Chapter 30 – Seeing His Ex-Wife Again
After sending the message, Celeste waited one or two minutes.
No reply came.
She placed the phone aside heavily.
"Did that man block this number too?"
She picked up the phone, intending to call Ethan and verify the thought.
Then she stopped.
"Why do I care so much?"
She put the phone down again.
"I've already fulfilled my obligation to notify him. Whether he comes or not is his business. Work."
After convincing herself, Celeste forced herself not to think about anything related to Ethan and focused on her tasks.
She had not forgotten that she had promised Vivian dinner tonight with her new boyfriend.
...
About ten minutes later, her office door opened.
"Miss Shaw, good news. Huge good news."
Her secretary hurried in with a folder in hand, relief clear on her face.
Celeste stopped working and looked up.
The secretary reached the desk, opened the folder, and placed it before her.
"The important client you've been trying to schedule for half a month just called. They have time in ten minutes and can come to the company to discuss cooperation. Their intention is very strong."
Celeste's tightly drawn brows finally eased.
This client mattered.
The other party was a regional head of a well-known national company and controlled significant resources.
If Shaw Group secured this cooperation, next year's strategic layout would make a major breakthrough.
Profits could more than double.
Celeste nodded immediately.
"Prepare everything. I'll go over shortly."
After thinking, she added, "This cooperation is important to the company. Use the highest reception standard."
"Yes. I'll notify everyone now."
The secretary closed the folder and turned to leave.
Before she reached the door, Celeste's phone vibrated on the desk.
The secretary instinctively glanced back.
Celeste picked up the phone and looked at the screen.
Only one glance.
Her usually calm face changed visibly.
Before the secretary understood what was happening, Celeste stood abruptly, grabbed the jacket on the back of her chair, and strode toward the door.
The secretary froze and quickly moved aside.
"Miss Shaw, where are you going?"
Celeste passed her without looking back.
"Cancel the meeting. Tell them I have an urgent matter to handle personally. If possible, reschedule. If not, forget it."
Before the sentence fully landed, she had vanished through the door.
The secretary stood alone in the empty office, stunned.
After a few seconds, she looked outside.
Through the glass, she saw Celeste moving quickly down the corridor.
Walking.
Fast walking.
Then almost running.
Finally disappearing into the elevator area.
The secretary slowly closed her open mouth.
She could not understand what kind of matter could make the usually steady Celeste Shaw so anxious.
So anxious that she would abandon such an important cooperation.
She shook her head and looked at the folder in her hand.
Great.
Now she had to apologize on the phone again.
As a secretary, she not only had to handle it, she also had to make the other party still interested in rescheduling.
...
In Shaw Group's underground parking garage, the elevator doors opened with a ding.
Celeste stepped out quickly, her heels striking the concrete in a sharp rhythm.
She reached her car, opened the door, and got into the driver's seat.
Start.
Gear.
Accelerator.
The movements were smooth and quick.
Celeste gripped the steering wheel and stared ahead.
Her face showed no expression.
But her heartbeat was much faster than usual.
She pressed the accelerator deeper.
The car left the building and merged into traffic, speeding toward the villa.
On the other side, Ethan had arrived first.
He stood at the entrance with both hands in his pockets, leisurely examining the place where he had lived for three years.
White walls.
Dark roof.
Private courtyard.
In expensive Northbridge, the villa was worth plenty.
When Celeste bought it, she had spent nearly fifty million dollars.
Three years later, its value had at least doubled.
Still not comparable to Summit Ridge House One.
Ethan had once thought this would be his permanent home.
With that belief, he had worked hard to make the place warmer.
Reality proved he had wasted three years.
He withdrew his gaze and walked to the smart lock.
Fingerprint.
Beep.
Verification failed. Please try again.
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
He thought his finger might not have landed correctly, so he tried again.
Beep.
Failed again.
He tried the passcode.
Same result.
At this point, he could guess with his toes.
Celeste had changed the lock after he left.
No choice.
He took out his phone and sent a message.
That was the message Celeste had just seen.
After confirming it sent, Ethan put away the phone and leaned against the wall by the door to wait.
Five minutes.
Eight minutes.
Just as Ethan was about to lose patience, a familiar engine sound approached.
He knew that sound too well.
He had heard it for three full years.
Before, whenever he heard it, no matter what he was doing, he would put everything down and walk quickly to the entrance to welcome Celeste home.
He would prepare slippers.
Take her bag.
Ask if she was tired.
Ask what she wanted to eat.
As Ethan thought about it, his brows tightened.
He pulled at the corner of his mouth in self-mockery.
"How was that different from a dog?"
He cursed softly.
"No. A dog wouldn't be that obedient."
He only regretted that the system had delayed its rewards for three years.
Even one year earlier would have been nice.
Forget it.
He cleared the thought as Celeste's car stopped outside the courtyard.
The car parked.
The door opened.
Celeste stepped out in a sharp business suit, long hair loose over her shoulders, her face carrying its usual cold expression.
After getting out, her gaze first landed on the silver supercar parked near the entrance.
The car was too eye-catching to ignore.
She assumed some rich young man had parked it temporarily and did not think much about it.
Celeste walked through the yard, heading directly toward Ethan.
As the distance closed and she fully saw Ethan's face, build, and presence, she froze for half a second.
Even her steps slowed.
A thought rose uncontrollably.
Was he always this handsome?
The man in front of her and the househusband in an apron from her memory looked alike, yet everything else was different.
His height seemed greater.
His body stronger.
Most importantly, his face.
Before, it had only been clean and pleasant.
Now it looked as if the world's finest craftsman had carved it by hand.
Almost unreal.
Celeste reached him and stared at his face for a long moment, thoughtful.
Only when her eyes met Ethan's did she suddenly return to herself.
She looked away quickly and inhaled, forcing herself back into her usual cold posture.
She did not want to show weakness before him.
Celeste walked past Ethan with forced calm and went straight to the door.
She entered the passcode.
Beep.
The door unlocked.
As she pushed it open, she explained, "The house is being sold, so I reset the system. Including my own fingerprint."
Ethan wondered why she was telling him that.
Sell the house, reset the system, what did it have to do with him?
He said nothing and entered the foyer.
Beside the shoe cabinet sat a large black duffel bag.
It was stuffed full.
Ethan bent down, lifted it, and tested the weight.
Heavy enough.
Celeste did not deny it.
So this bag contained everything he had accumulated in this home over three years.
He hoisted it onto one shoulder, turned, and walked toward the door without looking back.
He had only taken a few steps when Celeste called from behind.
"Wait."
"Ethan."
When he did not stop, her voice came again, more urgent this time.
"What now?"
Ethan finally stopped and turned impatiently.
Celeste's expression was complex in a way difficult to describe.
They looked at each other from several meters apart.
After a few seconds, Celeste asked carefully, "Don't you have anything you want to explain to me?"
Ethan frowned.
"Explain?"
He repeated the word, genuinely confused.
"What do I need to explain to you?"
Author's Note:
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