All I Ask Is a Quiet Life

Celeste Lodge has been married to Terence Ford for three years. He's hated her guts the whole time. The day Winona Ford returns, he finally can't take it anymore and begins planning to fake his death so he can run away with her. "I'll fake my death in one month. I'll give up my position as heir to the Ford family and be with Winona forever." Hearing this from outside the operating room, Celeste Lodge immediately contacts a lawyer to draft divorce papers. Then, she calls her brother, Hayden Lodge, who lives abroad. "Hayden, I'm done with Terence. I'm ready to leave and live overseas with you." Chapter 1 Celeste Lodge hurried to the hospital to volunteer for a blood match and donation after learning that Terence Ford fought in 12 consecutive boxing matches, suffering organ damage. She was taken to a hospital ward after a series of tests, and 1000cc of blood was taken from her. She felt her consciousness fading as the blood left her body. She didn't know how much time had passed before she vaguely heard familiar voices as her head spun. "Are you that into Winona Ford, Terence? She's not even related to you! You put your life on the line in those boxing matches to get a necklace that she flippantly said she liked! You fought in 12 consecutive matches—were you actually trying to kill yourself? "That's not all. You drew 1000cc of blood from Celeste, and you're going to take a huge patch of her skin just because Winona burned her leg in an accident! We've all seen everything Celeste has done for you and your family over the years. Don't you think you're crossing the line with this?" Celeste's fingers dug into her palms. So, it turned out Terence had fought in 12 consecutive boxing matches to get a necklace that Winona liked. He even lied to her about having organ damage so he could take her blood to save Winona. Last but not least, he had her drugged and strapped to an operating table so he could graft her skin onto Winona's burns. The room fell silent for a long time. "Nothing I do can be considered crossing the line when it comes to someone like Celeste," Terence said hoarsely. "She forced me to marry her three years ago, leading to Winona leaving the country. I couldn't find her, no matter where I searched. I've lived like a zombie for the past three years. "Just yesterday, Winona returned to the country. And today, she got into an accident. Think about how much blood Celeste has on her hands—how am I at fault for taking some of her skin and blood?" He growled, "She can't complain even if I wanted to take her life, let alone some blood. It's what she deserves for forcing Winona away. She owes me this! Anyway, I'm not interested in her life. I have more important things to do." Celeste's blood ran cold, and she trembled uncontrollably. "You're married now. What do you have up your sleeve?" Eugene Kane asked, sounding hesitant and wary. "I'm going to fake my death in a month," Terence said firmly. "I'll give up being the Ford family's sole heir so that Winona and I can be together forever." Celeste struggled to keep her eyes open as she turned to look at him. He was covered in wounds, and it was difficult for him to speak. Still, he held on as he wiped the blood from his fingers and clutched a necklace tightly. His eyes were swollen and bloodshot, but that did nothing to hide the love and stubbornness in his gaze. It had been three years since she'd seen that gaze. Terence never let his emotions show when he was with her; he only became a different person when dealing with anything related to Winona. A scalpel sliced into Celeste's skin. The pain almost made her stop breathing, but the agony from her broken heart smothered her more. Terence had always been one of Jeriton's elite. He was outstanding in every way, and every woman his age liked him. Celeste was one of them. However, she knew he wasn't interested in her. He only had eyes for Winona, with whom he'd grown up. They shared the same surname but weren't related. He would run home right after school let out to bring her her favorite ice cream, and he would skip school to stay by her side when she was burning up with a high fever. He'd even fought in boxing matches for years because she'd said that she was attracted to boxers. Terence had turned everyone down for Winona's sake, so Celeste had never imagined that she would stand a chance with him. But one day, Terence's grandfather, Francis Ford, discovered his feelings for Winona. He'd sent Winona away and forced Terence to marry Celeste, threatening him with death if he didn't do as told. After Francis was hospitalized over and over again, Terence finally gave in and stopped resisting. Later, when he heard Francis congratulating Celeste on a dream come true, he became convinced that she'd told Francis about his feelings for Winona out of selfishness, forcing the marriage and driving Winona away. From then on, Terence had harbored only hatred for Celeste. However, he had no idea Winona herself was the one who'd told Francis about his feelings. Back when Terence was abducted by an enemy, leaving his life hanging in the balance, Winona had immediately gone to Francis to strike a deal with him. She'd demanded a hundred million dollars in exchange for her leaving the country and Terence forever. Ford Group's stock price had plummeted after news of Terence's abduction had gotten out. Celeste was the one who'd stepped up to act as guarantor without a care for the consequences, keeping Ford Group afloat and later getting Terence back. To calm the media storm, the Ford and Lodge families had agreed to a three-year marriage alliance. Celeste had tried explaining things to Terence, but he'd treated her like his nemesis throughout their three years together. Being under the same roof at the same time was hard enough—getting him to listen to her explanation was out of the question. She'd laid out all the evidence before him, but he hadn't even spared it a glance. And now, he was sure that she'd gotten someone to go after Winona, getting her into an accident when she'd only been back for a few days. Tears flowed down Celeste's face, and she felt like she had something lodged in her throat. She could barely breathe. … Celeste was wheeled to a hospital ward after Terence left with a nurse. Once the effects of the anesthesia wore off, she called her brother, Hayden Lodge. "Hayden, I'm giving up on Terence. I'll move abroad to live with you." Chapter 2 Hayden had been nursing a drink at a bar to rid himself of his frustration when he received Celeste's call. He immediately straightened up in delight at her words. He exclaimed, "Really? Have you finally seen sense, Celeste? I told you Terence Ford was no good! His fists are hard, but his heart is harder! You were bound to suffer by his side! Thankfully, you've come to your senses now. Have you packed your things yet? I'll head back to pick you up now!" Celeste's heart twisted painfully when she heard the tremor in his voice because of how agitated he was. She endured her discomfort as she said, "You need to get the immigration papers started first, Hayden. I'll head over in a month after wrapping up everything here. I'm not coming back anymore." Only then did Hayden remember that certain procedures needed to be completed before one could immigrate. He hastily agreed and hung up to get started on them. Celeste's gaze darkened after ending the call. She had a month to sever the ties between Ford Group and Lodge Group—she would do it before Terence faked his death. She would rid herself of him and the Ford family before he could do it to her. She didn't owe him anything after everything she'd done for him in the past three years. And she definitely wasn't going to stay there and deal with the mess that was bound to arise after he faked his death. … Celeste spent the next five days alone at the hospital. Terence never once showed up during that period. He'd abandoned her there after taking her blood and skin, not even bothering to give her a superficial explanation. He didn't care how she would react after regaining consciousness. She curled her lip mockingly and wiped the tears that had eked out on their own. Then, she contacted someone to prepare divorce papers for her. On the day she was discharged, she brought the divorce agreement back to the Ford residence with her. As she approached the door, she heard voices drift out. "Terence, you left Celeste at the hospital for the past week to be with me. She won't get mad and refuse to come home, will she? Stop lining up to get food for me, and go be with her instead of hanging around by my bedside…" Winona said. Terence gently massaged her ankle, looking at her affectionately. A hint of impatience flashed in his eyes at the mention of Celeste. "I don't need to do that—she can't bear to leave me. Even if she did, she'd come crawling back in three days." Celeste stiffened as anguish flashed in her eyes. So, he was so sure that she loved him too deeply to leave him. That was why he did whatever he wanted without a care for how she would feel. She laughed bitterly before pushing the door open. Silence descended upon the room. The affection in Terence's eyes disappeared. He patted Winona comfortingly before turning to look at Celeste warily. He thought she would kick up a fuss and cause a scene, but she merely held out an agreement, looking calm. "Sign this." He was taken aback for a second when the outburst he expected didn't come. Still, he didn't think anything was amiss because she'd given him work-related agreements like this in the past. He took it and signed it with a frown. He wanted to say something, but his phone buzzed. It was about work, so he gave Winona a heads-up before heading to the study. Celeste turned to head to her room after getting Terence to sign the divorce agreement, but Winona stopped her. "You must be Celeste Lodge, right? I heard about you from Terence—you're a fangirl who pulled all sorts of tricks to marry him." She snorted. "He also said you're really good at serving others. How about you make me a cup of hot coffee?" She lifted her hair casually as she spoke, revealing the diamond necklace around her neck. It was the one Terence had won after fighting in 12 consecutive boxing matches. It symbolized eternal and passionate love. Celeste knew Winona was showing off and reminding her of her place. She frowned, not wanting to waste time arguing with her at a time like this. She wanted to reject Winona. However, the latter expected this and said flippantly, "I'll tell Terence that you bullied me if you refuse to do it. I think he'll probably be mad, which means things won't end well for you." Celeste balled her hands into fists, her gaze turning dark. Winona was right—she only had to say the word to make Terence believe her without a shadow of a doubt. Celeste had to hang around for a while longer before she could leave. It would be better for her to steer clear of trouble as much as possible so she could ensure she left safely. She said, "Fine. I'll do it." Ten minutes later, she returned with a cup of coffee. Winona cocked an eyebrow and took a sip. Then, her expression darkened, and she splashed the rest of the coffee in Celeste's face. "What on earth is this? It tastes disgusting!" She didn't stop there. She threw the cup at Celeste's head. It fell to the floor and shattered into pieces, leaving Celeste's forehead with a bloody wound. The droplets of blood trickled down, staining the floor a glaring, vivid red. Pain was all Celeste felt. But before she could react, Winona noticed something out of the corner of her eye and grabbed a glass of cold water from the table, pouring it over herself. Then, she cried out in pain and fell to the floor, completing a performance all on her own. That was when Terence returned. He ran over the moment he heard the ruckus. His blood boiled when he saw Winona clutching her head and screaming in pain. He shoved Celeste away and gathered Winona into his arms. He didn't hold back, so Celeste lost her balance and fell to the floor, her hands instinctively pressing on the glass shards as she caught herself. They cut into her palms, making her blood flow. "Winona, are you hurt? Did you twist your ankle? Were you scalded?" Terence asked urgently. Winona leaned into his arms pitifully and shrank back fearfully. "I'm fine, Terence. I think she's mad because you've been spending all your time with me. She poured hot water on me and even pushed me because I accidentally spilled coffee on her. But it's okay—it's only right for her to be mad. I don't blame her." Terence glared at Celeste, the hatred and disgust in his gaze on full display. "You'll never change, Celeste. Your tricks will always be this dirty, and so will your heart." His gaze darkened, and he held Winona tightly as he grabbed the remaining glass of hot water from the coffee table. He snarled, "I told you not to touch my precious Winona! I'll give you a taste of what you put her through!" Celeste didn't even have time to explain. He splashed the hot water on her as soon as the words were out of his mouth. She instinctively raised her hands to block it, and the water scalded her. The burning sensation made her cry out in agony, and beads of cold sweat formed on her forehead. She trembled from the pain, but Terence didn't want to let her off the hook just yet. As he stalked closer, she tried to force an explanation through the pain. "I didn't touch her, Terence!" She asked the butler, Mike Smith, to get the surveillance footage. "See for yourself—Winona framed me!" Mike brought a laptop to Terence. Celeste had already come up with a plan to counter Winona's false accusations the moment she did it, but… Terence's expression shifted as he watched the surveillance footage. However, all Winona needed to do was sob in his arms. He immediately suppressed the odd emotions that welled up within him. He stroked her hair and said comfortingly, "Don't be scared. I know you didn't mean to do it." He only looked up at Celeste when Winona stopped weeping. Then, sounding like he was pardoning Celeste of some crime, he said, "This matter ends here. Pack your things and move out of the master bedroom. You're taking the guest room." He looked icily at her wounds before heading to his room with Winona. Celeste hadn't expected this. She'd laid out the evidence before him, yet he could still side with Winona without even batting an eye. She lifted her bloody hands with difficulty, her eyes filled with mockery and despair. Then, she said to the empty room, "Fine. I'll move." Chapter 3 Celeste moved out of the master bedroom that very night. She took nothing but her identification and essential documents, leaving even her clothes behind. She told the housekeeper to throw out all of her belongings to make way for Winona. She felt more exhausted than ever when she settled down in the guest room. She didn't even have the strength to go to the hospital. All she did was collapse on the bed, falling asleep almost immediately. However, she woke up in the middle of the night with a heavy head. She felt like she was burning all over, almost like she was being roasted over a fire. This evidently wasn't the right way to feel when fall had already arrived. Celeste realized something was wrong and cracked her eyes open with difficulty. To her surprise, she saw Terence sitting by her bed and carefully tending to the burns on her arms. He glanced at her when he noticed she was awake. Then, he picked up a pill from the bedside table and held it to her lips, making her take it with water. "Your wounds are inflamed, and you're burning up. Take something for the fever before going back to sleep." There was the slightest hint of worry in his low voice. After she swallowed the pill, he added, "Winona got you the medication, so stop picking on her from now on. Take it and get some rest." This was the first time since they'd married that Terence had cared for Celeste when she'd fallen sick, but it was just to tell her not to go against Winona. Celeste hadn't even done anything wrong. But so what? Winona was all he cared about. Celeste felt a deep sense of bitterness surge in her. Her consciousness slowly blurred, and she wanted to go back to sleep, hoping the dizziness would soon pass. However, her body was still burning, and it was getting worse with every passing second. Her eyelids were heavy; she couldn't even open them. She lay there, fighting with herself for a long time before finally managing to crack her eyes open again. She mustered all her strength to prop herself up in bed. She felt her neck to find that it was blazing hot. She dragged herself to the mirror to see that her eyes were bloodshot from the fever. Not only had her fever not broken, but it had gotten worse. She knew she couldn't drag this out any longer, so she stumbled toward the door. Something occurred to her when she got there, so she turned back to grab the bottle of fever medicine on her bedside table. By the time Celeste got to the hospital, her fever had already spiked to 104 Fahrenheit. She could barely breathe; the medical personnel immediately wheeled her into the ER. A doctor arranged for her to be hospitalized. Her blood was drawn for further tests, and the burns on her arms were tended to. Her fever finally broke and subsided after being put on IV drips throughout the night. The doctor asked sternly, "What were you thinking? How could you not have put anything on your burns when they were so badly inflamed? And how could you take just about anything for your fever? Do you have a death wish?" Celeste frowned, and her heart sank. "Wait, you said I didn't do anything to my burns? But they were tended to. And the medication I took was given to me by my family. How did I end up like this?" As she asked that, a guess formed in her mind. Her gaze darkened, and she pursed her lips as she retrieved the bottle of fever medicine she'd brought from home. She handed it to the doctor and said, "This is what was given to me. Isn't it supposed to help with the fever?" He took it and checked the label seriously. Then, his expression turned grim. "This is ridiculous! This is a government-restricted drug! Not only will it not help bring your fever down, but it can even poison your kidneys and cause internal bleeding! Whoever gave you this was trying to kill you!" Celeste stared at the prescription bottle, feeling like her fever was making a comeback after having just subsided. The heat made her fingers go numb. Soon, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Terence, but when she opened it, she found a video from Winona instead. In it, Winona grinned and asked, "Are you having a nice stay in the hospital after taking what I gave you, Celeste? I bought it just for you, you know. I guarantee your heart will feel like it's on a roller-coaster ride after you take it! "Oh, and I also gave you the wrong thing for your burns. Instead of burn ointment, a moisturizer was applied to them. You'd better treat them soon, or you'll be left with scars!" Celeste wanted to save the video as evidence, but it was deleted before she could. She knew Terence had done it—he was afraid she would go after Winona and force her to take responsibility. She curled her lip mockingly and lowered her gaze while taking a deep breath. Then, she called the police. "Hi, I'd like to report someone for attempted murder." She drifted off to sleep again after calling the police. When she next woke up, it was due to the incessant ringing of her phone. Terence was the one calling. She knew what he wanted, but she didn't have the strength to argue with him. She was about to block his number when her phone rang again. This time, the call was from Hayden. She answered it. "Celeste, the immigration papers are already being processed. It'll take about half a month. I've already bought my flight ticket back so I can pick you up. Are you ready to go?" A slightly nervous tone replaced his usual relaxed drawl. Perhaps he was afraid she would change her mind. She smiled faintly when she sensed his caution and said, "Yeah, I am. Don't worry, Hayden. I won't change my mind. I'm definitely leaving after I deal with things here." The ward door swung open as soon as the words were out of her mouth. Terence stood there, his expression stormy. "You're leaving? Where do you think you're going? I won't let you go anywhere before this matter with Winona is resolved!" Chapter 4 Timothy's voice was hard. Celeste's smile disappeared when she saw him. She didn't want Hayden to hear about this and worry about her, so she quickly made an excuse to hang up. As soon as she did that, Terence snarled, "Why did you call the cops, Celeste? Winona just switched out the medication in the heat of the moment. Did you have to go after her for that? Do you know how badly you scared her by calling the cops on her like that? You made her cry!" His expression was frosty, but his eyes blazed with flames of rage. It was as if she'd committed a heinous crime. Celeste lowered her gaze and curled her lip mockingly. "You think I should've let her off for what she did? I ended up in the ER last night, you know. Or do you think I should've waited until after I died to call the police?" She'd gone into shock and had almost died. She'd spent the night in the hospital, yet he hadn't even asked how she was. His first thought upon learning that she'd called the police was to interrogate her, and his first reaction to learning that Winona had switched out the medication was to side with her. His heart was wholly and completely in Winona's favor. Terence was taken aback by Celeste's questions. Then, he snapped to his senses, and a trace of irritation flashed in her eyes. He scowled impatiently and said, "She acted impulsively in switching out the medication, but I've already told her off for that. Stop harping on about it. Besides, you're fine now, aren't you? I'll stay here to care for you if you're still mad. Happy now?" He had more to say, but his phone rang, stopping him. He immediately dropped his scowl when he saw it was Winona calling. "Everything's fine, so don't worry. They can't take you away, alright? Stop crying. Does your cut still hurt?" He left the room as he spoke on the phone. Celeste watched him, suddenly finding the situation laughable. She'd long since lost hope in him, yet she still found his actions ironic. She'd almost died, yet all he'd done was berate her. Winona had just cut her hand, yet he was so worried he couldn't bear to leave her for even a minute. Her chest throbbed dully with pain; she suddenly lost the strength to fight back. … Terence claimed he would stay in the hospital to be with Celeste, but Winona wouldn't let that happen. Each time he set foot in the hospital ward, he would receive a message or call from her. "I'm scared to be home alone, Terence. Can you come back to be with me? "You know I tend to sleepwalk. I can't rest easy without you watching over me. Come home, please. "I'm so bored today. If you don't come home to be with me, I might just go abroad to spend a year or two with my friends." A message or phone call would be enough to draw all of Terence's attention. He would absent-mindedly tell Celeste to rest well before turning and leaving. All Celeste did was watch calmly as he came and went. Maybe it was because she'd long since lost hope in him, but seeing him so devoted to Winona no longer affected her. She was already numb. All she wanted now was to get better as soon as possible so she could leave forever and never see him again. … Celeste was alone on the day she was discharged from the hospital. During her final week before her departure, she received an invitation to watch a boxing match. It was organized by one of her company's business partners—she and Terence had both been invited. She accepted the invitation and got dressed before leaving the house. Terence waited beside the car in a dark suit tailored for him. It made him look commanding. When Celeste came out of the house, she saw him hold the door open as Winona got into the front passenger seat. She wore a pale pink evening gown, and her hair cascaded down her back in waves. Her makeup was light and impeccable, and she looked up at him with twinkling eyes. Celeste faltered when she saw them acting so affectionately. Soon, however, she suppressed her emotions and got into the backseat without batting an eye. On the way to the boxing ring, she looked out the window quietly, not reacting to any of Terence's and Winona's laughter and chatter. Eventually, they fell silent. Celeste sensed a sharp gaze occasionally landing on her amid the silence. She turned to meet Terence's eyes in the rearview mirror. He looked at her oddly. Then, he looked away. Guests milled about at the venue. Terence entered the hall with Winona on his arm. He deliberately left Celeste behind as he carefully shielded Winona. He introduced her to everyone he knew and pulled out her seat for her, leaning close to her as he explained the rules of the match to her. "I guess the rumors online are true—Mr. Ford is very displeased with his wife. Did you see how he hasn't even spared her a glance since they arrived?" "Anyone with eyes can tell that Winona is the one he cares about. See how he can't take his eyes off her now that she's by his side? I bet he and Celeste are going to call it quits soon." Celeste's heart ached a little at their words. She clenched her fists but kept her expression calm. The boxing match heated up, and blood spilled as fists flew. She couldn't stand the brutality, so she got up to quietly leave the scene. Just then, Winona shot to her feet and felt around anxiously for something. "My necklace is gone! It's missing!" Chapter 5 "Terence, the necklace you gave me is gone! It's the one you got after fighting in 12 consecutive boxing matches, and it's the only one in the world! Hurry and help me find it—it means a lot to me!" Winona cried. Things descended into chaos, and all the lights were flipped on. Celeste had just made sense of what had happened when someone grabbed her arm and dragged her back from the door. "Mr. Ford, this person was sneaking out of the hall. The necklace might be with her." As soon as the words were out of their mouth, a necklace fell to the floor behind her. The person standing beside her hurriedly picked it up and held it high. "Look, here it is! I knew she was sneaking off for a reason! She's a thief!" All eyes landed on Celeste at those words. Some people were appraising, some were disdainful, some were disgusted, and some were just excited by the drama. Winona had already made her way to Celeste when the necklace had fallen. She said, "I know your parents died when you were young and that a playboy brother raised you. I can give you everything else that you want, but that necklace really means a lot to me. "The necklace isn't all that's gone missing. My bracelet and diamond ring are gone, too. They were all from Terence, so please let me search you for them." She waved as she spoke. Two bodyguards shot forward and grabbed each of Celeste's arms before starting to tug at her clothes. Celeste's expression darkened. "Let me go! I didn't steal from you! There are surveillance cameras everywhere—look at the footage if you've lost something! You think you can just search me like this after forcing a false accusation on me? Do you think you're still abroad?" She tried her best to break free, but a woman's strength still fell short when compared to a man, especially since two bodyguards were holding onto her. She couldn't escape them, and the crowd watched her coldly. Her gaze hardened as the bodyguards tried to strip her. Then, throwing caution to the wind, she kicked Winona hard in the abdomen. Winona screamed in pain and fell to the floor. Everyone stopped what they were doing. "Come on, she's the heiress of the Lodge family. Why would she steal a necklace? This must be a misunderstanding." "Why wouldn't she? Mr. Ford won that necklace after fighting in boxing matches, and Celeste is hopelessly in love with him. Who knows how long she's been jealous of Winona?" "She even had the nerve to kick Ms. Ford. Do you see the look in Mr. Ford's eyes? He's going to kill her." Sure enough, Terence charged forward as the crowd whispered among themselves. His eyes were filled with heartache as he checked on Winona. Then, he turned to give Celeste a deadly look. "Do you want to die, Celeste Lodge? How dare you hurt Winona! Apologize now!" he roared. Celeste remained where she was, her fingers trembling as she pulled her clothes tighter around herself. She said sarcastically, "You didn't do anything when she ordered her bodyguards to seize me and strip me in public, yet you're making me apologize for fighting back. Do you even have a heart, Terence? She orchestrated this whole thing—there's no way I'm apologizing for that." With that, she turned to leave. Terence's expression turned hideous, and he stormed after her, stretching out an arm to stop her from leaving. He said commandingly, "I told you to apologize. You're not going anywhere if you don't." She clutched the hem of her clothes so tightly that her nails almost bit into her palms. Her blood boiled, but all she did was force out, "What if I refuse to apologize?" What would he do if she didn't apologize? He sneered and raised a hand. The two bodyguards from earlier came to grab her again. Terence said, "We need an assistant in the boxing ring to hype things up. I'll send you up there." Chapter 6 Terence's sentence was short and sweet, but his words made Celeste's blood run cold. The boxing match they were watching that day was a professional one, and the boxers would fight to the death to please the audience. The more blood there was, the more excitement it would bring about. She wouldn't just end up becoming a joke if she were sent up there—she probably wouldn't even make it out alive! She couldn't believe Terence could be this cruel just to get back at her on Winona's behalf! Celeste started laughing. She laughed so hard that tears streamed down her face. "Don't you think an apology is the least you can do, Celeste? You stole from Winona and even hurt her! What right do you have to cry?" A trace of impatience flashed in Terence's eyes. The bodyguards closed in on Celeste, and despair washed over her. She bit the inside of her cheek so hard that it drew blood, then mustered all her strength to shove the bodyguards away. After that, she lunged forward and slapped Terence hard across the face, using all of her might. The crisp sound echoed in the silent hall. "I didn't steal anything, so I'm not apologizing!" Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably as she tried to keep her sobs at bay. "Why do you think I kicked her? Because she framed me for something I didn't do and tried to strip me without any proof! "Should I have let her humiliate me as everyone watched instead of pushing her away? You believe everything Winona Ford tells you without even thinking whether it makes sense! What do you take me for, Terence? What exactly do you take me for?" Celeste's eyes brimmed with tears, and anguish colored her voice. She'd always been calm and composed, so this was her first time losing control of her emotions. Terence was taken aback. He stared at her, suddenly feeling his chest clench uncomfortably. Just then, Winona approached. She said, "Alright, alright. I'm sure Celeste didn't mean for this to happen. The bodyguards misunderstood me. Anyway, the necklace has been found. I'll let this matter slide." Her attitude did a 180, and she smiled faintly. However, it didn't reach her eyes. As she picked up a wine glass, she looked at Celeste and mouthed, "You're done for." Then, she leaned close and poured the wine on herself before dropping the glass on the floor, making it shatter. She staggered backward, her eyes reddening. Coincidentally enough, she slipped on the glass shards and lost her balance, falling right into Terence's waiting arms. "Celeste, I genuinely wanted to bury the hatchet and move past this. How could you…" She hissed and lifted the hem of her gown to reveal a thin scratch. "It hurts…" The crowd was immediately abuzz. "She really has no manners—not that she had any parents to teach them to her! It's bad enough that she stole from Ms. Ford. Look at how she rejected Ms. Ford's attempt to make things up to her and even got physical with her! That's guilt written all over her face!" "Her parents are probably turning in their graves, knowing that she's so uncivilized." Amid the comments, Terence snarled, "Celeste Lodge!" Celeste saw the smugness in Winona's eyes and knew this was yet another of her favorite tricks. She sneered inwardly, dried her tears, and stepped forward. She grabbed another wine glass and shattered it at Winona's feet. Then, she grabbed Winona and shoved her hard as the latter watched in horror. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she fell right onto the glass shards. She screamed in pain and cried, "Terence!" This time, she was genuinely hurt. Celeste said icily, "Stop using your tricks on me, Winona. I'll get back at you each time you try me." She wiped the wine that had gotten onto her fingers and watched as Terence lifted Winona into his arms, his gaze brimming with heartache. Then, it became filled with venom as he glared at Celeste. There was no doubt in her mind that he would kill her if anything else happened to Winona. Her breathing hitched, and she swallowed her humiliation as she turned and left. Terence came running after Celeste as soon as she stepped out of the venue. "Stop right there! Apologize to Winona right now!" He pressed a hand to the car door, stopping her from getting in. She glanced at him before shoving him aside and getting in. As she shut the door, she heard his icy voice, "Don't regret this, Celeste!" Chapter 7 The car's engine revved to life. Celeste's mind was a mess, and she was so tired that she could barely keep her eyes open. All she wanted to do was breathe and rest now that she'd finally found a moment of peace. Suddenly, the roar of the engine jolted her upright. It was too late by the time she opened her eyes, realizing that something was afoot. The driver put the pedal to the metal, and the car shot off. Celeste's blood ran cold when she met his gaze in the rearview mirror. She said hoarsely, "You're not my driver. Who are you?" The driver lowered his eyes, looking menacing. "A devil who's going to teach you a lesson." The car raced ahead, speeding along the road and deep into the mountains, out of the range of the surveillance cameras that dotted the streets. Celeste opened the door and tried to make a run for it as soon as the car stopped, but the driver grabbed her by her hair and dragged her back, gagging her. Then, he sliced her skin open with a glass shard, making the blood rush to her head from the pain. That was far from the end. He followed up with a second slash, a third slash… It went on. Celeste struggled with all her might, but the driver pinned her down, rendering her unable to move. She couldn't even ask any questions. All she could do was lie there and endure the pain. The forest echoed with her muffled, ragged sobs. She bled everywhere, and her brain turned fuzzy. Just as she thought she was going to die, the driver stopped and carelessly flung her aside. He got into the car and turned on the headlights, slowly driving in her direction. Celeste could only hear her weak breathing. She watched as the car made its way toward her, wanting to crush her to death. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a figure dashing toward her. She passed out before she could make out who it was. … Celeste found herself in the hospital again when she woke up. She was wrapped in bandages from head to toe, and her body felt like it wasn't hers. A single movement sent pain shooting through her, and she hissed. "Don't move. You're too badly injured—you'll tear open your wounds if you move. I'll get a doctor, so rest," Terence said. Shortly after he left, she heard her phone buzz nonstop from where it had been placed on the bedside table. She couldn't move, so she figured she would wait until Terence returned and answered it for her. Unexpectedly, the person on the other end of the line was relentless. They kept calling when she didn't answer. The buzzing gave her a headache, so she asked a nurse for help. The call was from a number that wasn't saved in her contacts. She frowned and answered it, only to be greeted by a video. It played, showing a recording of what had happened at the earlier boxing match. "Winona, stop crying. I'm sure Terence will get back at Celeste for you! He'll kill me if he comes back and sees you crying like this!" Winona's eyes were red, and her voice shook as she said, "I was kind enough to back down so that she wouldn't be too humiliated. How could she do that to me? She took things too far!" She buried her face in her hands as she wept. It made for a pitiful sight. No one knew how to comfort her, and nobody dared to touch her for fear of Terence ripping their arms off. They stood there helplessly until he finally returned. Winona threw herself into his arms as soon as he was back. "You have to avenge me, Terence! Look at what she did to me! I'm covered in wine, and my legs are bleeding! They hurt so badly! "You've treated me like a princess since childhood, and I can't take this lying down! You have to get back at her for me, or I'll leave the country right now and never come back!" Terence hastily tried to pacify her. "How do you want to get back at her?" Winona's eyes flashed. She stood on her tiptoes and leaned close to him, whispering, "I'm not someone who takes a hit without biting back. She slashed me once, so I want you to do it to her 99 times." His expression shifted at that, and he looked slightly conflicted. He parted his lips to speak, but she didn't give him the chance to. She lifted the hem of her gown to show the faint scratch on her leg before turning on the charm, looking aggrieved. He caved almost reflexively. "Alright. I'll get even for you." Winona curled up in Terence's arms at the end of the video. "It hurts." Heartache filled his gaze as he carefully tended to her wound. Then, he rubbed her head with restraint and said, "It's my fault for not protecting you." They were so intimate that everyone could tell how much she meant to him. Offscreen, someone clucked and said, "They really do share the same surname, don't they? They're both ruthless to the core. Well, Celeste can only blame herself for being unlucky." Chapter 8 Celeste's hand loosened, and her phone clattered to the floor. Blood rushed to her head, sending pain shooting through her. She felt like she was going through the ordeal of being slashed again. So, Terence was the one who'd hired that man to do that to her so that he could get even on Winona's behalf. Celeste's lashes trembled, and her heart twisted painfully. She could barely breathe through the agony. She sobbed in earnest before drifting off into a restless sleep. She didn't know how much time had passed before Winona's voice awakened her. The latter cried, "Didn't you say you would get back at her for me, Terence? Why are you mad now? You left me at the banquet hall last night because of her, and you're being so fierce to me now! Do you not love me anymore?" This time, Terence didn't coax her tenderly. He said, "I promised to get even for you, but I didn't say anything about killing her! Don't you know why I'm mad? It's because you told the driver to run Celeste over!" He still couldn't shake the image of Celeste lying on the ground with her face ashen as the car slowly crept toward her to crush her. She'd almost died there, and his heart had stopped at that moment. He remembered her being soaked in blood as he'd lifted her into his arms. He'd rushed her to the hospital and watched as her heart rate dropped so low that it almost evened out. Her face had been devoid of color, and it was almost as if she would never wake up to disturb him anymore. He'd panicked in that moment, and his mind had been blank as he'd stood outside the ER. Winona looked at Terence indignantly, biting her lip in fury when she saw the emotions swirling in his eyes. She couldn't read them, nor did she dare to delve deeper into them. All she knew was that she had to act quickly. She said, "Alright, alright. I know I went too far. I was too impulsive. I heard that Celeste's bodyguards are investigating what happened yesterday. Will she know that I—" Terence's anger dissipated when he heard her backing down and humbling herself. Before she could finish, he cut her off and said, "She won't. She won't find out anything with me around." Winona smiled in earnest. "We'll leave it at that, then. Didn't you say you would fake your death and take me away? Do you have everything planned?" He said, "The corpses have already been transported here. It'll be Celeste's birthday in a week, and there will be a party. That's when we leave." She relaxed at his words. She dried her tears and clung to him, saying that she wanted to visit a chapel in Astora and pray for their plan to work out. Terence glanced at Celeste's hospital ward hesitantly, but all Winona had to do was whine softly. He turned back to her and immediately agreed. They left the hospital. Inside the room, emotions swirled in Celeste's eyes. She bit her lip and called her secretary, saying, "Speed things up at the company. If there are things that can't be dealt with yet, set them aside for now. Buy me a ticket for a flight out of here in five days." After hanging up, she shut her eyes and tried to stop her chest from heaving. Terence had everything planned out… except for her. She wasn't something he could control. Since he was keeping such a "surprise" from her, she would just ensure that she left before he could. She didn't want to stay here and deal with the fallout of their impulsiveness. … Celeste spent five days in the hospital. She received two pieces of good news on the day she was discharged. The first was that her company headquarters transfer was complete, and the second was that her immigration application had been approved. She was free to leave. Her eyes prickled with tears as she listened to Hayden's excited voice on the other end of the line. She wiped her tears, catching sight of her wedding ring out of the corner of her eye. Her gaze darkened. After a brief pause, she took the ring off and threw it down a drain. It was all over now. At the airport, Celeste collected her boarding pass and made her way to the boarding gate. As she looked around casually, she happened to see Terence and Winona walking side by side while holding hands. They wore matching dark-colored coats, and their outstanding appearances attracted attention. Celeste watched them calmly until they disappeared from her line of sight. Then, she blocked Terence's number everywhere before removing her SIM card and snapping it in half. She threw it into a trash can and turned around. It was time for her to board her flight.