Chapter 28 How To Lose Your Sanity
Lucien-
FLASHBACK
I had a meeting with a client. It was scheduled to happen over breakfast, but for some unknown reasons, they bailed, and didn’t reach out, so I decided to have breakfast by myself.
As I ate in silence, my mind wandered to Celeste. To her shoot that day, but then, I reminded myself not to care too much.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Bianca appeared and I instantly lost my appetite.
She pulled out the seat opposite mine and sat down like she believed she belonged here.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded,
“Oh, don’t be like that…I came to apologize for everything.”
My jaw clenched. “The deed’s already been done, you can leave now.”
She smiled, stretching her hands to meet mine. “Come on, Lucien…Don’t be like that…I’ve missed us.”
I let a dry chuckle. She had dumped me a few years back over some wealthy congressman, and now she heard I was married, she was suddenly back. I spent years, pinning and yearning for a love she never reciprocated.
Gently, I took her hands off mine. “You should go, before I make them drag you out.”
“Fine.” She grinned, rising to her feet. “I’ll leave you to your breakfast.” With that she turned on her heels and left. I should have seen past her indifference. Bianca never gave up that easily. I realized it was too late, sitting by the window, had made me an easy target for the paparazzi. and it was all her doing.
PRESENT
“What exactly do you want me to say? I’ve already explained over and over again.” It had been over two hours since Denise left, and somehow, we were still on the same matter.
“What was I thinking?” She mumbled. “This was such a bad idea, and now I’m losing my sanity.” She paced.
I scoffed. If only she knew I was losing my sanity too.
“Did I say something funny?”
She spun around, eyes wide, dark with fury. “You think I wanted any of this? You asked me to marry you! And now you’re ruining my life, and you think it’s funny?”
My jaw tightened. Anger surged hot and fast, cutting through the confusion twisting in my chest. I was sick of hearing this, the same accusation, the same blame.
“Ruining your life?” I snapped. “That’s just selfish, Celeste.”
Her face changed for just a split second, but I was already too far gone to stop.
“Because of you, I had to pretend I got fired from my job! Because of you, I left my apartment! And every damn chance you get, you act like I’m the problem! I never asked you to marry me, Celeste! Hell, I didn’t even know who you were until that night. Maybe it’s time you got yourself checked. You’re probably insane like—”
The words paused in my throat. Too late.
Her face crumpled. For a moment, she just stood there, trembling, tears streaming down her face.
“Celeste, I didn’t mean—”
“So you do think I’m crazy,” she whispered. “Just like my mother, right? I don’t even know that woman.” Her voice cracked on the last word. “But you know what? You’re right.” She shrugged defeatedly, “I dragged you into this mess. We should just annul the marriage.”
“Celeste, wait—”
But she was already storming out, her bedroom door slammed loud, echoing through the silence she left behind.
At that moment, my phone started ringing. I glanced at the caller ID. Father.
He was the last person I wanted to see, but the last thing I wanted was to be in the same space as Celeste. So I answered, and he asked me to dinner. Which was odd. We hadn’t shared a meal since I was twelve.
And for a moment, I wondered if he was dying.
\---
I met him in the dining room, where the table had been covered with a long array of dishes.
“Are you dying?” I blurted. the question was on the tip of my tongue.
He let out an obnoxious laugh, gently squeezing my shoulder. “Come on boy, don’t be so dramatic. Isn’t it normal for a father to feast with his son?”
“It’s been 11 fucking years since I we ate on the same table, father, and we only did because your mother made you to.” I retorted.
His expression faltered for just a second, but he quickly recovered. Clearly, he was up to something.
“Look, I’ve had a rough day. Can we cut the crap and just go straight to the point. Why am I here?” I asked coldly.
He stared at me for a moment before he finally decided I caught on to whatever this was.
“You’re right, I called you here to tell you something important…The truth about your mother’s disappearance.
A shiver ran down my spine, at the same my stomach twisted into knots. Was she dead?
“W-What are you talking about?” I asked, my voice barely audible. “Is she—did she come back?”
He shook his head. “It’s time you knew the truth, son—”
My brows arched curiously, “Which is?”
“The Ashfords.” He quietly said. “The Ashfords are the reason behind your mother’s disappearance.”
I scoffed, shifting in my seat. “Is this…Is this some kind of joke?”
He let out a small sigh, like the weight of what he was about to say pressed down on him. “What I’m about to tell you now is something I’ve kept a secret for the last 23 years. But with everything that’s happening now...I can’t keep it from you any longer.”
The room fell silent, and for a moment the only thing I could hear was the ticking of the clock.
“Your mother was an angel, one of the few good people God placed on earth. You don’t know this, but we met while she was working for the Ashfords…As their housekeeper.”
My chest tightened. My only memories of her were of flour-dusted hands, laughter, cookies in the oven. Not this.
He continued, his tone low and measured. “For years, she worked diligently for the Ashfords, until one night…She saw something she wasn’t meant to see.”
He met my eyes.
“A murder.”
The word dropped between us like a gunshot.
He leaned in with an unreadable expression.
“That night is the reason you’re here, boy.”