Celine stayed in her room long after Dinah had left. Even when Letty gently tapped on the door to tell her the coast was clear, she still lay curled on her bed, staring at nothing. Her chest felt heavy—anger, confusion, and fear churning inside her.
A soft knock followed.
"Honey, can I come in?" Lauren's composed voice filtered through the door.
"Of course, Mom," Celine answered quickly, sitting up and wiping her face.
Lauren stepped inside with elegance and authority, her expression unusually stern.
"Why didn't you come out and say goodbye to your Aunt Dinah?" she asked, arms crossed.
Celine held her ground. "I had nothing to say to her. Mom, I don't even know why you let her in after everything they did to us."
"Celine, stop acting childish," Lauren warned calmly.
"I'm not childish!" Her voice cracked, frustration pushing through. "Her son humiliated me. You saw it, you heard it—and yet you still welcomed her like nothing happened!"
Lauren blinked, surprised; her daughter had never spoken to her this directly before. There was fire in Celine now—something new, something grown.
"Calm down," Lauren said softly. "We talked about this. Our family has to be the bigger person. Always. We show composure. Diplomacy. And your father… he may not say it, but Roy and his family have been important to him."
The fight in Celine slowly unraveled. She hated it—hated that her mother made sense. And yet, beneath it all, the thing that truly rattled her wasn't Dinah's sudden kindness…
It was the news about Dean breaking off his engagement.
She didn't understand why it hit her so hard. Maybe fear. Maybe panic. Maybe the dread of him forcing himself back into her life.
"I understand, Mom," Celine finally said. "But please don't expect me to pretend with them. And Dean… whatever he does, it has nothing to do with me anymore."
Lauren nodded and left her room, leaving Celine alone with her spiraling thoughts.
She took a deep breath.
She couldn't let Dean control how she lived—not again.
⸻
The following days, Celine anchored herself to her work. She poured every ounce of her energy into HUB's outreach projects, meeting with local leaders, drafting programs, reviewing proposals. She didn't let a single minute go idle enough for Dean or Dinah to slip back into her mind.
She even dropped by Carl's office several times to offer advice on property initiatives—something he welcomed proudly.
She was busy debating allocation budgets with Letty when her phone chimed.
Nathan: On my way to pick you up.
A smile bloomed instantly on her face, her entire mood softening. She hadn't seen him in a couple of days—both had been overwhelmed with work—and she couldn't wait any longer.
"Letty, finish this up for me, please," she said, already gathering her things.
When she stepped into HUB's lobby and saw Nathan waiting, she didn't walk—she ran, launching into his arms. Nathan caught her easily and kissed her forehead with that warm, grounding tenderness only he had.
"I missed you," Celine said, squeezing him tight.
Nathan rubbed her back soothingly. "Let's head out?"
He guided her to the car like she was the most precious thing in his world.
⸻
They decided on takeout and went straight to Nathan's suite. The moment the door closed behind them, Celine dropped her bag and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down into a soft, urgent kiss.
She didn't want distance. Not today.
Nathan kissed her back, slow at first—but desire climbed quickly between them. He lifted her effortlessly, pinning her gently against the wall. She wrapped her legs around his waist, her breath catching when his lips trailed from her jaw down to her collarbone.
Soon, he carried her to the bedroom. Clothes fell like petals on the floor. Their hands, their breaths, their bodies—everything moved in harmony, as if instinct guided them through every touch, every gasp, every lingering kiss.
Celine rode the waves of him with abandon, her palms pressed to his chest, her body swaying with intimate confidence. Nathan held her reverently as if she were fragile and powerful at the same time.
When they finally collapsed together, breathless and spent, he kissed her shoulder and pulled her close. She nestled into him, wearing nothing but his shirt afterward, her legs tangled with his as if she didn't ever want space between them again.
"Thank you… for making me feel good," she whispered.
Nathan smiled against her hair and kissed her lightly. "Always."
A soft silence settled before Celine spoke again.
"Dean's mom came to the house," she said quietly. "She told me he broke off his engagement with Denise."
Nathan barely reacted. "And?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "It bothers me. What is he planning now?"
Nathan slid his arm beneath her head, pulling her closer. His voice dropped low, reassuring, steady.
"Whatever he's planning, we'll deal with it. You have me—and you're strong on your own. That's all that matters."
He kissed her forehead, firm and warm.
Nathan had known from the start that Dean would try to come back. Celine was a rare woman—brilliant, kind, resilient—and Nathan had no doubt she was worth fighting for. Worth protecting. Worth loving.
And he trusted her, completely.
Even if he wasn't beside her, he knew she would choose herself—and choose him—every time.
Celine felt the fear melt away, replaced by comfort and gratitude. She exhaled deeply.
He had always done so much for her.
Now she wanted to give something back.
While Nathan showered, Celine quietly grabbed her phone and pulled up a saved number.
She smiled softly before speaking.
"Hi, Ms. Davis… yes. I think it's time for the surprise," she whispered excitedly. "I know he'll love it. Yes… we'll meet you there. See you soon."
When she hung up, her eyes sparkled with pure joy.
She was ready to give Nathan something he never expected—
a moment of happiness just for him.
She would do anything for him.
Anything.