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.

A raging fever of 103.1°F, and Jareth had the heartless nerve to forbid anyone from calling a doctor or even looking after her. He just threw Celestia on the bed and left her there like she was nothing-left to fend for herself.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a golden hue over the cold, indifferent room.

Celestia slowly opened her heavy eyelids. The moment her eyes opened, everything spun wildly. Her head felt like it was being crushed under a ton of bricks, her whole body floating in a warped haze where she couldn't even tell if she was dreaming or awake.

"You're awake?" A cold, emotionless voice broke the quiet. A tall figure appeared in her blurry vision.

With great effort, Celestia lifted her drooping eyelids and stared weakly at Jareth's face twisted in a mocking smile. As the memories of what happened before she passed out hit her, rage rushed up in her chest.

Digging deep for what little strength she had left, she propped herself up and croaked out, "Why...? Why would you do this to me?" Her voice was hoarse, but each word was thick with pain. What had she done to deserve this cruelty?

Jareth looked down at her pale face without a trace of warmth in his eyes. His lashes flicked slightly. "No idea what you're talking about."

Celestia shook from head to toe-not from weakness, but from anger. She wanted to scream, wanted to fight, but even moving took all of her energy. Gritting her teeth, she forced the words out:

"I heard everything... You set me up. You had that woman drug my drink, and then-you forced yourself on me..." That last part came out in a hoarse scream.

"Why would you do that? I've never done anything to hurt you! Why?"

Each word she said felt like knives carving out her already shattered heart.

Jareth stood there unfazed, not even a flicker of guilt. Only after she fell silent, completely drained, did he finally speak, lips curling into a faint smile.

"Because I wanted you." His voice was almost gentle, his eyes locked on her tear-soaked lashes as he reached out and twirled a piece of her hair between his fingers.

The smile on his face wasn't reassuring-it was cold, twisted, terrifying.

"My dear little wife, do you really not realize how many men are dying to have you? How many are ready to kill just to get close to you? I'm just one of them." His tone was strangely soft, even affectionate.

"You really think I'm gonna buy that crap?" Celestia let out a breathless laugh, full of bitterness. Hatred blazed inside her, the pain almost knocking her out again. His face-twisted with that sick grin-blurred in her vision.

"Why wouldn't you believe me? Don't you know how gorgeous you are?" Jareth went on, still stroking her hair with that same obsessive look in his dark eyes.

"You're so beautiful it drives me mad-makes me want to ruin you..."

Celestia's breathing grew frantic, her chest rising with every harsh gasp. Looking at the man she should call husband, she rasped out, "So that's what you want? My body? My money? Is that what all this is for?"

Unexpectedly, Jareth fell silent. Then, something dangerous flickered in his eyes.

"Your pain."

Her pain-he did all this just to watch her suffer?

Celestia's rage finally broke loose. With all the strength she could muster, she slapped him-hard.

"You're a monster, Jareth!" she spat out, right before collapsing.

Her slap, weak as it was, still left a stinging red mark on Jareth's cheek. He touched his face with his fingers, looking down at her limp body. Amused.

"You actually hit me?" he murmured with a chilling smile-calm on the surface, but somehow far scarier than if he'd screamed.

Celestia could barely cling to consciousness. Her body was too drained to even lift a finger. She just stared at Jareth in silence, her lips unable to form a sound.

There was a cold glint in Jareth's eyes, something predatory, almost feral. The next second, without any warning, he lunged forward and gripped her slender neck tightly. His fingers locked around her throat, his whole aura radiating violence.

He glared fiercely at her, watching her eyes roll back from lack of air. There wasn't the slightest trace of mercy in his expression-only rage.

"No one gets away with laying a hand on me!" he growled, veins bulging on his forehead, his anger burning.

Celestia tried to fight back, but her body betrayed her. She couldn't even muster the strength to twitch her fingers, much less break free. Her vision started to blur, breath growing thinner with each passing second, until she felt herself slipping.

Just then, Jareth flung her back onto the bed, hard.

The force of it knocked the air from her lungs. She let out a muffled gasp as pain shot through her entire body, almost passing out again.

"Don't think being a woman will save you. Next time, I'll make you pay double," he sneered, his gaze icy as it swept over her from head to toe. And just like that, he turned on his heel and left without a second glance.

Celestia stared at his retreating back, lips parted as if wanting to say something-but nothing came out.

Just as Jareth opened the door to leave, he paused, turning back with a cruel smirk tugging at his lips. "Oh, and if you wanna watch us getting it on again, no need to spy from the balcony. I don't mind giving you front-row seats next time."

The last thing Celestia saw before blacking out was that twisted grin on his face. Then-nothing.

When she woke again, four days had passed.

The first two, her fever raged unchecked because no one came to help. It wasn't until the third day that the housekeeper panicked and called a doctor, who finally gave her fluids. By the fourth morning, her fever finally broke.

When she first regained consciousness, she felt completely hollow inside-like she was just skin and bone. She laid there blankly, staring at the ceiling for a solid half hour before her mind started clearing bit by bit. Even getting out of bed felt impossible.

Her head was spinning, but she still managed to throw on something and drag herself slowly out the door, using the wall as support.

The walk from upstairs to the ground floor took mere seconds on a good day. But for Celestia, every step felt like she was trudging through miles. By the time she reached the bottom stair, her legs gave out and she slumped to the floor, completely spent.

Right then, the housekeeper, Amy, walked out of the kitchen and saw her. She hurried over in alarm, dropping what she was holding. "Ma'am! You're awake!" She helped Celestia up and settled her onto the couch.

"Yeah..." Celestia croaked weakly, leaning back against the cushions. After she caught her breath, she looked up at Amy and asked, "Can you make me some food?"

She hadn't eaten in days. Other than some water and nutrient drips, her stomach had been completely empty. Now that she was conscious, the hunger hit her like a brick.

Amy looked torn, her face full of guilt. "I... I'm so sorry, Ma'am. Mr. Carrington told us not to help you in any way."

Celestia stared at her, stunned. Her pale face flushed red with suppressed fury. Was Jareth really trying to starve her out now?

Fine.

If he wanted her to give up that easily, he was dreaming.

"Can you at least tell me where the food is? I'll cook it myself," she said, forcing herself upright.

"You know how to cook?" Amy looked surprised.

Celestia nodded and headed toward the kitchen, "Lived on my own in high school. I'm not totally helpless, you know."