Dragging herself through the doorway, Celestia barely made it into the house before her legs gave out-she blacked out right then and there.

When she came to, it was already 7 PM.

The blinding ceiling light pierced her half-open eyes, making them sting. She squinted, forcing herself to fully open them, and the first thing she saw was her dad's deeply worried face.

"Celestia, you okay?" Henry Brooks let out a breath he'd been holding when his daughter finally woke up.

He gently helped her sit up, tucked a pillow behind her back, and said softly, "Don't talk yet. Try to take a few sips of this oatmeal first."

Celestia took the bowl he offered, forced down a couple of spoonfuls under his watchful gaze, then put it aside.

"I'm fine now, Dad. Really, don't worry too much." She tried to smile, but it came out weak and shaky.

Watching her pretend she was fine, Henry sighed inwardly. He waited until she looked a little more stable before asking,

"What happened, Celestia? You went to Sophia's wedding, didn't you? But the news said it got canceled. What's going on?"

As soon as those words left his mouth, the smile on Celestia's face froze. She silently dropped her gaze, dredging up the memories from earlier that morning.

Henry grew more anxious when she didn't reply. "Celestia?" he called again gently.

When she finally looked up, her eyes were already glistening with tears.

"Dad..." Her voice broke. Just thinking about everything-the mistake she couldn't even explain, Sophia's slap, the accusations like knives-made her chest ache like someone had cut her open.

Henry didn't know the full story yet, but her expression said enough. His heart cracked watching her fall apart. "Don't cry, sweetheart. Just tell Dad what happened. Whatever it is, I'm here for you." He pulled her into an embrace, gently patting her back, letting her cry it out.

She sobbed hard in his arms for a long time. When the storm passed and she could breathe again, she finally told him everything-start to finish.

By the time she was done, Henry's brow was tightly knit, his face unreadable, deep in thought.

Jareth-Henry had met him twice before. The guy came off as cold and intimidating, with a mind you couldn't read if your life depended on it. Both times they talked, he felt like Jareth wasn't very fond of him. Definitely not someone you could size up easily.

And now this man had somehow ended up in bed with his daughter after a drunken night? Henry couldn't shake the feeling that things weren't as simple as they looked.

Celestia' sobs snapped him out of it, dragging his thoughts back from the swirl of doubts.

"Sweetheart, stop blaming yourself. This isn't on you, alright? It was an accident, just a damn accident." Henry gently stroked his daughter's back as she cried in his arms.

His face, weathered with age, showed nothing but pain and helpless love. She had always been tough, barely ever cried growing up, so seeing her break down like this was hard to bear.

"You and Sophia have been close for years. I'm sure you two can sort this out." His voice softened. "Let her cool off a bit, and then try talking to her, okay?"

Curled up against his chest, Celestia didn't respond.

Feeling her shaking uncontrollably, Henry's heart clenched even tighter. "And don't worry about the rest-I'll take care of it. I won't let anyone hurt you," he said with quiet determination. After his wife passed, Celestia was all he had left, his entire world. He'd protect her no matter what.

Celestia gave a small nod through her tears, barely holding it together.

Even though Henry spent a fortune trying to suppress the scandal involving Celestia and Jareth, rumors spread like wildfire anyway.

The next morning, headlines everywhere splashed the news, and just like that, the whole city was buzzing about this twisted triangle involving Celestia, Sophia, and Jareth. Celestia was labeled the "homewrecker." The press swarmed the Brooks' house day in, day out.

Life as she knew it? Gone. Celestia couldn't even step outside without being mobbed. The whole Brooks household was in chaos. She called Sophia every day, hoping for just one conversation, but Sophia either hung up immediately or her number went out of service altogether.

What hit them hardest, though, was something they hadn't seen coming-the Brooks Corporation's stock crashed, hitting record lows. Watching more gray hairs sprout on her father's head, Celestia was riddled with guilt. But she wasn't doing great herself either-she had lost a noticeable amount of weight in days, her face as pale as if she were seriously ill.

And then came the final blow-her period was two weeks late.

Sitting in the hospital, Celestia stared at the test report like her brain just stopped working. A full three minutes passed-she didn't blink, didn't move, just kept staring at that one terrible word.

Pregnant.

She was already two weeks along.

No way... how could this be happening...

Staring at the word "positive" on the test report, Celestia felt like the whole world was spinning out from under her, and she might just faint right there.

Pregnant. She was actually pregnant. Like getting slammed with accusations of stealing her best friend's fiancé wasn't enough, now she had a baby she never planned for brewing inside her. What the hell was the universe trying to do to her?

Her mind went totally blank, all she could hear was a constant ringing in her ears. Everything else just faded-no sound, no sight, nothing.

She stood there right outside the doctor's office with that paper in hand, frozen for what must've been half an hour, until the assistant, Jolie, came searching after waiting too long downstairs.

Seeing Celestia looking like she was on the verge of passing out, face pale as a ghost and completely spaced out, Jolie's expression turned serious. "Ms. Brooks, are you okay?"

Celestia slowly looked at her, dazed, completely forgetting to answer. All she could think about was the baby.

The baby.

Jolie's worry deepened. "If you're not feeling well, I can cancel the dinner with Mr. Caleb. You should go home and rest. I'll reschedule, your health is more important."

That snapped Celestia out of it. She looked at Jolie's anxious face, quickly shoved the test report into her bag, and forced a shaky smile. "I'm fine. Let's go." Then, under Jolie's worried gaze, she walked unsteadily out of the hospital.

As the last light of dusk faded away, the city by the sea was soon swallowed by night.

At the heart of the city stood Ivory Table.

"Mr. Caleb, as CEO of the Brook Group, I'd like to thank you for making time to meet tonight," Celestia greeted the approaching middle-aged man with a composed smile.

She had swapped her daytime suit for a white chiffon dress from Chanel. Her naturally elegant features were lightly made up, and long hair spilled gently over her shoulders, giving off a polished yet gentle vibe.

"Please, dinner with you is my pleasure, Miss Brooks," Mr. Caleb said, reaching out to shake her hand. His chubby face stretched into an insincere smile that didn't quite sit right.

A flicker of disgust passed through Celestia's eyes, but she kept her game face on. Calmly, she slid her hand out of his grasp and motioned for him to go ahead.

Once they were seated and the dishes were served, Celestia gradually steered the conversation toward the main topic of the evening.

"Our company's been around for twenty-five years. Our track record is solid across the whole industry. What we're going through now is just a small hiccup," she said, voice steady but earnest, "I hope you could reconsider the loan for us..."

She'd practically said everything nice she could think of, but her throat was getting dry, and Caleb looked like he couldn't be less interested. His lack of engagement made her want to just call it a night.

"What do you need from me to make the loan happen?" She finally asked straight-up.

That got his attention. He leaned in slightly, smirking. "Take a wild guess," he drawled, his eyes blatantly raking over her figure. His hand casually brushed against her exposed thigh, clearly not by accident. "The loan's not an issue."

"Mr. Caleb, I think you misunderstood," Celestia said, forcing a polite smile while firmly removing his hand.

"Oh, come on. Let's not play games here." His voice lowered, full of implication. "You need funding, and I'm happy to provide that. But I expect something in return-namely, you," he said without a shred of shame.

"After all, everyone knows you already slept with Jareth. No one in our circle's gonna marry you now. Shame for someone as stunning as you to go to waste. Stick with me. I'll take care of you..."

The overpowering mix of his cologne and the greasy smell of the food made her stomach churn. At that point, she knew the conversation had already derailed beyond saving.

"I guess I shouldn't have come tonight. Since you clearly have no intention of helping Brooks Corp, I'll be leaving now," she said, standing up.

But before she could take a step, Caleb grabbed her wrist and yanked her toward him, locking her in his arms so tightly she couldn't move. His greasy lips were uncomfortably close to her ear, breathing hot against her skin.

"Don't you think it's a bit of a waste to leave now?" he whispered suggestively. "One night? Nah, how about three nights? Spend three nights with me and not only will I help you, I'll marry you if that's what you want."

His disgusting proposition made Celestia's face go pale. When his hand started creeping between her thighs, a wave of nausea hit her.

"Let go of me!" she shouted, shoving at his chest with all her strength, trying to dodge his unwanted kiss.

"Be a good girl. Just stay with me tonight, and I promise I'll make sure..." The stench of alcohol on his breath hit Celestia like a punch, thick and greasy enough to make her nauseous.

A strong wave of nausea surged up, and Celestia didn't even have the strength to push him away before-"Urgh..."-she threw up right on him.

The sour stench of her vomit splattered all over Caleb, who instantly shoved her away with a look that twisted between green and purple.

"You disgusting woman! Are you insane?!" he bellowed, completely forgetting they were in a public restaurant, hurling verbal abuse at Celestia without restraint.

Thanks to the outburst, every pair of eyes in the place zeroed in on them. Realizing the scene he caused, Caleb's temper flared further as he glared at Celestia, who was now collapsed on the floor clutching her chest in pain.

"You're nothing but a whore who's been with half the city. What are you playing shy for? Fifty grand isn't enough for someone like you?" he snarled, pulled out a wad of cash from his wallet, and flung it at her before storming off like she was dirt under his shoe.

Celestia's face flushed beet red. The stares she felt all around her pierced like needles, burning her skin with every judgmental glare. The shame was overwhelming-she wanted the ground to swallow her whole. But unfortunately, she had to endure it.

Still sitting on the cold floor, she braved through the whispers and stares. Once she felt slightly better, she grabbed her bag and shakily got to her feet.

Just as she lowered her head and tried to make a quiet exit, a pair of polished leather shoes stopped right in front of her, blocking the way. A confident, slightly mocking voice dropped from above her head.

"Well, this is unexpected. Fancy meeting you here."

Deep, smooth, and dripping with amusement-his voice made her stiffen on the spot. Her unfocused eyes slowly traced up the tailored pants, and as her gaze landed on the man standing before her, her heart sank like a stone.

There he was-the last person she wanted to see. Jareth.

His tousled hair danced in the breeze, those sharply arched brows framing his obsidian eyes, dark and unfathomable. He had that untamed edge, while the smirk playing on his thin lips paired with the confidence on his face made him look like he ruled the world. Clad in an Armani suit that fit like it was sewn on him, he exuded an air of effortless authority with every subtle move.

Arrogance etched across his face, Jareth sneered down at her while holding onto a clingy, doll-like woman by his side-who mirrored his mocking expression.

Celestia instinctively wanted to sidestep him and leave, but Jareth saw right through her. Before she could even act, he stepped squarely in front of her again, cutting off any escape.

His eyes swept over her disheveled form with undisguised contempt. Then he glanced behind her at the mess on the table, lips curled into a crooked grin. "Wow, hasn't been that long... and already you've hit rock bottom?" His deep gaze buzzed with icy sarcasm.

Celestia shot him a cold glance, then quickly looked away. The glamorous woman beside Jareth was eyeing her warily, but Celestia didn't react-pretending she didn't hear a word, didn't even see him there. She just turned her body slightly and stepped around him, heading straight for the exit.

Not saying anything was probably the best choice right now.

That blatant disregard sparked a sharp sting of humiliation in Jareth. His smile vanished in a flash, replaced by an icy expression. His whole presence darkened like storm clouds rolling in. Just as Celestia was about to step out the door, his voice rang out behind her, low and cutting.

"You do realize hitting up every bank won't help, right? Without my go-ahead, none of them will loan you a penny."

Celestia halted in her tracks. Five beats passed before she slowly turned around to face him, her voice tight with fury as she forced the words out.

"What the hell is your problem? What do you gain from crushing us like this?" She knew full well that the Brooks family's downfall wasn't just due to past missteps. Jareth had made it clear he was out to bury them.

And with his grip on half of the continent's financial power, there was no wall strong enough to keep him out-not even theirs. Celestia got it. What she didn't get was why Jareth had chosen them-or her-as his target.

But instead of answering, Jareth let out a dry scoff. "Problem? Come on, you guys know exactly why this is happening." His obsidian eyes gleamed dangerously, that glint like sharpened steel. His hands curled unconsciously into fists.

"What are you even talking about?" Celestia snapped, her brows drawn in anger. "Is this about us sleeping together? Or because I messed up your stupid wedding? Don't pretend you're the only one who got hurt here, Jareth! I was a victim too!"

Her voice rose with each word, cutting across the dining room and drawing every eye her way. But she couldn't care less anymore.

He'd taken her first time-drunk and without her consent-and ever since, she'd lost her closest friend, Sophia. Yet now he was acting like he was the one who got stabbed in the back. What the hell did he want from her?

Jareth's gaze locked onto hers like a hawk. After a beat of silence, he gave her a half-smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, then said something that nearly made her gasp out loud.

"You really want to know why I'm doing this? Fine. I want you to marry me."

He was smiling, yeah-but his tone? Dead serious. Unshakably firm. No games.

A pair of sharp intakes of breath followed-one from the woman on his arm, the other from Celestia.

She stared at him, stunned, eyes wide with disbelief. When her voice finally came back, it cracked with shock. "Jareth, are you out of your mind?" After everything-tearing her family to the ground-his endgame was... marrying her?

Jareth's smile deepened, colder now, tinged with something almost sinister.

"I'll give you two days to think about it. That's it," he said as he looked at her, gaze intense-burningly so, like he was trying to see through her skin to every thought in her head.

Celestia didn't even know how to tell if he was serious anymore. Her mind couldn't process this craziness. She dropped her gaze in disbelief, still reeling-when his voice cut through again.

"Right, almost forgot-did you take the pills after that night?" Jareth shot her a sidelong glance, a devilish smirk tugging at his lips.

Pills? What pills? For a second, Celestia was confused-until Jareth followed up with a chilly laugh, saying, "I'm not really in the mood to deal with a bastard kid."

It hit her instantly. So he was talking about that. But the real kicker? He actually called the baby a bastard.

Faced with his mocking stare, Celestia's eyes turned sharp. She straightened herself, chin slightly lifted, glaring back with a defiant calm.

"Relax. I'm not that desperate to mess up my own life," she snapped, not even sparing him another glance before turning to leave.

Jareth watched her figure disappear into the shadows. His eyes darkened with a chill that hinted at something far from harmless.

Under the dim moonlight, a sleek black BMW cruised steadily along an empty road.

In the back seat, Celestia sat in silence, Jareth's words echoing in her head: "I want you to marry me."

Was he serious?

Her mind replayed the scene-his smile, those unwavering eyes. He hadn't been joking. Not one bit. So then... what's his angle? Why would he ask her to marry him? She frowned, the question twisting in her chest like a knot.

After a while, she shook her head hard, trying to stop the spiral.

Whatever game he was playing, she wasn't about to roll over that easy.

A flash of determination lit up in her clear eyes. She opened her bag to grab her phone, hoping to reach out to someone-anyone-that could help. But before she could, her gaze landed on a test report sticking out on top. And just like that, everything inside her clammed up.

The baby.

What was she supposed to do about the baby?

One of her trembling hands instinctively pressed against her lower abdomen. Under the flickering streetlights, her beautiful face was clouded with heartache.

She was only twenty-two. She wasn't ready to be a mom-especially not to Jareth's child. She'd already made up her mind. She couldn't keep it.

But then... why did just the thought of letting go make her chest ache?

"I'm home, Dad," she called softly as she closed the door behind her, expecting to hear his usual response.

Stepping out of her heels and into her slippers, she walked into the living room, wanting to talk over some other options with him. Normally, he'd be there watching the evening news. But today, the living room was empty.

"Dad?" She set down her bag and headed toward the study, only to find it abandoned too.

"Dad, where are you?" she called again, a bit louder this time, climbing the stairs with rising unease.

He had to be home.

She searched every upstairs room, anxiety growing with every empty corner she checked. Her steps quickened as she rushed back down to the bathroom. When she pushed the door open-

She froze.

There he was.

Collapsed on the floor.

And in that instant, her face went utterly pale.

"Dad!" Her voice trembled with panic as she rushed toward him, struggling to lift him off the cold floor. "Dad, wake up! Can you hear me?" She patted his face anxiously, only to realize how pale and stiff his body had gone. His skin was icy cold, drained of all color.

Panic gripped Celestia so tightly it felt like her heart might spiral into a knot. Tears welled up in her eyes, but her mind was frozen-it took her a few seconds just to remember to call for help.

The ambulance arrived not long after her frantic call.

Outside the ER, she paced back and forth, her face ghostly pale, like she could pass out any second.

Her mom had passed away years ago; her dad was all she had left in this world. If anything happened to him... she didn't even know how she'd keep going. That thought alone made her burst into quiet sobs as hot tears streamed down her cheeks.

Time blurred until the doors to the emergency room finally opened. Celestia rushed up immediately.

"How is my dad?" she asked, eyebrows scrunched tight, eyes locked on the doctor walking out. Her voice was shaky and so low it barely carried.

"There's been significant bleeding in the brain. Thankfully, you brought him in quickly," the doctor said calmly. "We're prepping for surgery now. I'll need your signature shortly."

The words landed like a punch to the gut-Celestia nearly crumbled.

"Brain hemorrhage? How's that possible?" Her dad had always been strong and healthy. He hadn't had a serious illness in over a decade. How could this be happening?

"It was caused by a sudden spike in blood pressure-most likely from stress," the doctor explained briefly before hurrying off.

The guilt hit her all at once, heavy and suffocating. Her eyes clouded over again, and she stared at the red light above the OR with a stabbing pain in her chest. Her tears spilled uncontrollably.

This was all on her. Every. Damn. Thing.

Because of her, the company's reputation had plummeted. Because of her, her father-once the steadiest person in her life-was now in critical condition.

Thinking of him lying helpless on that operating table and the company sinking with no hope of saving it-Celestia felt like she might just collapse from the weight of it all.

While crying, one name popped into her mind: Jareth.

What if she just said yes to him? Would that fix everything? That single thought cracked the walls of her already fragile determination.

She'd already lost everything else-love, friendship. Now the only thing she had left was her dad. And if giving up everything else could keep him alive, did anything else even matter?

*****

It was a bright afternoon, sun blazing down on the premium business district in the heart of the city. Dominating a cluster of sleek office buildings was a sixty-story tower, its smooth glass facade sparkling like a diamond under the sun-impossible to miss.

Carrington Corporation. 59th floor. CEO's Office.

"This quarter, I want full reports from each of your departments. The more detailed, the better." Jareth's voice was calm but firm, carrying easily across the spacious office as he issued orders from behind his desk to his department heads.