Chapter 60

Damien’s voice rose again from behind Celeste, stopping her in her tracks. He snapped, “Celeste, you’re not leaving until you explain yourself today!”

Upon hearing Damien’s loud voice, Celeste instinctively froze. His tone seemed to have startled Eloise, who immediately hid behind Celeste, looking up at them with a distressed expression, her eyes slightly red. Although still young, Eloise could sense the situation, understanding enough to know who was involved. She knew that the man bullying Celeste was her husband.

“Explain what?” Celeste responded, her voice rising in volume. “I’ve already filed for divorce, and the agreement has been delivered to you. What else is there to explain between us?” She shielded Eloise further behind her, her anger flaring as her eyes hardened.

“But we’re not divorced yet. I haven’t signed the papers!” Damien’s voice rose, his anger visible, his veins bulging as he seethed with rage. “And here you are, parading another man’s child around. If this gets out, it won’t just be my dignity that’s lost, it’ll be the reputation of the entire Wrenford family!”

Damien was clearly furious, his words charged with emotion. Before Celeste could respond, he continued, “And this child—she looks abnormal. The moment someone’s voice gets loud, she starts crying. How could you leave your own child behind and go off to look after some psychologically troubled kid from another man? Were you brainwashed in prison?”

At his words, Celeste’s body stiffened with a wave of anger, and she could feel the heat rising within her. What Damien said didn’t bother her much. But hearing him insult Eloise to her face was something Celeste couldn’t bear.

“She doesn’t have any psychological problems! Her situation is just a bit more special. Watch your words, Mr. Wrenford! If you keep talking like that and someone with bad intentions spreads it around, it could harm your reputation and that of the Wrenford family more than me ‘parading around with a child from another man’!” Her voice was cold and biting, her anger clear in her eyes.

“Mom, how can you say that about Dad? This girl looks really timid, and Dad is right!” Lucian chimed in, looking up at Celeste with resentment. “Dad’s not wrong!”

Eloise, witnessing this scene where Celeste was being bullied for the first time, felt anxious. She wanted to help Celeste, but she was too scared to speak up.

At that moment, her gaze unintentionally shifted to the side, and she saw a familiar figure walking nearby. She recognized that man. He had met her mother before, and they had seen each other on several occasions. Eloise tightened her grip on Celeste’s hand, her little fingers squeezing more tightly. Without thinking, she suddenly shouted, “Dad!”

The unexpected outburst immediately caught the attention of everyone nearby, including Adrian. When he saw Celeste holding Eloise’s hand, his brow furrowed in confusion. Celeste was also stunned by Eloise’s shout. She couldn’t believe her eyes. She lowered her gaze to the child beside her, then lifted it again to look at Adrian, who was walking toward them. She was suddenly confused. She wondered if Eloise knew Adrian. Her mind flashed back to the scene when Adrian met with Joyce in prison. That day, Annie had visited her, and though Adrian didn’t see her, Celeste had passed by the meeting room where Adrian and Joyce had interacted. Joyce knew Adrian, so why wouldn’t Eloise know him too?

Chapter 61