Under Amy's wide-eyed stare, Celestia spent a solid two hours cooking a pot of homemade chicken soup. She also toasted a few slices of bread and scrambled some eggs. While it was still simmering, she slipped upstairs to soak in a hot bath. The warm water drove away the exhaustion, and afterward, she felt way more alert.

She changed into fresh clothes, then sat down at the dining table, spooning soup into her mouth while chatting casually with Amy about Jareth.

From what Amy said, Celestia learned that Jareth had moved out of his family home at just seventeen. After college, he started at the very bottom of the Carrington Corporation, and in just six years climbed all the way to the top, now reigning as CEO. With a sharp mind and even sharper methods, he'd turned the company into an industry powerhouse.

Sure, she could admit the man had talent, but as far as she was concerned? Jareth was nothing more than a cold-blooded control freak.

When she asked how someone like him ended up with such a frosty personality, Amy's face froze, and she fumbled for words, hesitating so long she barely said anything at all.

Just as Celestia was about to press her for an answer, her train of thought got cut off by her phone ringing-clear and crisp. She picked it up from the side, glanced at the screen. It was her father's assistant. Thinking it might be some company issue, she answered in a rush.

"Jolie..." Celestia had barely spoken when Jolie interrupted, sounding panicked.

"Ms. Brooks, something's happened-you need to turn on the TV. Right now. The Carrington Corporation just acquired Brooks Enterprises."

Her spoon slipped from her hand with a loud clink, falling back into the bowl. The hot soup splashed on her soft skin, turning it red, but she didn't even flinch.

"Acquired? What are you talking about?" she asked, already rushing toward the living room, grabbing the remote and flipping to the finance channel Jolie had mentioned.

The moment she saw the bold red banner on-screen, her pupils contracted hard.

There he was-Jareth, in a crisp Armani suit, standing tall in front of the Brooks Enterprises lobby, facing the camera. Even through the screen, his presence was powerful. His usual cool smile hinted at something ruthless beneath the surface, a king claiming his throne.

"I've authorized my legal team to proceed with the acquisition of Brooks Enterprises. Most major shareholders have already agreed. Now..."

Acquisition.

That word hit her like a brick, knocking the color from her face.

What did this even mean? He promised to help, didn't he? But now... staring at Jareth's confident smirk on the screen, Celestia realized the truth-he'd played her.

Saying he was helping her? What a joke. His real goal was clearly to take over the company. Celestia burned with rage, her eyes gleaming with a fire that couldn't be put out.

She could let a lot of things slide, but not this. Not the Brooks Group.

Her father had built this company from the ground up-it was his life's work. There was no way she was going to just sit back and watch Jareth snatch it away.

She barely touched her food before rushing upstairs, quickly throwing a few things together, then stormed out and grabbed one of Jareth's limited-edition Ferraris from the garage without even blinking.

She gunned it straight toward Brooks Group, but when she finally got there, they told her Jareth had already left.

With no time to waste, she drove another two hours to Carrington Corp. After a whole runaround at the front desk, someone finally agreed to let her go up to his office.

Celestia didn't bother with pleasantries-no knocking, nothing. She shoved the door open and there he was, sitting behind his desk, just as cold and distant as always.

Her brows furrowed tightly as her hands clenched at her sides. She took a deep breath, marched right into the office, and stopped just in front of him, ready to tear into him.

But before she could get a word out, she realized he hadn't even noticed her-his eyes were locked on something in his hands.

She blinked, surprised by how focused he looked. It made her curious-what could have him this zoned in? Letting her mouth close, her gaze drifted down until she saw it.

A photo. He was holding a photo.

Celestia squinted and tried to take a good look. There was a woman leaning against a tree, smiling so brightly, with a soft, gentle face.

But before she could make out the entire image, Jareth abruptly looked up and caught her staring.

The moment their eyes met, she was caught completely off guard.

Was this really Jareth? The same cold, untouchable man?

Because right then, his face held this rare, almost tender look, soft enough to throw her off for a second.

He, too, was startled by her unexpected appearance. The moment he realized what she was looking at, he quickly tucked the photo into a drawer and shut down whatever warmth had been on his face.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was icy, eyes sharp and unreadable again.

His sudden change pulled Celestia right back to reality. That usual coldness, that disdain in his eyes-it hit her like a slap.

Her expression darkened as she snapped, "You bought the Brooks Group? Care to explain how that makes any sense? You promised you'd help us, and now this? How could you just go back on your word like that?"

The image of him, all smug and confident on TV, announcing the acquisition like some kind of victor, flashed through her mind-and it set her blood boiling all over again.

Celestia stared daggers at Jareth, waiting for his reply. After a long pause, he finally spoke.

"So you came all the way here just for this?" Jareth shot her a sharp glance, raising a brow with a mocking smirk. "I only promised to keep your company afloat. I never said I'd give it back to your father." His voice was calm, matter-of-fact, like it was no big deal.

"You-!" Celestia was seething, her pale face tinged with red. She couldn't even argue-he wasn't technically lying. Back then, she'd only been desperate to save the company, and made a verbal deal with him. She just hadn't expected him to be this ruthless.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Celestia forced out, "So you're saying you're not giving Brooks Corp back at all?"

Jareth glanced over with a cold look. He didn't answer directly.

"I've got loads of work to do. If you're done talking, you can leave now." His tone was final, as if she was just wasting his time.

Celestia glared at him, her eyes gleaming like a storm was brewing. Her brows pinched slightly as she bit her lip and hissed through clenched teeth, "If your word means nothing, then don't expect me to keep mine. I'll have the divorce papers ready soon. Whatever deal we had-it's over."

She turned on her heel, heading straight for the door.

Jareth didn't even flinch. He raised one brow lazily, his smirk smug as ever. "Sure. Unless you want your father in handcuffs." Did she really think he'd be that soft? Not a chance.

Celestia stopped cold.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She spun around. Jareth stood there, his handsome face twisted into a smug, sinister grin. That look sent chills down her spine.

"Hurting my dad and putting him in the hospital wasn't enough for you? What are you trying to pull now?" Her voice lifted, anger and fear bubbling in her chest.

Jareth didn't react. Instead, his eyes darkened for a second. When he looked back at her, the smile was gone, replaced with something much colder.

"You really think your dad's some untouchable saint?" he snapped. "I've got evidence of all the shady deals he's done-bribes, embezzlement, all of it. Enough to put him away for good. If that doesn't bother you, feel free to walk out that door."

Bribes? That couldn't be. Her father?

"No way," Celestia shot back without a pause.

Her father had always been by the book, generous to charities-he wasn't the kind of man who'd take a bribe. She didn't buy a single word Jareth said.

But Jareth, still as calm as ever, reached into his drawer and casually tossed a thick stack of documents onto the floor right in front of her.

"If you don't believe me, take a look for yourself. This is just a small piece-trust me, I've got plenty more." Jareth wore a calm, easy smile on his handsome face, but it sent chills down the spine.

Celestia stood frozen, staring at the folder on the floor with hesitation in her eyes. She wanted so badly to trust her father, but Jareth's smug confidence shook her. After struggling with herself for nearly half a minute, she finally bent down and picked up the folder.

"If any of this turns out to be fake, I swear, you won't get away with it so easily," she said coldly before flipping it open. As her eyes scanned each page, they grew wider with every turn. Her hands began to shake. "No... this can't be real... How could this be..."

The words came out like a dull ache, barely audible. Jareth stood behind his desk, arms crossed, watching her face drain of color with a mocking smirk. A sharp flicker passed through his eyes.

He'd been digging into Henry's background for a year now, and just as he'd suspected, that kind and genteel face hid some grim secrets underneath.

"Still think I made it all up? We can go to the prosecutor's office and get these authenticated if you want," he said, voice as biting as sleet.

Celestia stared at him blankly, his smug expression like a slap to the face. All those photos of shady deals... they drowned every ounce of doubt she had buried in her mind.

It took her a while to find her voice. "My dad and I never did anything to you. Why... why are you doing this to us?" Her voice cracked, laced with confusion and pain.

Jareth's smile faded, eyes darkening like a storm rolling in.

"Nothing?" he repeated, slowly. Then his look turned menacing, gaze sharp as a blade.

"Trust me, it won't take long before you figure it out."

No matter what her father had done, to Celestia he was still the same man who had given everything for her. And so, in the end, she gave in. After losing almost everything else, protecting her father was all she had left.

*****

July, which for most was a month of sunshine and ease, to Celestia felt suffocating. In just weeks, she'd gone from a respected heiress to a disgraceful "homewrecker" in everyone's eyes, and under Jareth's thumb, she was nothing but a pawn.

Since moving into the Carrington estate, it was like Jareth found joy in making her life hell. He made her do everything on her own, even forced her to take care of the house like one of the maids.

Meanwhile, he brought home a steady rotation of women, flaunting them like trophies. Celestia was shoved into a guest room next door, where she had to fall asleep listening to their shameless laughter and moans-worse yet, she was expected to serve them.

When her father woke up from his illness, it was the one piece of good news she'd clung to. She told him the family company was steady again but kept her marriage to Jareth a secret.

She made sure everyone stayed quiet about it too. She didn't want him burdened with guilt, thinking she sold herself for the company's survival.

Without her job at the company, Celestia suddenly had time. She began splitting her days between home and the hospital, pouring all her energy into caring for her dad.

Then one day-

As soon as she came down the stairs, she heard shouting from the living room. Curious, she walked over. What she saw made her frown: Natalie Young-celebrity model and Jareth's latest fling-was sprawled comfortably on the couch, barking insults at a maid on her knees.

The words coming out of Natalie's mouth were so nasty, Celestia felt embarrassed just hearing them.

Celestia hadn't planned to get involved, but Natalie's words were getting more and more out of line. She finally couldn't take it anymore and walked up to them, cutting her off.

"That's enough!" Ignoring Natalie's wide-eyed glare, Celestia reached down to help the maid up and said softly, "Go on, get back to work."

The maid lifted her tear-streaked face and thanked her repeatedly. "Thank you, ma'am. Thank you so much." She turned, ready to flee.

"Stop right there! Who said you could leave?!" Natalie's shriek rang out like a whip. The maid froze, not daring to move an inch.

"Ma'am..." she trembled as she turned back, her eyes pleading with Celestia.

Celestia gave her a warm smile. "It's okay, don't worry about it. If anything happens, I'll handle it. Just go."

With that, the maid didn't dare hesitate a second longer and bolted.

Natalie, watching all this, was seething. Her face turned pale then red, her chest rising with fury. She shot Celestia a venomous look. "Since when is disciplining the help any of your business?"

Honestly, she had had it with this woman. She'd been with Jareth for two years. When his engagement with Sophia fell through, she thought she finally had a shot-then this nobody came out of nowhere, ruining everything!

The rage that had been boiling in her chest burst out. Her eyes darted with an intensity that could've cut right through Celestia.

Celestia met Natalie's tirade with a calm gaze, her voice cool. "I don't care how much Jareth pampers you. Just remember, I'm still his wife-on paper, at least."

That hit a nerve. Natalie's expression twisted instantly. Her mouth opened, but-

"What's going on?"

The voice, low and cold, came from behind them.

As soon as she saw Jareth, Natalie instantly switched gears. Her face softened, and she ran to him with a pitiful look. "Jareth, finally! You're back."

Jareth gave Celestia, who stood motionless, a quick glance. Then he looked at Natalie, now clinging to him. His voice was flat. "What happened?"

Natalie sniffled and looked up with watery eyes. "A maid spilled something on my dress. I just said a few words to her, and suddenly I was being accused and disrespected. She even pulled the 'Mrs. Carrington' card on me."

Before she even finished, Jareth shot Celestia a sharp look. "Apologize."

"What?" Celestia stared at him, stunned. "You're not even going to hear what I have to-"

"No need." His tone was final, cutting. "I didn't marry you to play wife. In this house, your status is below the help. Don't forget your place."

Natalie could barely contain her glee watching her rival get chewed out.

Celestia let out a breathy laugh, eyes clear but filled with quiet sorrow. She'd always known she wasn't really a wife to him, but hearing it aloud stung in a way she hadn't expected.

Her half-smile only seemed to irritate Jareth more.

"Well? Why are you just standing there?"

Celestia forced herself to stay calm, answering evenly, "Not happening. Your drama isn't my problem. Love whoever you want, but don't expect me to just take this kind of humiliation-from you or anyone else."

The second those words came out, Jareth's face turned completely dark.

And Natalie? She was practically smirking with glee, like she couldn't wait to fan the flames. "Jareth, look at her. Forget about me, she doesn't even care about you."

Celestia didn't have the patience to keep going back and forth with them. She just tossed a sentence over her shoulder: "I'm not coming home tonight. Do whatever you want." Then she walked right past them and left.

"Jareth, did you see her attitude? Like she thinks she's some kind of queen or something..."

Natalie was fuming, glaring at Celestia's retreating back. But when she glanced at Jareth's expression, which was just as awful, her voice softened sweetly, "Well... since she's not coming home tonight, how about I stay?"

What Natalie didn't expect, though, was for Jareth to shove her away suddenly, spitting out just one word: "Out."

Natalie stared at him with wide eyes, "What?"

"I said get out!" His voice was low but clearly on the edge, barely holding in the fury.

Natalie took one look at his stormy, terrifying face and hesitated like she wanted to argue-but in the end, she forced down her pride and gave in. "You're clearly upset. I'll come by another day." She grabbed her purse and quickly walked out.

The moment she was gone, Jareth couldn't hold it in anymore-he let out a deep, angry yell like a beast backed into a corner, chest heaving in frustration.

Before heading to the hospital, Celestia popped back home for a bit. She made a pot of chicken soup and packed a few things before setting out. As she waited to cross the street, her mind wandered right back to what Jareth had said earlier that day.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the red light at all. It wasn't until a blaring horn snapped her out of it that she looked up-only to see a huge truck speeding straight at her.

Just as she thought to run, her legs froze up like someone had nailed her to the ground. She couldn't move an inch.

The truck got closer. Her eyes widened, and everything around her faded. The screams from the crowd barely registered. Her mind went totally blank.

Then, just when the truck was barely five meters away, a voice shouted behind her.

"Watch out!"

Next thing she knew, someone grabbed her hand and yanked her hard. She stumbled and landed by the curb, shaken.

"Celestia, what the hell were you thinking!" a sharp voice barked above her.

Still dazed, she looked up, squinting against the harsh sunlight. When she saw the familiar face, her chest tightened. "Ethan..."

Ethan didn't bother replying to her shocked whisper. He just grabbed her shoulders and helped her to her feet, guiding her off to the side. His hands ran quickly over her arms and legs, checking for injuries. Only when he saw it was just a scraped shin did his tense posture finally ease.

"What were you thinking? How do you not see a red light? Do you have any idea what could've happened if I hadn't pulled you away?" Ethan's brows were knitted tight, voice full of anger.

Celestia didn't say a word. She just kept her head down, looking like a kid who got caught doing something wrong, letting him scold her as much as he wanted.

Ethan had way more to say, but when he saw how fragile and defeated she looked, he couldn't bring himself to keep going.

His eyes softened as he took a closer look. She looked way worse than she had a month ago-thinner, more fragile. Her body seemed so light it might get blown away by a stiff wind, her clothes hanging loosely on her. And her face... she didn't look well at all.

Looking at Celestia juggling a large tote in one hand and a lunchbox in the other, Ethan asked, "Where are you heading?" For nearly a month, she'd basically vanished-calls went unanswered, and even showing up at her office was a dead end.

He'd been loitering near her place, hoping she might show, and finally, he'd caught her. But she hadn't even noticed him until he ran up and grabbed her arm.

Celestia glanced at him coolly. "The hospital."

"The hospital? Are you sick?" Ethan's brows furrowed in concern.

Seeing his worried face made Celestia's chest tighten. Apart from her dad, the only person who had ever truly cared for her like this was him. Ever since their college days, he'd always been there, sharing everything-her laughs, her breakdowns, her awkward moments.

Even knowing she didn't feel that kind of love for him, he had never stopped caring. And now they were like this... Besides Sophia, he was the one she felt most sorry toward.

Not wanting him to stress over her, she shook her head and gave a small, gentle smile. "I'm fine. It's my dad who's sick."

"Your dad? Is it serious? Does it have something to do with the company stuff I saw on the news?" he asked, clearly connecting the dots.

"It's all been handled." She gave him a reassuring smile, then quickly checked her watch.

Noticing the time, she said, "Ethan, thanks again for earlier, really. I need to get going." She dipped her head lightly and turned to leave.

"Wait." Ethan stopped her, grabbing her wrist. She looked at him, surprised. He said, "Let me give you a ride."

Celestia didn't hesitate before shaking her head. "No need. It's close, I can walk." Her gaze dropped slightly, trying to hide the sadness in her eyes.

When they were still together, she could lean on him without overthinking it. But now? She was someone else's wife. She couldn't keep crossing lines.

However, Ethan completely misunderstood her reaction.

"So it's because of Jareth? That's why you're drawing the line with me now?" His words came out like sparks flying, eyes burning. "The papers say you two got married-was that for real?"

Her heart ached under his intense stare, but she still nodded. "Yeah."

And just like that, Ethan's anger gave way to pain. "Why?" he asked, voice low and strained.

"You told me you didn't want anything from him. That you couldn't stand the guy. So why'd you end up marrying him?"

A flood of questions crashed over her, leaving her overwhelmed, drowning.

She looked up at him-those furious, red-rimmed eyes-and the guilt just swallowed her whole. "I'm sorry." That was all she could say. She didn't mean for any of this. But it was the path she'd chosen the moment she asked Jareth for help-for her father's sake-knowing full well it would break Ethan's heart.

Seeing her eyes well up, Ethan couldn't even stay mad. "Hey... come on, don't cry. None of this is your fault," he said softly, willing the pain away. "It's Jareth who messed this all up."

But his words only made it worse. As soon as he spoke, Celestia's tears started falling like a dam had burst. And once they started, there was no stopping them. She sobbed so hard her whole body was shaking, and Ethan stood there, watching helplessly, heart twisting into knots.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. Please-don't cry." Gently, Ethan pulled her into a hug, wrapping her in warmth, his voice low and soothing.

What neither of them realized was that the entire scene had been quietly captured on camera.