Chapter 0895
She couldn’t believe it.
It was her.
Angela Palmer.
Yes–she was Angela.
Which meant her fiance was none other than THAT Peter Palmer.
Aurora Rennard had mentioned it once–back when Celeste was just a teenager. She had seen Peter back then, and he had immediately caught her attention.
But, of course, a man like him would never notice a girl like her.
There was no doubt about it–this night was only getting worse.
It was bad enough that Katherine was here–the woman Peter still remembered loving
But now Angela was here too–the woman who, as far as Celeste knew, had once been his great love.
A wave of dizziness hit her, and she quickly sat down.
But Peter didn’t notice.
His eyes were locked onto the stunning woman embracing serenity and Alden.
“Mama, this is Valerie Bartz, Serenity’s mother,” Alden said, gently guiding his mother forward to greet her.
Katherine studied Valerie carefully, offering a polite yet distant smile. Unlike with Celeste, she let her gaze slowly sweep from head to toe.
It was a subtle gesture–but Valerie noticed..
She knew exactly what that meant.
It was irritating, but she kept her composure.
Tonight wasn’t about them–it was about their children. So they had to behave.
“A pleasure to meet you, Valerie,” Katherine said smoothly. “I’ve heard so many wonderful things about you. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Her tone was polite.
Her eyes?
Not so much.
Meanwhile, Marcus had been chatting briefly with Serenity but the moment he noticed his wife’s tension, he immediately moved to her side. Wrapping an arm around Valerie’s waist, he extended his hand toward Katherine.
“Marcus Bartz,” he introduced himself. “A pleasure to see you again, Katherine. Not sure if you still remember
me.”
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Marcus had seen Katherine before–never spoken much with her, but he knew the kind of woman she was. Sharp. Calculated. And, at times, intimidating.
Katherine’s lips curled into a knowing smile. “Hello, Marcus. Of course I remember you. You do look different,
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but how could I forget? You were the only Bartz in Valentia,
Marcus smirked. “Well… not anymore. There are four more Bartzs now.”
“Right…” Katherine mused. “I almost forgot–Alden told me Serenity has younger siblings.”
The conversation was brief, but it was enough to let Valerie breathe a little easier.
Still–there was no denying it.
Katherine wasn’t as charming as she pretended to be.
Across the room, Celeste felt a sharp pain in her hip and belly.
She instinctively rubbed her stomach, murmuring softly in her head-
“It’s okay, my loves. Stay calm. Mommy’s okay.‘
She inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly, trying to steady herself
But the relief was short–lived.
Because when she stood-
She saw him.
Peter.
Looking at Valerie.
His expression unreadable.
But his gaze?
Focused. Curious.
Then, he lifted a hand to his chest, nibbing it absentmindedly.
And finally…
He looked away.
Celeste felt her stomach twist.
Her chest tightened.
She couldn’t sit here and watch this unfold.
Without a word, she turned and walked toward the hallway, heading straight for the balcony.
She needed air.
The crisp night breeze hit her skin, and she welcomed it.
She barely had a moment to collect herself before she heard footsteps behind her.
Diana.
She didn’t say anything at first–just stood nearby, observing, waiting.
It was obvious Celeste was struggling.
She could see it in the way she massaged her chest, in the way she kept rubbing her swollen belly as if trying to self
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Chapter 0995
-soothe.
Finally, Diana broke the silence.
“Are you okay?“.
Celeste turned-
And her tears finally broke free.
Holling silently down her cheeks.
“No,” she whispered, her voice raw. “This is not a good day, I’m trying–I swear, I’m trying for the kids. But this…. “She shook her head. “This is too much.”
Diana’s expression softened. “Because of Katherine?”
Celeste let out a bitter laugh, wiping her tears.
“Because I just realized who the other woman is.”
Diana frowned. “Who?”
Celeste took a shaky breath.
“Serenity’s mother.”
