"At your age, still lying like that, how are you this shameless?" She snorted, her voice filled with sarcasm. "Let me make this clear, I can’t let anything interfere with Conan’s studies right now."
Then, with no sign of interest, she added, "If you want to die, just do it somewhere else, so you don’t bother me."
A heavy silence settled between us, and I could hear Celeste's voice on the other end. She murmured, “Conan, don’t be scared. It’s all that bad person’s fault.”
With a quiet sigh, I set my phone aside, keeping my composure. Maybe I had simply grown numb to the way she treated me, so the sting didn’t cut as deep anymore.
But the truth lingered; I still found myself, at times, imagining them close again, even if it meant reopening old wounds behind closed doors.
One of the reasons I kept coming up with ways to pull Celeste back was hoping she would find her way into my arms again.
But now, as I lay on the brink of death, the realization hit me like a slap; how foolish I had been back then. I had nearly lost all sense of dignity, becoming nothing more than a man who bent to Celeste's every whim, terrified she would push me away.
But the worst was still to come. When I got home and opened the door, I saw Noah and Celeste, hand in hand on the sofa, looking every bit like a genuine couple.
Sitting across from them was an unfamiliar middle-aged woman who looked up at me, her expression a blend of wide-eyed surprise and curiosity.
“Um, Mr. Quinn, Miss Morgan, who is this man?” she asked, her gaze shifting between us.
I caught the flash of panic in Celeste’s eyes. She immediately pulled her hand away from Noah's grasp, saying, “Oh, he’s just Conan’s uncle.”
The woman on the side was taken aback but regained her composure, smiling as if she already knew, saying, “Ah, I see. You must be quite close if the uncle has a key to the house.”
For an instant, Noah nodded and, with a reassuring tone, added, “Yeah! Ms. Jones, you might not know, but he’s staying with us, too.”
When I saw them, it hit me like a ton of bricks; the woman was a staff member from the prestigious private school they wanted Conan to attend. Getting into such a prestigious school wasn’t just about excellent students but also the right connections.
My abrupt arrival seemed to cast a shadow over their moment, and her gaze turned cold, brimming with unspoken warnings.
On the brink of collapse and beyond fear, I refused to be drawn into their game. With a defiant edge in my voice, I exclaimed, “I don’t recall having a nephew!”
“And by the way, this is my home. Everyone, please leave,” I declared.
The very moment I uttered, it seemed the room was about to be chaotic.
When Celeste tried to argue, I cut her off before she could get a word in. There was no need for a debate; the truth was on my side.
Without hesitation, I headed straight to the bedroom, grabbed the property deed, and tossed it onto the table. The document, boldly displaying Celeste’s and my names, spoke for itself.
Upon seeing the papers, the middle-aged woman’s expression hardened as she grasped the gravity of the situation.
With a final, cutting remark that Conan’s admission couldn't be pushed through, Celeste seethed with rage at me.
Observing their anxious faces, I didn't feel on cloud nine. Instead, a deep sadness settled over me, overshadowing any sense of victory.
As the middle-aged woman came out and faded from sight, Celeste, her face in a fit of rage, stormed up to me. “Oliver, are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea how much effort I put into getting Conan into this school? You’ve ruined everything!”
I stood my ground and wasn't disheartened by her outburst.
“I promised that once Conan was settled in a top junior high, I’d devote all my time to you. Why are you sabotaging this now?” she asked, her voice steady despite the chaos. “Do you want to drive me crazy?”
I watched the scene with calm composure, wishing I could have the old Celeste who once loved me. Still, things turned upside down, making it impossible to transpire.
No, she was no longer the same Celeste I knew. Everything changed from her; even her affection for me seemed to fade.
Back then, she had vowed that she would return to me once Conan was accepted into a prestigious school.
She went so far as to claim there was nothing between her and Noah, just that Noah Quinn, her first love, had become a man who couldn’t even manage his affairs or look after his son.
Celeste had told me the same thing before. She once urged me to be patient, promising that I should understand and wait once Conan was in fourth grade, then fifth grade, which was crucial for him.
But as days turned into years, she considered everyone but me. I was left in the shadows, as if I had never been part of her plans or mattered to her, regardless of my feelings or thoughts.
If it had not been for my cancer diagnosis, I might have been left waiting. But by then, patience was a luxury I could no longer afford. With death looming on the horizon, I simply didn’t have the time to wait any longer.
With those thoughts in my mind, I pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one up. I hadn’t touched a cigarette since she claimed to dislike the smell, but now I felt an urge to puff away, even if it meant blowing smoke right in her face.
Standing before her, I fixed my gaze on her, but my mind wandered to another version of Celeste, who had been kind, gentle, and cared for me more deeply than anyone else could.
Back then, life had played a cruel hand; abandoned by my parents as a baby, I had been left in the care of an orphanage. That night, as the snow fell heavily outside, the director told me that if they hadn’t found me, I might have succumbed to the cold.
From a young age, I knew I was on my own, with no shoulder to lean on. I had to pull myself up by my bootstraps and work tirelessly to succeed.
With determination, I studied harder, earned a spot at a prestigious university, and met Celeste, whose vibrant energy and always saw a smile on her face.
Well, back then, I was a guy who was naturally reserved and kept to myself, shying away from socializing.
On the other hand, Celeste was a whirlwind of energy who slowly stepped into my world, first as a friend, and when we both felt the same feelings, we became lovers.
With a gentle kiss on my forehead, she would whisper, “Silly, you’re not alone anymore.”
Her eyes would shine as she declared, “I love you, forever.”
“They say men should protect women from the storm,” she’d continue, her voice steady and reassuring, “but I’m not concerned about that. I just want to shield you from all the unhappiness and frustration life might throw at us.”
I was convinced those were the happiest days of my life; seeing her made my world complete. Yet, fate delighted in its cruel twists. When her first lover came back, all of it shattered into pieces, stripping away my joyous moment in the blink of an eye.
When I regained my composure, I stated firmly, “Let’s get a divorce.”
Celeste’s eyes flared with frustration as she snapped, “Not this again, trying to force my hand!”
She sighed heavily and pushed her hair back in irritation. “We’re talking about Conan’s education right now, not about us or this divorce. Let’s keep our focus where it belongs.”
“Whether he gets in or not, why should I care? If he means so much to you, then agree with the divorce. I can make sure you two stay together,” I shot back, seeing no other way to clear the confusion clouding my mind.
Fed up, I continued, “If you don’t agree to the divorce, I can promise you won’t achieve a thing.”
“Celeste,” I said with a steely edge, “you know how I am. When I say something, I will do it without hesitation.”
“You’re out of your mind!” Celeste screamed at the top of her lungs.
Without wasting another moment, she turned on her heel and rushed after the private school teacher who had already exited.
As Celeste hurried away, Noah approached me, his face a mask of fury. “Oliver, do you really want to sabotage my son’s future? Does that make you happy?”
“Absolutely,” I shot back, smirking. “I’d be much happier if it did.”
His anger shook like a leaf as he glared at me. However, he quickly composed himself and said, “Do you really think this will help you win Celeste back? Dream on!”
With a smirk, he added, “As a man, I can only feel sorry for you. You can’t even manage your own wife and keep coming to me for answers. If I were in your shoes, I would have ended my life.”
