Chapter 23
“I waited for a long time, but you never showed up. So, I called Adrian instead. Then, Damien came, too,” said Celeste.
She stepped closer, smiling warmly at Annie.
“I’m sorry, Celeste,” Annie said. “That job was too important to turn down. I didn’t even have time to call you. I rushed straight here.”
“It’s fine.”
“Where are they now?” Annie asked, looking around but not seeing any of them.
“It’s a long story,” Celeste replied, turning toward her. “It’s almost lunchtime. Are you hungry? Let’s go eat!”
“Sure.”
They headed to a diner near the hospital, ordered two sandwiches, and sat down to eat. While they ate, they brought up Eloise.
“They say Eloise really was sent back to an orphanage,” Annie said.
Celeste paused, her sandwich halfway to her mouth. “You tracked down Eloise’s biological father?”
“Yeah, but she’s not with him. She really is in an orphanage, though I’m not sure which one yet. I’ll have to look into it more.”
“Thanks a lot, Annie.”
“Don’t mention it. We’re past the formalities now.”
Before Annie’s words could fully sink in, shouting from outside caught Celeste’s attention.
“Stop blocking the car! You’re causing a hazard!”
“Back off! Quit pushing!”
“Ms. Vale, I’m a huge fan! Your movies are incredible. Could you sign this?”
“Sign mine too, please!”
A hotel stood across the street, its entrance crowded with excited fans. Through the diner window, Celeste instantly recognized the fa. iar car and the woman at the center of all the
attention.
It was Lucy.
The vehicle sent to pick her up was unmistakably Damien’s. Even though the Cayenne’s dark-
Chapter 23
tinted rear windows hid the interior, Celeste had no doubt he was inside.
Damien had barely left the hospital before rushing off to collect another woman. He sure had a talent for juggling his affairs.
After the bodyguards surrounded Lucy to help her into the Cayenne, the car took off, cutting through the cheering crowd.
“That’s Damien’s car, right?” Annie asked from across the table.
Celeste looked up and replied quietly, “Yes, it is.”
Annie smirked sarcastically. “I heard Lucy’s company is holding an event at this hotel tonight, and she’ll be here. She’s probably just here for a rehearsal. I didn’t expect that jerk to show up, too. How devoted. Why don’t they just glue themselves together?”
Celeste didn’t even blink when Annie called him “that jerk“.
In the past, Annie would curse Damien whenever he upset Celeste, and Celeste would defend him to calm Annie down. But now, she had lost the desire to argue or make excuses for him.
Noticing the flicker of a shadow across Celeste’s expression, Annie asked, “Celeste, are you okay?”
“What could possibly be wrong with me?” Celeste quickly shifted the topic. “Focus on finding Eloise for me. I need to track her down as soon as possible.”
“Alright, I’ll take care of it quickly.”
When Celeste got home, Alaric called to check on her recovery. The conversation reminded her of the promise she had made in the hospital.
Chapter 24
