Chapter b5 /b

Celle fremd. “What do you mean bying?

Adam gritted his teeth. “You’re dressing the ash”

WhatAsl

“You better exin, Adam Alvreal” Celine snapped.

Adan lowered bhis /bgaze, eyeing her short dress. “Your thighs are practically hanging out. Is that how desperate you are for people to look at your legs?” Sure, het dress wwalde on the shorter skle, but Rohis had chosen the dias for her,

She bhad /bsaid, “You never show your blegs/b, giving Curly the chance in mi hers. Tonight, let’s show everyone who rolly has the best legs in Mercing.” Cled an eyebrow. “Seems He you were looking at my legs, Mr. Alvarez”

Cleaned back against the wall, her pasturezy yet elegant. She slowly lifted her right leg and brested her crystal heel against his ankle.

Adun stood there in tailored ck slicks that highlighted his long legs, exuding an al of cold elegance and restraint.

From his ankle, bCeline /bslowly trolled upward along his calt in a trati, deliberate motion. It was both a seduction and a provocation

Adam gave her a cold look. “What are you doing?

Cellere sesirkel “ML. Alvarez, whose legs do you prefer wine or Caly’s

Adam’s gaze lingered on her, captivated by the delicase taures of her face, which radiated in alust ethereal beauty. She looked like an otherworldly angel, yet here she was, belly weeping him

bHe’d /bnoticed her beautyst night, hidden behind those ck–framed sses, but he hadn’t expected her to be so striking

Howeverb, /bthere was something familiar about her face.

Celine’s bright eyes sparkled with mischief. “Has Grly ever tried to serce you with her legs,M

Adam’s breath hitched. He leaned closer to look at her, “Celine, are you really such

You think babout /bmen all day and n hired eight escorts!”

He avoided answering her question about Carly. That was perhaps the most polite way for a man to protect ba /bwoman.

HS rtionship with bCarly /bhad been a grand love story from their youthfulb, /bcarefree days. Carly must have seduced him at some point. That was the only way to exin why she Ingered so vividly in his bmemory /b

Carly was truly blessed to have bsuch /bba /bcold–hearted man resin devoted bto /bher for so long. Adam bmust /bhave never used a word like “r” to describe her.

Though bCeline /bwas smiling, her eyes remained as cold as loe “Yes, Mr. Alvarez. There’s an issue with your manhood. Since you can’t satisfy bme/b, bI /bbhave /bto po btind /bsomeone healthy. Let’s get bdivorced /balready. If one man doesn’t work, I’ll find another who does.”

She said bhe /bhad issues again! This woman was unbelievable

Adam gripped delicate ja “Is this some sort of provocation? Are you so desperate to find out if I have issues?

Celine froze.

Adam leaned in close, his lips hovering near hers with an balmost /bteasing proximity. Yet bhis /bwords were lcy and detached. “Don’t kid yourself, Celine. I’ll never touch you. The one! low is Carly!”

bThe /banthe bed was Carly

Hedidn’t even need to say it. Celine already knew. Still, hearing it sting her heart. It wasn’t a sharp pain, but a dull, relentless ache that spread in countless tiny waves.

at then, ba /bsweet voice rang out. “Adam”

Closed uponly in see Carly standing there.

Carly, the renowned Scarlet bRose /bof Mercity, was a beauty with my lips and pearly teeth. Years of dance training had given her agracefulb, /bsupple tigern.

Seeing lit, Adam instantly released Celine band /bstrode toward Curly. He lowered his paze to meet hers. His eyes were tiled with a warmth Celine had never seen before. “bYou’re /b

Carly modded before ncing at Celine, “bAnd /bthis is?” Carly didn’t recognize her at all.

But Crline world never forget Carly

The truth was, Celine and Carlywere neither full nor half–sisters. Haydn won’t Celia’s biological father. He was her stepfather.

Once, Celine had ba /bhappy family. Her father, Aaron Tate, and has mother, Lacy Garcia, had been devoted to each other

Aaron loved her dearly. He would be high into the air everydayb. /b“My litle Celine going to grow up so happy”

Then, one bday/b, bbe /bwas gone. His brother, bHayden/b, mowed in with his daughter, Carly, into Aaren’s house, and Lacy became Carly’s mother as well.

arynemarried Cline’sunck From then on, her allection was directed sukly toward Galy, not Celineb. /b

When Carly scored 99 on an exam and Celine scored aco, Lucy punished her “Why can’t you let Curly shine? Do you always have to outdo her?”

When Carly fell, her hair was shaved off for chemotherapy. She cried that she looked ugly. Lucy led beely shaved bCeline’s /bheadb. /b“bYou /bneed to be ugly with Carly That way, she’ll stop crying.”

Night after night, bLucy/b, Haydenb, /band Curly would cuddle together, theirughter spiling out into the hallway Celine would stand outside, crying while clutching the dell that Aaron had bought her.“Kamay bscared/bb./bb” /b

Eventually, Carly started calling Lucy “Mommy Lary was thrilled, but Carly said, “Mommy, you can only have one daughter”

Chapter

On a rainy day, Lucy drove Celine to the countryside and left her there

Little Celine chased the car while sobbing. “Don’t leave me, Mommy! I’ll be ba /bbgood /bgirl. I’ll listen to you. I’ll let Carly have everything! I want a hug, Mommy! I’m scared!”

Chaching her doll, she fell bheavily /binto the mud. She watched helplessly as Lucy bdrove /baway, disappearing from her sight.

bCeline /bwould never forget Carly.

At this moment, Benjamin rushed over. “Duly, she’s your sister. She’s Celine!”

Carly froze in disbelict. b“/bYou’re…Ccline?

Celine knew Carly had always looked down on her.

As children, Carly had bested her bat /bevery turn. She had always been outstanding. Laterb, /bshe even dated Adam, the heir to the Alvarez family.

Raised in a life of luxury and affection, Carly became proud and untouchable.

Benjamin was once again stunned by Celine’s exquisite beauty. He murmured, “I didn’t expect Celine to look this stunning.”

Carly’s childhood memories of Celine were vague because she had never paid much attention to this unloved sister. But wasn’t Celine the ugly duckling from the countryside? Carly stepped closer. Her gaze swept over Celine with thinly veiled disdain. “Celine, I didn’t expect you to doll yourself up like me.”

Celine was rendered speechless.

Well, Carly could think whatever she bwanted /bas long as she was happy

Celine straightened her slender back and smiled without saying a word. The corridor lights cast a soft glow on her delicate, ethereal face. She was no longer the same little Celine from before.

Just then, Carly spoke iup/i. “Celine, I heard you and Adams are divorcing Can’t survive without a man, huh? Resorting to male escorts to till the void? If I were you, bI’d /bget a job,” Turning to Adam, she added in a condescending tone, “Adum, Celine has taken care of you for so long. You should at least help her find work. Maybe bas /ba housekeeper.” Adam’s are flickered to Celine.

Benjamin Interjected, “Carly, every job requires qualifications What’s Celine’s education level?

Carly seemed to remember something asing. She raised her chin with ba /bsmile and said, “She dropped out of school when she was 16.

Chapter