Carly reflected on her actions, realizing she had been too reserved. She shouldn't have waited until marriage to let Adam touch her. He was a straight man, full of youthful vigor, and naturally, he would have desires. If those needs weren't met, he'd inevitably be tempted by other women. That's how Celine had taken advantage of the situation, slipping into his life and eventually his bed.
Tonight, Carly had subtly hinted at her intentions by suggesting they go to his villa. He looked at her radiant, delicate face and moved his thin lips. "I have to work overtime tonight. I don't have time to accompany you. I'll have the driver send you home, okay? Be a good girl."
She felt a tinge of disappointment. "Alright. I'll leave then." She got into the car and left.
Leo opened the rear door of the Rolls-Royce Phantom. Adam stepped in and settled into the backseat. The car sped down the road while Adam reviewed documents. Suddenly, a series of soft chimes rang; his phone had received several text messages. He unlocked it to see notifications about transactions made with his exclusive black card:
"Dear esteemed VVIP user, your card ending 8888 has been charged $120 at Club 1996 today." "Dear esteemed VVIP user, your card ending 8888 has been charged $16 at Buns and Dogs Cart today." "Dear esteemed VVIP user, your card ending 8888 has been charged $8 at Blissful Bakes today."
Celine and Hailey had been out to dinner, and all her transactions were recorded on Adam's phone. The spending was minimal: $16, $8, $6, and $2 for a pudding.
Adam read the notifications, a faint smile appearing. Her crisp voice rang out in his mind: "Adam, I don't love you anymore." She had said she no longer loved him. A woman like Celine would love and hate with all her heart. When she loved, it was as fierce as the blazing sun. He had been loved by her like that, but once she turned away, she would never look back. She truly didn't love him anymore.
He set down his phone. Truthfully, he had never truly loved Celine, but for some reason, the moment he lost her, an inexplicable sense of emptiness enveloped his heart.
In the women's hostel, Celine woke to find Hailey gone. She found this odd. Where could Hailey have gone? "Hailey? Hailey?" Celine searched but found no sign of her. Then, she noticed a small note on her desk. In Hailey's neat handwriting, it read: "Celine, don't bother looking for me. I'm heading home today."
She had gone home. In truth, Celine had no idea where Hailey's home was. Even after all this time together, Hailey's family had never visited, and Hailey had never mentioned it. Since she hadn't, Celine hadn't asked. Friendships, after all, require boundaries. With the right balance, both parties can feel comfortable and at ease.
Celine carefully put away the note. Just then, her phone chimed with a WhatsApp notification from Perry: "Celine, the medicinal herb you needed has arrived." Her eyes lit up. The most important herb had finally arrived; Hailey's birthmark could now be treated.