.
The sound of rushing water filled her ears.
And then–she froze, stunned by the scene in front of her.
For a moment, her mind went completely blank.
15.01 #
