Chapter 264

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Jareth Carrington repeated, his voice trembling. He never realized that beneath Celestia Brooks' calm demeanor was a heart so shattered. In that moment, no amount of words could convey the guilt that weighed on him. Thinking back to everything he'd done to her, even he felt disgusted by himself; how could she possibly bear it? He wished he could just slap himself. Celestia ignored his apologies as though she hadn't heard a sound. She reached for the wine bottle, refilling her empty glass until it brimmed. Before the tears pooling in her eyes could spill, she tilted her head back, shut her eyes, and downed the glass in one gulp. She never liked drinking, nor was she particularly good at it. But tonight, she finally understood why people turned to alcohol. The aged wine was bitter with a sharp edge, searing as it slid down her throat. It numbed her nerves, blurred her focus, and dulled the ache clawing at her chest. She drank glass after glass, letting the sting i