Celeste had nothing on her plate, so she agreed without much thought.
Her coworker, overwhelmed with gratitude, bowed several times before hastily scribbling down a time and address for her, then hurried off.
When Celeste arrived at the hotel as promised, she paused in the glittering lobby, frowning at the opulence.
“Is an $80,000 contract really worth negotiating in a place like this?”
It didn’t add up.
Unless, of course, the project was just a cover–and this tiny company’s real agenda was bribing an employee from Duncan Group.
Suspicion gnawed at her as she made her way to the VVIP suite, cautious with every step. She pushed open the door.
A burst of confetti exploded in her face.
The room was overflowing with red roses. Philip was waiting, dropping to one knee and holding up the pink diamond ring she once loved more than anything in the world.
“Celly, marry me!”
“Say yes!”
“Say yes!”
The hotel staff and a crowd of extras Philip had hired chanted enthusiastically
behind him.
But inside, Celeste felt nothing.
Once upon a time, she had adored that ring. Back when Philip was still a nobody, back when Nova International had barely managed to snag tickets to the auction, she and Philip had sat together in the farthest corner, fingers tightly intertwined, gazing at the dazzling engagement ring on display.
Back then, Philip had whispered to her with gentle conviction,
“One day, I’ll buy you the most beautiful pink diamond ring.”
She’d been utterly smitten–leaning against his shoulder, content to be a nameless background fixture at the auction.
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Chapter 20
Until…
Before she ever got that ring, Viola was already wearing a matching pink diamond necklace around her neck.
Viola had blushed, playing coy in front of both Celeste and Philip.
“Philip, I don’t deserve something this nice. You should give it to Celeste instead.”
“She has a different present,” Philip interjected, stopping Viola from taking off the
necklace.
And what did Celeste get? A kiss on the forehead–nothing more.
Right.
Her sincerity, in Philip’s eyes, had always been worthless.
And a ring that came too late was just as meaningless.
She stepped back into the hallway, the doorway now a barrier between her and Philip–two separate worlds.
“I don’t need your trash.”
Don’t need it?
Philip’s brow knit in disbelief. The cheers behind him faded to silence as he stood abruptly, moving toward Celeste.
“Celly, didn’t you always love this ring? At those auctions, you’d always flip through the company catalog to look at this collection…”
His voice trailed off. Staring at the ring in his hand, a sudden realization flickered across his face, and he let out a short, awkward laugh.
“Right. I forgot–that was the style we both liked back then. The Celly standing here today deserves a bigger diamond, a more expensive ring. I’ll buy you something
better-”
“You should spend that money getting your head checked.”
Celeste cut him off coldly, her gaze like ice. “Don’t bring me leftovers nobody else wants. I find them disgusting.”
With that, she turned and strode away.
Her heels struck sharp, decisive notes against the gleaming floor.
Philip watched her go, stunned by her resolve. He scrambled to his feet, his knee
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Chapter 28
aching from the sudden movement, but he ignored the pain.
He stumbled after her, reaching out in a panic to grab her arm.
His voice trembled with desperation and regret. “Celly, let me explain. I know I messed up before. I’m so sorry–I swear, I regret everything.”
His eyes locked on hers, clouded with pain and remorse.
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