Raymond instinctively danced at Chester
Chester gave a hod.
jeg
With their father’s approval, the two kids seemed to breathe again relief washing over their faces.
Raymond scrambled up from the ground, cheerful as ever
Summer was nearly here, and Raymond wore a pair of navy blue overalls, but off just below the knee
As Celestine glanced down, she noticed the faint outline of knee pads beneath this clothes–so thin and subtle that you’d only spot them if you looked closely
She said nothing about it.
Instead, she took each child by the hand and led them away.
Chester’s tightly furrowed brow relaxed a little.
As he’d suspected, she’d softened.
No matter how much trouble those kids caused, they were still flesh of her flesh.
carried under her heart for nine months.
No matter how bitter things had gotten, she still couldn’t bear to see them suffer
Chester’s mood lifted. He followed behind Celestine.
Celestine guided the children away from the crowd, stopping at a spot where the sun blazed overhead and there was no shade.
The concrete was covered in decorative pebbles that dug painfully into their fees.
It was tucked away, rarely visited.
She halted.
Chester assumed she’d forgotten something.
He was about to ask when he saw her raise her head. The tenderness in her eyes had vanished, replaced by cool indifference.
She gave the children a curt command.
“Kneel.”
Both kids stared at her in disbelief.
Chester’s face went rigid with anger. “Celestine, what the hell are you doing?”
“I won’t forgive you.”
Meeting Chester’s now–dangerous gaze, Celestine stood her ground, her voice calm and steady. “I won’t forgive the Fordhams.”
With that, she turned on her heel and walked away.
Panic flared in both kids.
“Mom! I can change my last name! I can be Raymond Selwyn! Please–ow!”
In his desperation, Raymond dropped to his knees, but the pebbles jabbed him sharply and he sprang up, yelping in pain.
Celia trembled, looking utterly lost.
Every second here felt like torture.
Chester let out a cold, mirthless laugh.
Fine!
He’d underestimated her.
Celestine Selwyn actually had a backbone.
He’d enjoy seeing how long her resolve lasted, especially once someone else moved into that apartment.
Pulling out his phone, Chester called his assistant and instructed him to list the apartment for sublet.
Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows nearby, Joanna Sinclair watched the whole scene unfold, disguised in a cap and mask.
She’d followed the four of them all the way to the unfinished apartment complex, lingering by the fake rock garden.
From her vantage point, she watched Celestine force the children to kneel, then walk away without a backward glance; there was a certain ruthless grace in the gesture.
Joanna stared after her, resentment burning in her glassy green ey
Was this woman playing hard to get, or had she truly stopped caring?
14:24
Joanna couldn’t tell anymore.
But Chester’s attitude toward Celestine was making her increasingly uneasy.
He’d just used the promise of never seeing her again as a bargaining chip to keep Celestine from leaving.
It all started at the Portside City gallery–Celestine’s little scheme had made sure Chester overheard those damning words, and ever since, he’d started to waver.
He’d even chosen Celestine first when the kidnappers demanded a hostage.
It was infuriating. This man was supposed to be hers from the start! What right did Celestine have to take what belonged to her? To covet her man?
Even if Celestine no longer loved him, Joanna would never let her get away with it.
Her eyes gleamed with malice.
She’d already heard about Lance Blake’s latest plan.
He fancied himself clever, and for once, he might actually be onto something.
If Celestine could be lured into an affair–even a fake one–Joanna was more than happy to help nudge things along until fiction became reality.
She dialed Lance’s number.
At that very moment, Celestine, just reaching the apartment with her takeout, answered her phone as it rang.
“Home yet?” Lance’s voice came through, weak and raspy.
Celestine replied with a noncommittal “Yeah.”
“Good. I’m looking forward to lunch, Miss Selwyn. I swear I can already smell it from here.”
Celestine glanced at the now–cold takeout in her hand and pressed her lips together. “Don’t get your hopes up.”
