Chapter 5

Celine POV

I pulled my hand from his palm.

"These are all old things I don't need anymore. I want to pack them up and throw them away."

Westley looked at me and nodded.

"You're right. Old things should be thrown away. When I have time, I'll take you shopping for new things to replace them."

Never again. I would never bring any of my belongings here again.

Before Westley came home, I had already donated the precious items he'd given me to charity.

What remained were just some unimportant things.

"Celine, let's stop fighting, okay?"

Westley's chiseled face was warm and gentle.

"I've thought a lot these past two days. I was wrong before. I should have been considerate of your feelings and refused that vulgar game, and I shouldn't have said those things to you."

His apology sounded sincere, but I knew our relationship was like the ceramic cup Sophie Evans had broken with his permission. Shattered beyond repair.

Even if we tried to mend it, we could never return to the past, never restore it to its original wholeness.

I opened my mouth.

"Westley, let's break-"

Before I could finish the sentence, his phone suddenly rang.

Westley took out his phone. I glimpsed that it was Sophie Evans calling.

"What is it?"

Seeing him answer without hesitation, my gaze dimmed.

Without a word, I picked up a cardboard box and turned away.

Outside the villa, I threw the box into the trash, as if discarding our years of relationship along with it.

Westley walked over at that moment and took my hand.

"Before you came back, didn't you keep mentioning that restaurant in the east part of the city? Come on, I've made a reservation."

Thinking we should have a proper ending with some dignity, I didn't refuse.

"Alright. After dinner, I also have something to tell you."

At the restaurant, I wasn't surprised to see Sophie Evans.

I asked nothing, but Westley explained on his own.

"Sophie made the reservation. She doesn't want the incident at the party to cause a misunderstanding between us. She wants to apologize to you in person."

I lowered my eyes mockingly, saying nothing.

The table was filled with dishes I liked. Halfway through the meal, Westley stepped away to take a work call.

Sophie Evans stood nearby, examining me with an appraising look, then suddenly said,

"Looking at you like this, you don't seem particularly special. What exactly does Mr. Ford like about you? Your face?"

I paused in drinking my juice and raised my eyes to meet hers.

"He likes me. Are you jealous?"

"Me, jealous?"

She said contemptuously,

"When you weren't here, I was the one by his side. He's gotten used to having me around and takes me everywhere. What do you have that I should be jealous of?"

Without Westley present, Sophie Evans shed her meek demeanor, becoming haughty and disdainful.

She studied me.

"By the way, I've noticed you've been liking all my recent Instagram posts about him, then acting as if nothing happened. What exactly do you mean by that?"

Sophie Evans posted those updates specifically to make me see how special Westley was to her.

She was deliberately provoking me, yet unexpectedly, I didn't make a scene.

A mocking curve formed at my lips.

"Liking them means I've seen them. Acting unbothered is because no matter what game you're playing, I simply don't care."

Sophie Evans stiffened, her face about to crack.

Suddenly, she laughed coldly with indifference.

"Really? But you probably won't be able to stay this calm much longer."

My brow furrowed slightly. Before I could ask what Sophie Evans had done, I felt an unbearable itching all over my body.

Then my skin broke out in red hives, and my throat tightened uncomfortably.

Realizing something was wrong, I looked sharply at Sophie Evans.

"What did you do?"

"Mr. Ford mentioned you're allergic to mangoes."

Sophie Evans smiled innocently.

"So I added some mango juice to the orange juice you just drank."

My face changed dramatically as I immediately stood up to go to the hospital.

Seeing this, Sophie Evans quickly stepped forward to block my path, grabbing my arms and clinging to me.

"I'm sorry, Miss Sterling. If my presence has affected your relationship with Mr. Ford, I..."

I was anxious to get to the hospital and had no time for her performance.

"Get out of my way!"

Hearing the commotion, Westley arrived just in time to see me push Sophie Evans to the ground.

His pupils constricted as he strode forward and pushed me aside.

"Celine, what are you doing? Have you lost your mind?!"