Chapter 3
1238 Words
Celestine returned to the Philippines earlier than expected. She was excited—desperate, even—to finally see and embrace her husband, Ezeckiel.
It was already 8 PM when her plane landed. Instead of heading straight to her family’s house, she went directly to the condominium unit she and Ezeckiel had recently purchased. On her way, she heard whispers and gossip from people she passed by. She couldn’t ignore it—after all, she was the wife of Ezeckiel Marcus, one of the most prominent multi-billionaires in the country. His name alone drew public attention.
Celestine kept walking, her head lowered, a cap covering her face, though it wasn’t enough to conceal her identity completely. She ignored the malicious things people were saying and simply collapsed onto the bed, letting its softness cradle her exhausted body.
She didn’t even manage to eat dinner that night or change out of her clothes. The next morning, she woke up sluggishly at around 8 AM. Still lying in bed, she groaned when her phone suddenly rang.
“Ugh... you're such a disturbance, Kiera!” she muttered irritably.
She picked up the phone from the side table and answered without getting up.
“Hello, Kiera,” she said with irritation.
“Haller! You're already grumpy. How are you?”
“Not okay. As soon as I got back to the Philippines, it already felt like people were judging me. When are you coming here?” Celestine rubbed her tired eyes as she spoke.
“I don’t know, maybe next month. You left so much unfinished work here, you know,” Kiera replied.
Celestine sighed. It was true—she left everything behind in America just to rush back home.
“Thank you, Kiera. You’re such a good friend,” she said sadly, tears welling in her eyes. She was overwhelmed with gratitude for having someone like Kiera in her life.
After their call, Celestine ordered food from a nearby restaurant and decided to eat in the condo. She freshened up, took a shower, and changed into a simple knee-length dress. Just as she finished getting ready, the doorbell rang.
She opened the door to find a delivery man holding her food. She paid him and gave him a warm smile.
“Ma’am, this is more than the total amount,” the delivery man said politely.
“Keep the change,” she said, smiling.
“T-thank you so much, Ma’am. You're heaven-sent. I really needed this,” he said, visibly emotional. He bowed respectfully before walking away.
Celestine smiled and shook her head, grateful she could help someone today. It was just a small gesture, but it meant the world to him.
She sat down to eat, her hunger fully awakened by the smell of the food. She hadn’t eaten since the previous night, and now she finished everything on the table.
With a full stomach, she rested for a while and opened her phone. She casually scrolled through f*******:—until her breath caught. Her phone slipped from her hand when she saw the pictures.
Photos of Ezeckiel—with Eloisa.
Tears began to fall, and her hands clenched into fists, crumpling the fabric of her dress in her lap. She felt a surge of pain, jealousy, and heartbreak all at once. She wanted to scream, to cry endlessly. She didn’t know how she would handle seeing them together in person.
Is this what I get, Ezeckiel? To be replaced this fast? How could you give up on me so easily? Why didn’t you trust me? And why her—why my cousin?
She collapsed onto the floor beside the bed, her body trembling as the tears kept pouring. Her heart throbbed violently with anguish. Her marriage photos were no longer on his office wall. Their memories—all erased.
I have to talk to him. I can’t lose him. He’s mine... Ezeckiel is mine. I’ll do everything to win back his trust.
Once she regained her composure, Celestine fixed herself and quietly left her condo. Thankfully, few people noticed her. She climbed into her car and started the engine, her heart racing as she drove toward her husband’s company.
After an hour on the road, she finally arrived. The guard recognized her and let her through. She parked right beside Ezeckiel’s car and stepped out, her legs feeling heavy.
With every step closer to the building, her feet slowed. But she forced herself to move forward. She had to face this—no matter how much it hurt.
People stared at her, some whispering, others giving her dirty looks. She adjusted her scarf and sunglasses, hiding her identity the best she could. She had nothing to be ashamed of. She had done nothing wrong.
Her heart pounded as the elevator doors opened on the executive floor. She walked to Ezeckiel’s office, where his secretary looked up in shock.
“Ma’am Celestine,” the secretary gasped. “W-what brings you here?”
“I’m here to see my husband. Is he in?” Celestine asked calmly.
“Ah—yes, Ma’am. He’s inside, but he’s speaking with someone.”
“I’ll wait.”
“Uh… okay,” the secretary replied nervously.
Celestine walked over to the lounge area and sat down gracefully. The secretary approached again.
“Ma’am, would you like me to call him—”
“No. I want to surprise him,” she interrupted with a faint smile.
“Oh, alright then.” The secretary bowed and returned to her work.
Celestine watched carefully. Once the secretary was distracted, she quietly stood up and tiptoed to the office door. She slowly pushed it open—but no one was inside. Her eyes wandered around the room, and her heart sank.
Their wedding photo—the one that once hung proudly on the wall—was gone. So was the framed picture of the two of them that used to sit on his desk.
What happened here?
Her gaze fell on a red handbag sitting on the couch—definitely not a man’s. She took a deep breath. Dread wrapped around her chest.
No. No, don’t think that.
She stepped toward the inner chamber of his office. It used to be their private room, and it was locked with a password. She tried entering their wedding date.
Click.
It worked.
The door slowly opened—and what she saw shattered her soul.
Eloisa was on top of Ezeckiel.
Celestine froze in place, eyes wide, breath caught. She blinked several times, as if doing so would change what she was seeing. Her knees gave out, and she sank to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.
The sound of her crying made them both snap to attention. Ezeckiel turned, startled.
He jumped off the couch, grabbing a towel to wrap around his waist. His expression twisted with rage.
“What are you doing here, Celestine?” he spat. “You shouldn’t have come. I don’t want to see your face again. You disgust me.”
He grabbed her by the arm, squeezing so tightly it should’ve hurt—but her heartache numbed her to it. No physical pain could compare to this betrayal.
With one violent push, he threw her into the couch. Her head hit the corner, and everything went dark. The last thing she felt was the warm trickle of blood down her scalp before her eyes closed and her consciousness faded.
- Writer
