Chapter 90
“It’s me.”
“I know.”
“Why didn’t you come today?”
“Huh?” Celeste glanced at the calender and suddenly remembered that
today was his birthday.
She sincerely conveyed her best wishes, “happy birthday!”
There was a short silence. “Actually, you don’t remember that today is my
birthday, do you?”
“Well, yes.”
Her admission was too straightforward, leaving him feeling inexplicably
frustrated.
Yes, he was frustrated.
Since this morning, he had been wholeheartedly waiting for her gift. He had never looked forward to receive a gift so eagerly before.
a bit.
But now the fire in his heart was smothered, and couldn’t be reignited even
He forced a bitter smile. “I should have expected it earlier… that you
won’t…”
“You have anything else to say?” she asked.
“…no.”
“Okay, then I’m hanging up. It’s late.”
Just a moment before she hung up, he threw out the last question, “if you
aven’t forgotten, will you come?”
“…I’m in Breeze Town.”
She gave herself an excuse, even though it sounded a bit perfunctory. She
lidn’t care if he believed it or not. At least it was an explanation for him.
“Is that so?”
“Otherwise? My ticket home was booked weeks ago. I genuinely didn’t
notice it was your birthday today.”
She added, “besides, with so many people celebrating your birthday every
year. It won’t make a difference with me attending or not.”
“When are you coming back?” he inquired.
“Maybe next week. I have a classmate reunion to attend this weekend
“A classmate reunion?” Kendric found the term novel and interesting
***
The high school reunion was scheduled for Sunday night.
Soon, it was Sunday morning. Around noon, Myles invited some of his close friends over for lunch.
To make her father happy, Celeste suggested that she cooked the lunch.
At noon, Myles and his friends went fishing, while Celeste prepared lunch at home.
When they came back, a lavish spread was already placed on the table, and
her father’s friends showered her with praises.
The atmosphere was jovial for a while, and Myles, too, felt a sense of
contentment.
However, as the conversation flowed, the subject of their topic somehow.
shifted to Celeste.
“Celeste, you’re 26 now, aren’t you?” one of them inquired. “You’re not
young anymore. It’s time to get married. My daughter is around your age, and
she got married last year.”
Celeste managed a faint smile. “Well, congratulations to her then.”
“Girls eventually need to find a man to marry. You’ve been in the city for so
long, and you haven’t found a suitable match yet. You might as well stay at the
town, find a good husband, and live a peaceful life.”
Celeste’s smile froze on her face. Myles intervened, “stop your bullshits.”
The alcohol had clearly gone to the man’s head, “Myles, I’m saying this for Celeste’s own good. She’s 26 already. I can’t help but worry about her.”
Celeste clenched her fists, trying to control her temper. These were all her father’s friends, She kept telling herself to stay calm.
Myles got a bit angry, “I’m not in a hurry. If Celeste wants to get married, she will. If she doesn’t, even if she reaches eighty, I won’t push her to do so.”
Celeste’s eyes glinted with tears.
“Myles!” the man slapped the table, “you’re spoiling your daughter!”
In their eyes, Myles had been spoiling Celeste, ever since she was a child.
Each time he returned from the city, he would buy Celeste the latest clothes.
and stationery, even if it meant spending a significant amount of his salary. His
affection for Celeste was unconditional. He never expected anything in return.
He loved his daughter from the very beginning of her life until the end of his
own.
The others quickly pulled the drunk man away. “He’s drunk, Celeste, don’t
put his words on heart.”
Myles’s good moods were ruined thoroughly. “Alright, take him back.”
“I’m not drunk. Don’t touch me!” He stumbled to his feet from the table,
then steadied himself with his hands on the table. He pointed at Celeste. “Don’t give me your attitude! Just because you’re pretty, you think you’re goddamn special? You were dumped!”
“You’re 26 and still being choosy. You haven’t given up on marrying a rich man, have you? You stupid girl, I’ve seen a lot like you.”
Before his words could settle, there came a muffled sound of leather shoes treading on the floor.
Kendric had one hand in his suit pocket. He stood at the door for a while. His gaze met Celeste’s eyes, and then he walked toward her.
It was the hottest time of the day. The sun was scorching everything outside. Kendric wore a baby blue shirt. He looked fresh and clean, not a drop of sweat on him.
There was a glint akin to a unsheathed blade in his eyes, fixed upon the
now?”
The intoxicated man retorted, “who the fuck are you? How did you get in?
Who allowed you to get in?”
Kendric remained exceptionally polite, “perhaps you don’t remember me.
Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kendric Melville.”
Their expressions varied from confusion to shock.
“So you are…”
“I am Celeste’s fiancé.”
They exchanged glances, belatedly realizing that they seemed having irritated a man they couldn’t afford to mess up.
you.”
“Oh, oh, Mr. Melville. We gotta go, we won’t disturb you, we won’t disturb
The drunken man, however, shouted, “You liar! The Melville family has driven out Celeste, and how could you be her fucking fiancé?”
His friends beside immediately tried to pull him away and shut his mouth.
Kendric raised his hand slightly towards Cade, who expertly shut the door. It clearly indicated that no one would leave without his permission.
They grew nervous, “we… we didn’t mean it. Please forgive us for our stupid words, please… please don’t take it seriously.”
Kendric nodded, “anyone who didn’t say anything disparaging about Celeste, you guys can leave first.“
