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.

A sharp voice cut through the air just as the office door was slammed open, abruptly halting Jareth mid-sentence.

His brows snapped together, face clearly annoyed as he shot a glance at the doorway. But the moment he spotted the slim figure pushing her way in, ignoring all obstacles, a flash of sharp interest darted through his dark eyes.

"Ma'am, you can't just go in there, please-" the assistant tried her best to hold Celestia back, nearly panicked.

But Celestia didn't spare her a single glance. She walked straight in, eyes fixed coldly on Jareth behind the desk. "We need to talk."

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Carrington, I tried to stop her..." The assistant looked terrified, like she expected to be scolded, but Jareth simply raised a hand.

"Leave us." A faint, icy amusement slid across his face. Of course she came.

Everyone hurried out, leaving just the two of them in the room.

Like Jareth himself, his office was all sharp edges and no warmth, decked out in black, white, and endless silence. The air-con blasted cold enough to make Celestia shiver before she even fully stepped in, a chill creeping across her skin, raising every hair on end.

Jareth sat behind the desk, back straight, eyes aloof and full of contempt. There was a silent arrogance in the way he looked at her. With a small tilt of his chin, he gestured, and she got the message-she closed the door, then walked toward him.

"You win," she said flatly, not here to play games. "What do you want in return for helping me?"

She expected a straight answer. Instead, Jareth's brow lifted slightly as he spoke, a smirk on his handsome face. "You're late," he said. "I gave you two days. It's the third. Time's up."

Celestia stood frozen, staring at the mocking curve of his lips, every part of her wanting to turn and walk out. But her father was lying unconscious in a hospital bed, and she couldn't walk away.

Swallowing her pride, she stayed rooted, wrestling with herself for a moment before letting out a slow breath.

"What do I need to do?" Her voice steadied. "What will it take to make you help me?" Whatever it was, she'd do it. Pride didn't matter anymore.

Jareth caught that fearless look in her eyes and let a sneer touch his lips. He stood, slowly circling the desk, stopping just in front of her. His hand came up, cool fingers gripping her chin. He leaned in close, his breath brushing along her ear.

"Help you? Sure. But first... let's see how well you can perform."

His words sent a flush of warmth over her pale face.

"What?" Celestia shoved him away, eyes wide with disbelief. "Are you serious?"

But Jareth didn't rush. He moved to the couch, stretched out with casual arrogance, legs crossed at the ankles on the coffee table. His gaze locked onto hers as he flashed a slow, wicked smile.

"You want my help? Then play nice. If not, the door's right there. Don't let it hit you on the way out."

Celestia frowned, eyes lowering for half a second. When she looked up again, the fear was gone.

"Fine." Her voice was steady this time. The decision was made.

Hearing that, Jareth's face froze for a second. He clearly hadn't expected her to agree so fast. His sharp eyes locked on her for more than ten seconds.

Celestia ignored the mockery written all over his face and let out a self-deprecating smile. "There's already been one time... a second really doesn't make a difference."

As soon as she finished speaking, Jareth's eyes narrowed dangerously, a cold glint flashing through them. He curled his lips. "Then what are you waiting for?" He motioned with his chin, "Get on."

"Right here?" Celestia was stunned by how brazen he was.

Her pale eyes widened as she stared at his wicked grin. She took a deep breath, walked over, straddled his legs, and wrapped her arms around his neck, lips trembling as they closed in on his.

She'd never learned about this kind of thing. Even that night, she didn't remember anything at all. So now, she could only go with her instincts, gently pressing her lips to his. But the moment they touched, a bolt of electricity shot through her-she froze.

That's when Jareth sneered, "Not even a virgin, and that's all you've got?"

Celestia flinched slightly, paused for three seconds, then shut her eyes and kissed him again. This time, with more nerve.

Jareth didn't taste like she'd expected-it wasn't the stench of alcohol or smoke. He actually had a fresh, clean scent... like spring air.

He abruptly opened his eyes. The second he met the innocent sparkle in her eyes, he shoved her off without warning.

"Ugh-" She landed hard on the floor with a thud. Pain shot through her, and she couldn't help but let out a soft moan. When she looked up at him again, the cold arrogance had returned to his face.

"They all say Miss Brooks is elegant and classy. At the core, you're just a cheap woman who'd sell herself for some benefits."

Each word hit like a dagger, but Celestia lifted her chin, refusing to show weakness.

"Do you want to continue or not?" she asked as she stood, walking toward him again, trying to sit back on his lap. But Jareth was already on his feet in a flash.

"You're even filthier than I thought," he said, sarcasm curling on his lips, eyes full of disgust. "A girl like you, filthy inside and out. Even your pretty eyes look dirty now." There was hatred in his voice as he said it.

Celestia stared at him, trying to figure out what he really meant. She pushed down the fury building in her chest. Waiting until he finished throwing venom at her, she pressed her lips together and said, "I've done everything you asked. If you're not continuing, can you at least do your part now?" She swallowed her shame, only thinking of her bedridden father.

"Hmph." Jareth let out a cold snort. "Tomorrow at 8 a.m., someone will come pick you up. Now get lost."

The next morning, Celestia was ready and waiting at home right on time.

At exactly 8, a luxurious Rolls-Royce pulled up outside the Brooks residence.

Celestia thought she was fully braced for whatever Jareth had in store. But what floored her was-he wanted to get married.

On the way to the marriage registration office, she hesitated, torn between backing out and going through with it. But whenever she thought of her father lying sick in bed, her resolve hardened.

Her dad had stayed single for over twenty years after her mom passed, all for her sake. He gave up so much just to raise her right.

Now, he was lying in a hospital bed, again because of her. Compared to that, giving up her right to choose her own marriage? Honestly, it felt like nothing.

So, Celestia said yes.

There wasn't even a basic wedding. The moment they finished registering their marriage that afternoon, she moved straight into Jareth's villa by Serene Lake.

Somehow, the gossip sites caught wind of it. The second they stepped out of the marriage registration office, there were a ton of reporters waiting outside. Celestia had to push her way through the crowd for fifteen whole minutes before she finally made it into the car.

And the entire time? Jareth just sat there in the back seat, acting all chill, watching her with a smirk like he found it all amusing.

Night fell, and the Carrington estate was dead silent.

After dropping her off, Jareth just bailed without a word. The staff at the villa looked at each other, clearly confused, while Celestia quietly ate dinner alone and then went upstairs.

After showering, she slipped into her pajamas and stepped out onto the balcony, tilting her head to gaze at the night sky.

The moon was half-hidden behind thick clouds, and the stars were nowhere to be seen. Not even the faintest breeze stirred the air-it felt as lifeless as her mood.

She was really married now. That thought hit her again. Married to a guy she couldn't stand-a total playboy. Worse, he used to be engaged to her closest friend. The whole thing still felt completely unreal.

Celestia couldn't figure Jareth out. Why marry her? He'd been with Sophia for a whole year, then dropped that bomb on what was supposed to be their wedding day and chose her instead.

When Ethan asked him what he planned to do, he'd immediately said he'd take responsibility. Like it was no big deal? He made it seem like he didn't care about Sophia or the marriage at all. But then, why go through with any of it in the first place?

Thoughts tumbled through her head like tangled threads, no matter how she tried, she couldn't make sense of anything.

Out of nowhere, a strong gust of wind blew past, making her shiver in her thin pajamas. She hugged herself tightly, suddenly snapped back to reality.

Looking up, she saw the clouds pressing heavy and dark above, like a storm was about to break. She turned to go back inside-only to freeze.

With a loud bang, the bedroom door swung open, stopping her in her tracks.

Where Celestia stood, she had a clear view into the room, but the people inside couldn't see her. From that angle, she could see everything.

And what she saw made her eyes go wide.

Under the warm, dim lighting, a man and a woman were locked in a heated kiss, their clothes falling away bit by bit as they tumbled onto the massive waterbed in each other's arms.

The man-of course-was Jareth. The woman? Her back was turned, so Celestia couldn't see her face.

The whole thing happened so fast, she didn't even have time to react.

Should she storm in? Or walk away?

Celestia just stood there, face pale, staring straight at the bed.

In the end, she stayed where she was-no way was she going to interrupt whatever the hell that was.

Even though Jareth's flings technically had nothing to do with her, doing that with another woman in their bedroom today... there's no way Celestia didn't feel something.

At some point, the wind outside had started howling, sharp and cold against the windows, but inside the bedroom, the heat was practically suffocating.

Once the rush had settled down, the woman finally opened her eyes to look at Jareth. "Jareth, did you seriously marry that woman?" she asked, jealousy practically dripping from her voice.

Jareth gave her a lazy smirk. "Yeah, I did." Straightforward. No denial.

She didn't even try to hide her disappointment. "So... that means we're done now?"

"What do you think?" he said with a grin, making the woman giggle and squirm.

"You're so bad, Jareth!" she said in a sulky voice, leaning in for a kiss. But he turned his head away like always. Knowing he didn't like being kissed didn't make it any less awkward, but she didn't take it personally.

"Good thing I had that drug ready that night," she added coyly. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have gotten Celestia so easily. So... how are you gonna thank me, huh?"

Jareth paused, just for a beat. Then he looked up again, his face full of that familiar devil-may-care charm. "Aren't I showing you my thanks right now, sweetheart?"

"You're terrible..." she whined.

Outside, the wind howled even louder. But out on the balcony, Celestia stood frozen, like someone had pulled her soul right out of her body.

She stared blankly at the tangled figures on the bed, and finally, she saw the woman's face clearly.

It was her.

The same woman who'd brought her drinks at Sophia's engagement party, the same woman who'd walked her back to her room that night. Celestia never expected... she'd team up with Jareth to take her down.

That night, she didn't pass out from drinking too much-she was drugged. She'd been set up.

The truth hit Celestia so hard, her mind just went blank. Her whole body felt hollow, like someone had gutted her from the inside. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed like a broken puppet onto the floor.

Why? Why would he do this? She stared at Jareth's back, completely stunned, heart boiling with humiliation and rage.

He let her get branded as the mistress, tossed her into this sham of a marriage, and for what? What did he even gain from doing this to her?

A deafening clap of thunder exploded across the sky. The wind suddenly picked up even more, and within seconds, the sky opened up, dumping buckets of rain. The storm was merciless.

The rain slammed against her thin body like icy needles, but Celestia didn't feel a thing. No matter how cold it got outside, nothing compared to the chill inside her.

She couldn't take her eyes off the two who were still wrapped up in each other on the bed. She didn't even know how long she'd been sitting there, getting drenched by wind and rain, until her chest tightened painfully and her body finally gave out. She toppled backward in a haze as total darkness swept over her and pulled her under.

The next day, it was one of the house staff who found Celestia passed out on the balcony.