Chapter 13

CHRISTIAN Those eyes—fiercely red, burning with rage. They shocked me to the depths of my very bones. In the five years of our marriage, I have never before witnessed such aggression from her. She is a calm and quiet persona. Was the displayed aggression truly necessary? Or, did I simply fail to understand Veronica's true nature? As I closed my eyes, memories of our unexpected reunion resurfaced. Her smiles, her confident demeanour, even her anger— all felt new and unfamiliar, as if I were encountering a completely new person who happened to share my ex-wife's features. I wonder if others feel the same way, or was it just me?— My thoughts were interrupted by a gentle touch on my arm. "Chris, are you okay?" Celine's voice followed next. I withdrew my arm from her touch and opened my eyes. She was leaning over me, her eyes filled with concern. I frowned, sitting up straight. "What are you doing here?" I couldn't help the curtness of my tone. Her lips pursed, biting on them as her eyes turned dull, before she looked away, "I-I was just checking on you." She said slowly. Those words—my heart clenched tightly against my will as my mind drifted back to this morning at Dream-High Villa. When Veronica said those words, they fluttered me. How could the same words have different effects? Get over it already! I chided myself as I turned my attention back to the woman standing near my desk. "I believe I've asked you to refrain from entering my study without my consent," I said, feeling a touch of annoyance. "I intended to, but the door was slightly ajar, so I—" she whispered. "Are you accusing me of caring about you, Christian?" she demanded, her tone accusatory. I looked up to see her looking at me, a mix of emotions that only served to irritate me further. "Celine, I find it unpleasant when my privacy is invaded. You've known me since childhood, and this has always been my preference with everyone," I said indifferently. "Except for her, isn't it?" she murmured, gazing at me with red eyes. I stood up, avoiding the conversation, and walked toward my file cabinets. We will be in Yorkshire for some time, so I need them organized. Although this work is usually done by Blake or David—my other assistant. At this point, I just wanted to ignore the conversation with her. "Why are you avoiding the conversation, Christian?" Her sharp voice rang in my ears. "For God's sake, she never loved you, Christian! She left you and Zeon three years ago, now having a child with another man! Still, you're not over her? Not after witnessing her harsh demeanour toward you? Why don't you understand that she's—" "Just leave, Celine," my words boomed in the room, cutting her off. My hands clenched into a tight fist as I slowly tilted my head to the side. "Don't cross the line if you don't want to be chased." My cold words echoed in the room, and I myself was perturbed by their harshness. "You want to chase me away?" Her voice was filled with disbelief. "After everything I did for you, Christian? How could you—" Her bitter chuckle echoed in the walls. "I should have known better! At her place, you didn't even defend me when she hit me! You just dragged us out without saying anything to her!" And that's when it struck me. I turned to her, my icy gaze sweeping across her face. "Since you raised the topic, tell me, Celine, what did you tell her to make her react that way?" I couldn't help but inquire. Her accusing and upset eyes have been on my mind since this morning, and I can't seem to shake them. She gasped audibly. "Are you suggesting that I am at fault as well? Surely, in your heart, you don't believe Veronica could be wrong now, could you?" "I didn't blame you, Celine. I simply wanted to understand why she reacted in that manner." I said calmly. However, she threw me a burning gaze and said, "You're too cruel, Christian!" She snapped, then rushed from the room, slamming the door shut behind her. I frowned, exhaling sharply, eventually releasing the tension I'd been holding without dwelling upon the conversation. However, I must concede Celine was correct in one matter; I only ever opened my door for her—Veronica. However, she disregarded this completely, abruptly turning and slamming the door in my face, leaving me feeling utterly alone and despondent. Even after seeing her with another man, I couldn't possibly hate her. That's making me even crazier. She's gone now, with the man she always wanted to be with, but why does my stupid heart still refuse to believe that? Why does my heart still throb frantically at her presence? Why? I should forget her, I should loathe her for what she did to me, I should move on the way she did— but I couldn't. I'm just trapped between this game of love and hate. I opened the wine cabinet and took out a bottle. I regrettably forwent the usual courtesies and consumed nearly half the bottle at once. The burning sensation in my throat was intense, yet I continued drinking. I need something stronger to overcome her thoughts in my mind. But in the end, I was more captivated by her thoughts in my heart... Nearly an hour of self-fighting to get over her, I gave up and chose to leave the study room. The corridor of the Villa was empty, thankfully. I didn't want to run into Celine at this point. Yes, she has been a steadfast presence for both Zeon and me since Veronica's departure five years ago, consistently providing support, but most of the time, her support has been a headache for me. Especially when she tries to cross my boundaries. Still, I have endured her for Zeon's sake. My little boy seemed to like her until a year ago when he started avoiding interactions with her. I even caught him looking at photo albums secretly at night, particularly those featuring his mother. Perhaps, as he grew up, he began to understand his mother's absence. Given his distant attitude toward her, I still permitted Celine to stay, primarily to fulfil my mother's wish. My family is fond of her, and mom cherishes her greatly. No doubt Celine had a good bond with Zeon before he began distancing himself, so I chose not to dismiss her immediately and decided to allow some time to pass. But what he did today at her place—well, I didn't expect that. However, I can't blame him either. After all, he is a child who longs for his mother. I briefly paused outside Zeon's room, which is adjacent to mine. I gently opened his door and saw him sleeping. Approaching his bed gently, I began to adjust his quilt. As I did, he turned, and I saw a photograph in his hand that pained me deeply. It was a family picture of the three of us— me, him, and Veronica. Suppressing the turmoil in my heart, I slowly took the photo from his hand before leaving the room in silence. "Is he asleep?" Celine's voice startled me inwardly as I turned back and saw her standing behind me. "Hmm, he is. Why aren't you asleep yet?" I asked, feeling a little bothered. Was I too harsh with her back then? She smiled gently and said, "Please don't worry about me; I simply wanted to check on him. How about you? Aren't you sleepy yet?" "Hmm, I'll go now." I stated. "Please, do rest." With that, I turned to leave, when— "Christian, I'm sorry," her voice caused me to pause. I turned to her with a questioning gaze only to witness her tearful eyes. "I apologize for my earlier behaviour; I shouldn't have overstepped," she said, her lips slightly compressed as she looked up. "I was simply envious of her. She receives all the attention from you all, and I—" she sighed, "—I remain unnoticed, even after all this time." I furrowed my brow, anticipating her next words. "Celine, I've explained before that I'm not—" "I understand," she quickly interjected, pressing her lips together. "I know I don't hold a significant place in your affections." "But I won't stop trying," she added. "I won't stop until I have a place in your heart, in Zeon's heart, Christian." I remained silent, long over this conversation. Actually, it ended more than two years back. So, without a word, I turned to leave but stopped, turning my head slightly to the side, I said, "Don't waste your time, Celine. My heart will never be open again." And leave. .......... AUTHOR'S POV Only if he had turned at that moment, he could have witnessed the evil glint in her pure golden eyes. Her lips twitched into an envious smirk as her gaze filled with disdain for the woman who had ruined her years of plan once again. "Oh, you will, Christian. You have to, and I will make sure of that, even if I have to go to any extent to rule your heart."