Chapter 4
969 Words
Celeste walked down the long corridor, her footsteps light against the polished marble floors. The chandeliers cast a soft golden glow, but the grandeur of the Moreau estate felt empty, as hollow as the people inside it.
As she passed Lilith’s room, a faint scent of jasmine and expensive perfume lingered in the air.
The door was slightly ajar, and for a brief moment, Celeste caught a glimpse inside, a lavish, meticulously decorated space with designer furniture and walls adorned with hand-painted murals.
It was everything a beloved daughter deserved.
Celeste let out a soft scoff and kept walking.
She already knew the room that had been prepared for her.
A corner of the estate where no one would bother to look.
A place meant to remind her of where she belonged.
But instead of resentment, a slow smirk tugged at her lips.
They thought they were humiliating her.
They didn’t realize they were giving her the perfect place to operate unnoticed.
A maid, dressed in a simple uniform, walked ahead of Celeste, leading her down the hallway. She was young, probably around twenty, with dark, neatly tied-up hair and a quiet demeanor.
Celeste observed how the girl hesitated before stopping in front of a door at the farthest end of the hallway.
“This is your room, Miss Celeste,” the maid said, keeping her tone neutral.
Celeste raised an eyebrow. “Let me guess. It used to be a storage room?”
The maid’s lips parted slightly, surprise flickering in her eyes. “I… I wouldn’t know, Miss.”
Celeste chuckled. “You wouldn’t know, or you wouldn’t say?”
The maid lowered her gaze. Silence answered for her.
Celeste sighed, placing a hand on the doorknob. “What’s your name?”
The maid hesitated. “Emma.”
“Well, Emma,” Celeste said, pushing the door open, “I’ll save you the trouble of feeling bad for me. This room is perfect.”
Emma blinked in confusion. “Perfect?”
Celeste stepped inside, glancing at the barely furnished space, the old wardrobe filled with discarded clothing, and the stiff bed that looked like it had been forgotten for years.
Yes. Perfect.
No one would come looking for her here. No one would interfere.
Celeste turned back to Emma, her lips curling. “I prefer quiet places.”
Emma nodded slowly. “I’ll bring you some fresh sheets, Miss.”
Celeste’s voice softened slightly. “Thank you.”
Emma looked surprised but quickly bowed before hurrying away.
Celeste closed the door behind her.
The door creaked as she stepped inside.
Dim lighting. A stiff, barely used bed. A wooden wardrobe filled with discarded clothes, rejected decorations, and furniture no one wanted.
How fitting!
Celeste closed the door behind her and set her bag down before pulling out her laptop.
The screen flickered to life, casting a faint glow on her face as her fingers flew across the keyboard.
She was searching.
Not for gossip.
But for power.
Her past life had been spent blindly following Victor, never realizing the true players behind Y City’s empire.
But this time, she wouldn’t be a fool.
Her fingers hesitated over the keyboard as she found the name she had been looking for.
Damien Vale.
She had heard of him in her past life.
The most powerful man in Y City. A ruthless, calculating force that few dared to challenge.
But she had never known he had a son.
In her past life, she had even stood against him for Victor.
A decision that seemed laughable now.
Celeste leaned back in her chair, exhaling slowly.
She had saved Damien Vale’s son today.
What did that mean for her future?
A sharp knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.
A maid’s voice drifted in.
“Miss Celeste, Master is home. Dinner is served.”
Celeste closed her laptop.
As Celeste descended the staircase, the scent of roasted meats and fine wine wafting through the air.
The long mahogany table gleamed under the chandelier’s glow, filled with steaming dishes and polished silverware.
Her father, Emile Moreau, sat at the head of the table, his posture as rigid as ever.
Celeste greeted him with a polite nod.
He barely looked at her.
Instead, his focus remained on Lilith, his golden daughter, speaking to her in quiet tones as if no one else mattered.
Celeste took her seat, watching as the servants gracefully placed dishes in front of them.
The meal was familiar, but her mindset had changed.
In her past life, she had been ridiculed for not knowing which fork to use, for not understanding the intricacies of fine dining etiquette.
She had been embarrassed then.
But not anymore.
Celeste picked up her fork, her movements elegant and composed, eating with quiet confidence.
Lilith’s gaze flickered towards her, irritation barely hidden behind her sweet smile.
A silence stretched until Grandma Moreau’s sharp voice cut through the air.
"Celeste."
Celeste lifted her head.
"You will start school in a few days alongside Lilith. Prepare yourself. Do not embarrass the family."
Celeste expected this.
Lilith, ever the perfect sister, immediately chimed in.
“Don’t worry, Grandma. I will take care of her.”
Celeste set her fork down, her appetite fading.
Slowly, she stood up.
“I’m full.”
Her stepmother, who had remained quiet until now, let out a soft, chiding laugh.
“Celeste, that’s not proper.”
Celeste ignored her completely, turning to Grandma Moreau instead.
"Grandmother, may I be excused?"
A brief pause.
"Go."
Her stepmother’s expression twisted slightly, but Celeste didn’t mind.
Her father had not spoken a single word to her.
And she had no interest in wasting time with a family that had already betrayed her once.
As she walked away, she could feel Eleanor gaze burning into her back.
- Writer
