The CEO's Secret Bride Goes Viral Again

The day after her wedding, Celia's business-arranged husband ran off. Counting the days, today marked the 912th day since that "scumbag" left. As the night began to fall, the moon rose through the soft mist. Celia stood in front of a full-length mirror, admiring her appearance. The tight, black dress hugged her curves perfectly, the crisscrossing straps at the back added a seductive touch. Her long, waist-length hair cascaded in loose curls, glowing faintly under the light. Her moment of self-admiration was interrupted by the sharp ring of her phone. Without looking, she knew it was her best friend, Lily. "Hey, Celia, are you out the door yet? You'll drink ten shots if you're late!" Celia haphazardly shoved a few items into her purse while heading downstairs, replying, "Are you sure there will be fresh eye candy tonight? If you're lying again, I swear I won’t wear any of your designs anymore!" Lily ran her fingers through her shoulder-length hair, clearly flustered by the threat. She quickly reassured her, "I promise! No tricks this time. I'm almost there, just hurry down." At the foot of the stairs, a chubby golden cat sat waiting. Celia poured some cat food and was about to head out when her phone rang again. The caller ID flashed the words "Scumbag Husband." Celia cleared her throat and answered sweetly, "Honey? It's so late, is there something you need?" Jasper, stepping out of his car, rubbed his forehead and asked, "What are you up to?" Having been on a long flight, he was exhausted, but hearing her voice eased some of his fatigue. Celia, already by the front door, smoothly lied while slipping into her heels, "I'm reading a classic novel, trying to enrich my mind and be a better Mrs. Lawrence." Jasper chuckled, his deep voice carrying a magnetic pull, "Such a good girl. What kind of reward do you want?" "The best reward would be you coming back home to be with me," Celia responded, her hand on the doorknob, ready to twist it open. She was absolutely looking forward to a fun night with some new eye candy at the bar. However, as soon as she opened the door, she froze. Jasper stood right outside. Even in the dim light, his chiseled features were impossible to hide. His narrow eyes carried a hint of danger, and the faint curve of his lips showed amusement. Celia coughed and tentatively asked, "Honey?" No way. This man had left for his new company the day after their wedding, abandoning the Lawrence family business to build his own. In the two and a half years he'd been abroad, he hadn't even returned for his grandfather’s 80th birthday. She had nearly accepted that their sham of a marriage was on the verge of collapse, imagining it would soon turn into a four-way affair. But now, he was back without any warning? To be fair, even without family support, Jasper had carved out a remarkable path. His company, YT, frequently made headlines, praised with every accolade possible. In just two years, he’d made it onto the top 10 of the wealthiest list all by himself. Jasper's gaze swept over her barely-there outfit, his voice dropping an octave, "So, this is what you meant by reading classics and enriching your mind?" Celia felt a shiver run down her spine. She swallowed nervously, "I... I got tired of reading, so I was just about to take the cat for a walk." From a young age, she had always feared this particular expression on Jasper’s face, as if he was about to devour her whole. Her lie stumbled out of her mouth as she panicked. What "walking the cat"? She might as well have said she was taking out the trash. Jasper said nothing, his aura growing colder until a soft, chubby cat brushed up against his leg. The icy tension in his eyes lessened a little. "Lawrence Jr., come here!" Celia scooped up the cat, waving its paw playfully in the air. "This is your daddy." "Meow." The cat purred, affectionately clinging to her. Jasper raised an eyebrow, seemingly amused by being called "Daddy." He asked, "What did you name it?" Watching his tall frame as he walked into the house, Celia explained, "It's a British Shorthair, Golden Shaded. I figured since it’s taking your last name, why not call it Lawrence Jr.?" Jasper: "..." Who knew she had such a talent for names? Perhaps when they had kids, she could take charge of naming them, though he certainly wouldn't use her suggestions. Celia watched as he sat on the sofa. She wanted to ask why he had suddenly returned, but before she could, Jasper shot her a cold glance and said, "Stand up straight." "What’s wrong?" she asked, instinctively hiding her hands behind her back like a student being scolded. The oppressive feeling was all too familiar to her. Before the real heiress of the Young family was found, she and Jasper had been childhood friends. Back then, all the neighborhood kids were terrified of the serious, mature boy, yet they all loved to provoke him. Every time he got angry, Celia was the one who bore the brunt of his frustration. From calligraphy to copying scriptures, the punishments were endless. Her parents, however, were thrilled, believing that Jasper's "persistent guidance" was responsible for her improved handwriting. They even handed over her dismal school grades for him to "supervise." Ever since then, Celia had no choice but to study hard. No matter what mischief she got into, her only fear was Jasper finding out. It wasn't until she left for college at 18 that she escaped his watchful gaze. Her fear of him, ingrained in her DNA, only faded over time. But only a few years after her freedom, she found herself back in his world, married off to him by her parents after graduation. Jasper took off his watch, his demeanor casual but his tone sharp, "Care to explain why you’ve made headlines with other male celebrities 16 times, declared yourself single 41 times, ignored my calls 109 times, and left 283 messages on read?" "Celia, you’ve got some nerve." "I know I was wrong," Celia quickly lowered her head, wishing she could dig a hole to bury herself in. Seeing her quick admission of guilt, Jasper softened a little. He hadn't really planned to punish her anyway, and seeing her humble attitude only extinguished his anger. But unexpectedly, Celia lifted her chin the next moment. "But don’t you think you’re wrong too?" Jasper: "?" "You left the day after our wedding, never even discussed it with me. Did you ever consider my feelings?" Celia's nose twitched, and she slipped into full-on drama mode. "Do you know what these two years have been like for me? Facing this empty villa alone every day was bad enough, but your mom keeps pressuring me to give her a grandchild. How am I supposed to have one alone? Am I supposed to reproduce asexually?" Jasper's lips twitched. Had it not been for his assistant’s daily reports on Celia’s activities, he might have actually believed her tale of loneliness instead of imagining her out clubbing every night. Celia sneaked a glance at him from the corner of her eye. Jasper raised his eyelids lazily and asked, "Are you upset?" He was met with silence. Jasper let out a resigned laugh, pulled her onto his lap, and placed a set of yacht keys in her hands. Under her puzzled gaze, he said nonchalantly, "Didn't you always say you wanted to go out to sea? Once I finish up work, I’ll take you." Celia’s face instantly lit up. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her voice syrupy sweet. "You’re the best, honey." Jasper’s phone rang again, and Celia, lying beside him, listened to the brief English exchange about business deals. She yawned, realizing she was too tired to care, and headed upstairs for a shower. In the bathroom, steam filled the room, and Lily’s voice echoed in Celia’s mind, "You ditched me again! Do you even remember the promises you made when you were drunk? That scumbag of a husband abandoned you on your second day of marriage. Promise me, stay mad at him, okay?" Celia twirled a lock of hair between her fingers, musing, "But... he did just give me a yacht." In all fairness, Jasper wasn’t too bad, aside from being a workaholic. He had never been stingy with money, constantly showering her with expensive gifts, from houses and cars to rare diamonds. And in a social circle where everyone had their own flings, Jasper had never been involved in any scandals, whereas she, thanks to publicity for her acting roles, was often tied up in rumors with various male celebrities. Lily: "..." It seemed there was no longer anything left for her to say. The working class could only quietly return to their drawing boards. By the time Jasper finished his shower, he was sitting on the bedroom sofa, reviewing documents. He wore nothing but a white bathrobe, loosely tied, revealing his well-built chest and faintly visible abs. Celia stepped out of the bathroom, quickly averted her gaze, and flopped onto the bed. She couldn’t help but grumble, "Why’s your name Jasper Lawrence? Might as well be Jasper 'Workaholic'." He was back in the country and still working. And now, even in the bedroom, these papers seemed to be more interesting than his beautiful wife? Unbeknownst to her, under her sleeping mask, Jasper's face darkened at her comment. As she drifted off to sleep, a faint "snip, snip" noise kept disturbing her. Annoyed, Celia pulled off her mask and squinted at Jasper. "Are you clipping your nails in the middle of the night?" Jasper gave her a look filled with meaning. She lay back down, and soon, the only light in the room was the soft glow of a nightlight. Jasper moved to the bed, his gaze on Celia like a predator eyeing its prey, his eyes burning with desire. "W-what are you doing?" Celia stammered, instinctively trying to crawl to the other side of the bed. But before she could move far, his large, firm hand caught her leg, slowly sliding upward, igniting a fire wherever it touched. When he finally stopped, Celia bit her lip, unable to suppress a soft moan. Now, she fully understood why he had been clipping his nails earlier. This scumbag man was just too much! Realizing her distraction, Jasper flipped her over, pinning her beneath him. His hand brushed against several pillows, one particularly long. He narrowed his eyes and asked in a hoarse whisper, "Why so many pillows on the bed?" Suddenly remembering something, Celia instinctively reached for the long pillow on the floor. Before her fingers could reach it, Jasper pulled her back, without missing a beat. Outside, the moonlight was soft and serene, clear and still.