Chapter 455

The doorbell rang. Moments later, the door opened, revealing Celine’s delicate and ethereal figure. “Who is it? Mr. Alvarez?”

Celine saw Adam standing at the door. He took in her appearance. She had changed into a loose, comfortable dress. The glamorous makeup from the gala was gone, revealing a natural face. If she had been dazzling before, now she was effortlessly stunning.

“Celine, do you have a moment?” Adam asked.

Her long lashes fluttered slightly as she replied, “Mr. Alvarez, if you have something to say, just say it.”

“I—”

A familiar male voice called from inside before he could finish. “Who is it, Celine?”

As Adam looked behind Celine, he saw Perry. Perry stood comfortably in Celine’s apartment, wearing slippers and biting into an apple. “Mr. Alvarez? What a surprise.”

The words Adam had meant to say got stuck in his throat because he hadn’t expected to see Perry there.

Celine said, “Mr. Alvarez, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be heading back inside.”

Adam pursed his lips. Then, he fixed his gaze on Celine and asked, “Is it just you and Perry inside?”

“Is there something strange about that?” Celine countered.

Adam’s distinguished features turned cold in an instant, his expression dark and unreadable.

Just as the tension thickened, a small head peeked out from inside. It was Hailey. “Celine, are you done yet? The food’s about to burn!”

Robin’s voice followed right after. “Celine, hurry up!”

It wasn’t just Perry—Hailey and Robin were there too. However, that did nothing to soften Adam’s expression. After all, Perry and Celine’s closest friends were now together, meaning they were all quite familiar with each other and often hung out.

Perry looked at Adam. “Mr. Alvarez, we’re making dinner right now. Have you eaten? Why don’t you come in and join us?”

Adam hadn’t eaten yet because he rushed back just to look for Celine. Just as he was about to speak, “Then I—”

Before he could finish, Celine cut him off. “No, Mr. Alvarez doesn’t need to eat with us.”

She then turned to look at him and said, “We’re having dinner now. Goodbye, Mr. Alvarez.” She reached out and shut the door. With a sharp clack, the door closed right in his face. Adam, left standing outside, was speechless.

He lingered for a moment before curling his lips into a self-mocking smile. Then, he turned and walked back to his own apartment. Since he lived alone, the place felt empty and quiet. A single dim light cast a soft glow in the living room.

Adam, tall and broad-shouldered, stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the countless lights twinkling across the city. He pulled out his phone and opened Hailey’s social media. She had just posted a post.

“Celine’s cooking tonight! Look! It’s a whole table full of food! She’s amazing! I might eat three plates of spaghetti.”

She had attached a photo of the feast, showing an array of dishes that looked delicious and enticing. In the picture, Celine, Perry, Hailey, and Robin were raising their glasses in a toast, caught in a moment of laughter and celebration.

Adam tapped on the photo and zoomed in, staring at it over and over again. The night breeze drifted in, crisp and chilling, adding a touch of mysterious allure to his sharp features.

Suddenly, Adam remembered it had been a long time since he last tasted Celine’s cooking. He knew better than anyone how skilled she was in the kitchen. When he had been in a coma for three years, waking up weak and needing long-term recovery, Celine had carefully prepared every meal for him, waiting for him to come home.

He still remembered the night she first asked for a divorce. That night had been his birthday. She had cooked an entire meal, waiting for him to come home. The things he once took for granted were gone, leaving him with an unexpected emptiness and a faint, lingering ache. Maybe this was the regret of not cherishing something until it was gone.