Chapter 15
Epilogue: It was strange
strange; អ
hen Weston Carrington first heard that Celeste Monroe had died in the fire, he didn’t feel the relief he’d expected.
It was as
It was as if a huge, gaping hole had been burned into his heart, leaving only emptiness.
Celeste had loved him so fiercely–how could she dare to leave him without permission? And in such an irreversible way.
He forced himself not to think about it and tried to settle into life with Belle Knight
But the more he tried, the more he found himself unable to hide his loathing for her.
Their arguments grew more frequent and explosive.
Weston rebuilt the Burnt Willow Estate, decorating it just as it had been before.
He would stand inside, inhaling the faint, ghostly memories of Celeste.
In the luxury that replaced the ruins, he reminisced.
Celeste had been so naive, never noticing when he returned.
He remembered watching her fumble around the kitchen..
The way
way she painted her face, trying to make herself look beautiful.
How she knelt to help him with his shoes.
“Will
you be home for dinner?” she would ask, hope in her voice.
His answers always crushed that hope.
Now, everywhere he turned, it was her. And yet, nowhere.
Only now did he realize that nothing made sense without her.
She was irreplaceable.
Weston took her wedding ring and turned it into a necklace he wore every day as if keeping a part of her with him.
When he discovered Celeste was still alive, his emotions were a tangled mess of excitement and fury.
He swore to teach her a lesson so she’d never dare to leave him again.
But when they finally faced each other, he was the one who was cautious, almost timid.
Seeing that Celeste had regained her sight thrilled him–and terrified him.
Maybe, just maybe, a little intimidation would bring her back.
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But Celeste had changed; she was stronger, braver,
Despite their modest life, she and the children seemed genuinely happy.
When Celeste refused to come back, Weston decided he would integrate himself into her life.
The night of the Harvest Moon Festival, the moon was full and bright.
He downed a glass of icy liquor, and d it took ages for the chill to melt into a silent stream of tears.
Celeste didn’t say a word, just as the old Weston never listened.
Celeste truly didn’t want him anymore.
On his journey of regret, Weston realized just how deeply he loved her.
And on his journey back, he understood that love alone was not enough.