Chapter 22
The moment Celeste called her out, Beverly lost it. Her face twisted in anger as she stomped her foot hard on the floor.
“I knew it! You never saw us as family! If you don’t care about the Duncans, fine, but Dad raised me himself. If you’re saying I’m no good, aren’t you just saying Dad failed as a father?!”
By the end, Beverly’s voice was quivering, as if she were about to throw herself into her father’s arms and sob.
Herbert’s face darkened; his anger flared.
“I’m your father. How dare you talk back to your elders with such disrespect! A few years abroad and you’ve forgotten every bit of proper manners and respect?”
He jabbed a finger at Celeste. “And just what did your sister say that was wrong? You’re a Duncan by blood–when one of us rises, all of us rise; when one of us falls, we all do. You’re pouring the Hopkins‘ money into our family’s gaps, but in the end, don’t we all benefit from it?”
He let out an exasperated sigh. “You really have become wild and unruly, just like your relatives say. Seems I’ll need to teach you a lesson one of these days!”
Family? Celeste had never once considered these people her family.
She met Herbert’s scolding with a faint, almost amused smile.
“Actually, Alfred has already agreed to partner with Duncan Group.”
Herbert fell silent in an instant.
Celeste let out a soft, almost playful “Hm?”
“By the way, Dad, you mentioned wanting to teach me a lesson?”
Herbert hesitated, his tone shifting as he scrambled to save face. “Ah, come now, sweetheart. Why would I ever want to scold you? I just hope you’ll remember your manners and live well with the Hopkins family.”
He finally managed an awkward, wheedling chuckle. “Cece, if you can land this deal, you’ll be the biggest hero the Duncan family’s ever had.”
Hero? To Celeste, it was nothing but an empty title.
She lounged back into the couch, her gaze turning cold as she took in the elegantly arranged porcelain pieces all around her.
1/2
15:12
“I’d rather have Mom’s memorial placed in the family chapel than be your so–called hero.”
“That’ll have to wait until the project’s actually signed off,” Herbert shot back quickly.
Of course he wouldn’t agree so easily. As far as he was concerned, it was just Celeste talking–nothing real had happened yet.
This girl… She’d left the Duncans for years, raised that illegitimate child Philip, and now she was making a name for herself. Clearly, she had some ability. If he let her get her mother’s memorial into the chapel so easily, he’d lose his leverage over her, and then how would he ever get her to do his bidding again?
His thoughts made, Herbert muttered a few more half–hearted reassurances, then
ended the call himself.
Beeeeeeep. The line went dead.
Celeste lowered the phone, her eyes drifting over the delicate porcelain–she couldn’t help but remember the way her mother used to smile while making those pieces. She clenched the phone tighter in her hand.
She would reclaim everything for her mother, no matter what.
With that, she rose, brushed past the memories, and headed straight for the city
center.
Alfred had given her another property–a penthouse in Moonwater Grove, a luxury complex only ten minutes from the Duncan Group headquarters.
Only two apartments per floor, and from the top, she could see nearly all of Asterwynn laid out beneath her.
Compared to that remote old mansion, this was where she truly belonged.
Celeste called for a moving crew and an interior designer, picking out just the essentials–a few pieces of furniture, necessities for daily life. Nothing fancy. Just practical.
The workers moved with quiet efficiency.
As she waited by the door, the elevator chimed. Another moving crew–just as organized–opened the apartment across the hall.
Moonwater Grove wasn’t a new building. The odds of two people moving in on the same day were almost nonexistent.
15:12
Celeste couldn’t help but smile in surprise. “What are the chances?
It reminded her of the old days–how Philip used to live next door, their two houses under renovation at the same time. Now, her neighbor was a stranger, but again, their apartments were being done up together.
This time, she didn’t feel that old sense of unease.
Instead, she found herself a little curious. Maybe, just maybe, she’d run into this new neighbor someday. And if they became friends? Well, it wouldn’t be so bad.
A faint smile tugged at her lips.
Life without Philip seemed… brighter.
