Chapter 02
“You pathetic, nasty blockhead. You’ve got the nerves to piss me off. You know why Ken’s resident abroad? He’s obviously tired of your harassment. You got no idea that you are as annoying as a chewing gum plastered on clothes!”
True enough, Kendric hadn’t set foot at home for nearly half a year. The
root of the problem, most likely lay on her.
Celeste’s heart bled at Gavin’s words. He was towering and imposing, and that slap sure stung her face. If Kendric showed her even the slightest hint of
affection, Gavin wouldn’t dare to hit her today.
Pain surged through Celeste, but she didn’t shed a tear.
“I’ll remember this slap.” she announced word by word.
Gavin narrowed his eyes with disdain. “Are you threatening me? You’re a
nobody without Melville family, a hateful little creep. If I were you, I would get
the ass out of here and never come back!”
Celeste clenched her fist so tightly that her sharp nails even cut her palm. Yet she knew she couldn’t afford to really offend any of these guys, or more exactly their powerful families. Just as she painfully realized that Kendric never loved her.
They all regard her as a shameless hanger–on, a pet dog who will only fawn on its master.
Gavin’s slap seemed like a wake–up call, shattering her last bits of hesitation deep inside.
The cab arrived right on cue.
Redeemed From Caged Love
Chapter(2
Celeste didn’t even cast a backward glance at the place she’d called home for eight long years. Her departure was firm, resolute.
The butler rushed inside to report to Ms. Quinn as soon as he made sure
Celeste’s left.
“Ma’am, she has left.”
Ms. Quinn leisurely flipped through a magazine and responded
nonchalantly, “well, good news.”
The butler appeared somewhat worried, “but what if Master Kendric
returns and finds her absence…”
“Don’t fret, she’ll be back.” Ms. Quinn interrupted. “I never truly believe she will really easily give up and leave like this. We’ll see. I bet she’ll be back.”
In cab, the driver double–checked the address with Celeste. After asking twice without receiving any response, he caught a glimpse of the rearview mirror, only to see her tear–streaked face.
The cab drove smoothly to the apartment Celeste had rented.
Her decision to part ways with Kendric was not a spur–of–the–moment choice. She had contemplated it for three whole months before ultimately deciding to end this eight–year unrequited love.
Over the years, her heart and mind were occupied solely by Kendric. Now it’s time to put a definitive end to this chapter of love.
Celeste had someone clean the apartment before. It’s equipped with all appliances needed, and the decor was simple but cozy.
She put down her luggage and cooked a meal for herself first.
Then she set to work on changing a new phone. She made a call to her
father after that.
“Dad.”
Myles Alinsky sounded delight upon hearing his daughter’s voice, “Cely.”
Hearing her father calling her by nickname almost brought tears to
Celeste’s eyes. She cleared her throat.
“Cely, whose phone is this?” Noticing that it wasn’t her daughter’s original
number, Myles couldn’t help but ask with concern.
Celeste had to make up an excuse. “Dad, my previous phone got swiped, and this is my new phone number.”
“Then how have you been lately? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s been good.”
It eased Myles‘ worries a bit. “How’s your relationship with Ken? When are
you two gonna get married?”
Get married?
Yeah, she’d been Kendric’s fiancée for eight years. It’s totally reasonable for them to get married.
But he had never brought up this topic, not even once.
Myles‘ tone grew a bit stern as he sensed Celeste’s silence. “Is it that
Melville family wanna go back on their words?”
He got a bit violence in his tone. “It’s Ken’s grandfather who personally agreed this engagement! Now they wanna break the promise?!”
Chapter02
Over these years, Myles had been discontented with Kendric’s attitude. He had been planning for a personal meet and talk with Kendric.
Yet Kendric always had such a hectic schedule that even Celeste had few
time to meet up with him.
On the other hand, Celeste feared their conversation would turn sour. And she surely didn’t want to aggravate her father’s worries. Thus every time, she’d
lie that Kendric and his family treated her well.
After contemplation, Celeste suppressed down the impulse to tell truth that
she’d left Melville family.
Eight years ago, when she willfully decided to move into Melville family, it
already aroused Myles‘ deep concerns. Then since Kendric had never openly
announced their relationship. Myles couldn’t wait to question Melville family,
but Celeste always dissuaded him.
If she told him she’d left Melville family, her father would probably hop on
a plane and fly here this very night.
“No, no it’s not that, dad. Kendric is good to me, and our relationship is on a
secure footing. I think marriage should be on the horizon. I’ll talk to him about
it when he returns,” Celeste lie, her heart aching.
Myles finally hushed his grumbling. “Exactly, this is a step in the right
direction!”
He was thrilled when it came to her daughter’s marriage. “Once Kendric returns, bring him over. We haven’t formally introduced him to our relatives
yet.”
Celeste’s family was pretty average. If you traced their lineage back a few
generations, you would find they were all farmers.
The connection between Alinsky family and Melville family was built by a
coincidence. It all began with Ken’s grandfather, Caleb Melville.
Caleb was an outdoor adventure enthusiast when he was young. One time,
during an expedition deep in the western mountains, he got injured and was
stranded there.
Celeste’s grandfather stumbled upon this group of stranded explorers when he ventured into the mountains. He first rescued Caleb, who was most severely, injured. He carried him all the way to a nearby hospital, then rallied others to help rescue the rest of the expedition team.
Thankfully, Celeste’s grandfather had a stalwart figure, strong enough to carry Caleb all the way through the treacherous mountain terrain to the county
town.
Prompt medical attention saved Caleb’s life, and naturally, he felt a profound sense of gratitude toward his savior.
Thus, the two families agreed to arrange a marriage within the next generation. But they both bore only a son in that generation. So, they postponed the marriage arrangement to the next generation, Celeste and Kendric.
Celeste had known about this arranged marriage since she was a child.
When she turned eighteen, she left her hometown on the western border and came to the coastal city for college. Caleb was delighted at this news and allowed Celeste to stay at their home.
Celeste clearly remembers the first time she saw Kendric. He was playing the piano upstairs. The melody drifted down and tugged at her heartstrings.
Redeemed From Caned t
Then a strange feeling of sweetness swelled inside her.
When Kendric descended from upstairs, Celeste was seated on the sofa.
Just once glance, Celeste fell for him.
Years later, when she recalled this scene, she realized there’s only
nonchalance in Kendric’s eyes back then.
Celeste was about to throw the old phone when a call came in.
She glanced at it and her heart skipped a beat.
It was Kendric.
