Chapter 0891
Celeste looked at her, hesitant, but then smiled nervously. She hadn’t even realized this dress was an option. Maybe in all the chaos, it had fallen out of sight, or maybe she had overlooked it entirely.
She slipped it on, and as she turned to the mirror, she saw something she hadn’t expected–her belly looked adorable, and she looked… good.
Diana helped gather her wild curls into a loose updo, adding a touch of elegance without making her feel overwhelmed.
For the first time that night, Celeste felt better.
“Thank you, Diana…” she whispered, letting out a long sigh
Her eyes filled with tears again. She was far more emotional than usual today.
“Celeste… Can I tell you a secret?”
Celeste turned to her with curiosity. “Tell me.”
“I’ve been where you are. When Maximus brought Valerie to Magnus’s house, I hated it. I felt uncomfortable, intimidated. I knew they had a past–I mean, they were married for three years. They had a child together. And even though their relationship was… complicated, there was still something between them at one point.
“But over time, Valerie and I got to know each other. She’s an incredible woman. She went through so much. I honestly can’t imagine how a girl so young–back then–handled everything she went through.”
Celeste listened intently.
“I know your situation is uncomfortable,” Diana continued. “But tonight isn’t about us. It’s about Alden and Serenity. I even talked to Maximus–he and Marcus still can’t stop taking jabs at each other, even though they’ve both moved on. I asked him to at least keep the snide comments to himself for one night. Hopefully, he actually listens.”
Celeste took a deep breath. “You’re right, Diana. Really, I’m sorry for acting like this. I never wanted to turn this into a whole dramatic thing over a stupid dress. I just… felt overwhelmed.
These past few days, I’ve spent every moment with Peter. And I love the version of him that I have now. But for a moment… I was scared,” she admitted, ashamed.
“Scared of what?”
“Scared of losing him.” Celeste looked away. “Diana, I love Peter. And the moment Alden mentioned this morning that Katherine was coming… it felt like all my fears slapped me in the face.
“And I swear–his face changed.
“It was just a split second, but I saw it.
“I watched him all day, and I know something inside him shifted.”
Diana gave her a knowing look. “Did you tell him that?”
Celeste shook her head. “No. I felt hurt. I felt small. And I’ve had this knot in my throat all day that won’t let me talk to him. I think that’s why nothing felt right tonight.”
“Celeste… This was bound to happen sooner or later. You knew she would show up eventually. But think about this -she’s been gone for years. She hasn’t seen Peter in years. And everything has changed.
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Chapter 0841
What happened between them? That was ages ago.”
Celeste turned to look at her, forcing a smile–but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. The weight in her chest was still
there.
“Come on,” Diana urged. “Let’s go downstairs. Everyone’s probably arriving by now. It’s almost time for dinner. The house is full tonight–let’s enjoy the evening.”
Celeste let out another breath, then nodded. “Alright. Let’s see what fate has in store for us. But I refuse to wear heels.”
“Obviously not! With the length of that dress, no one’s going to see those cute flats you have. You look beautiful tonight. Your skin is glowing–you don’t even need makeup. Just put on some lipstick, and you’re perfect.”
Diana smiled at her, a look of camaraderie passing between them.
Even though Diana was younger, she was grounded, steady, More often than not, she found herself playing the role of mediator. Or, in this case, the role of Celeste’s personal crisis counselor.
At that moment, she thought back to a conversation she had with Valerie.
Valerie had told her so much–things that had solidified one undeniable truth:
Between her and Maximus, there was nothing left.
It had been clear to Valerie ever since their honeymoon in Santorini.
That was when Valerie knew Maximus would never truly love her the way she wanted.
And that was when she decided she wouldn’t even try to keep one of her marriage vows.
She would never be faithful to him.
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Chapter 0892
