Chapter 7

Carly smiled sweetly, her heart brimming with happiness. She leaned into Adam’s embrace, her face tilted up to his. “I knew you couldn’t let me go. You’ll always want me.”

Adam, the wealthiest man in Mercity, was not only handsome but also dignified and influential. He could move mountains. He had everything Carly sought in a partner. But three years ago, after a car accident, he had fallen into a coma. The doctors said he would never wake up. Unable to waste her best years on someone who might never recover, she left him.

Who would have thought that Celine, stepping in for her, had married him? Then, just three years later, Adam woke up from his coma.

Even now, Carly still didn’t understand how it happened—how Celine had brought him back! The doctors called it a medical miracle.

And so, she had returned. She knew Adam loved her. He wouldn’t push her away.

Adam stared at Carly’s beautiful face. “Wouldn’t it have been different if… do you really think I’d let you go like this?”

The mention of Celine shot a pang of jealousy across her eyes. She quickly changed the subject. “Did you sleep with Celine?”

Adam lowered his gaze. “What do you think?”

She knew he hadn’t; she was just teasing him, playing. He took the bait, the conversation growing more flirtatious.

Carly liked this side of him—the mature, charming man with a hint of mischief that made her heart race. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her lips brushing against his as she whispered, “Do you want to sleep with me?”

Lea, who had been following Adam for years, smartly raised the partition between the front and back seats. Adam didn’t answer, just looked at her.

Carly was wearing a red spaghetti-strap dress, the hem riding up as she straddled him. Her long, slender legs were completely exposed. She tightened her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. “Come on, then. Do you want some sexy time with me or not?” Yes, she was ready right then and there.

Adam understood her intentions. But for some reason, his mind wandered back to Celine. Carly asked him who he found more attractive—her or Celine. For some reason, Adam couldn’t stop thinking about Celine at that moment.

He gently pulled Carly’s arms away from his neck. “I’m still married to Celine!”

Carly was untaxed. “And?”

Adam said, “The notion of cheating on my wife…”

Carly went stiff, the heat between them evaporating. She got up from his lap, feeling disappointed. She had her pride. She would only sleep with Adam if he wanted her. She refused to look at him, defiant. “So when are you going to divorce Celine?”

Adam looked out the window, his thoughts momentarily drifting. It was good that Celine had asked for a divorce; he had been planning on it anyway. His voice was cold as he replied, “Soon.”

Back at the apartment, Celine lay down on her sofa, letting the exhaustion from the night wash over her. After tonight’s indulgence, it was time for her life to get back on track. She grabbed her phone and opened WhatsApp. She had two accounts. She had been using her “Celine Tate–Alvarez” account for the past three years, but that one was now officially obsolete.

Logging into her other account, her WhatsApp was flooded with messages from a group chat named “Happy Family.” She opened it and saw Cyrus Pope’s message: “Wow! Celine, you’re finally back online!” Then, a message from Jason Miles came in: “Welcome back, Celine!” Perry Marshall said, “It’s good to have you back.” All of them were delighted, eagerly celebrating her return via WhatsApp.

Cyrus said, “Three years ago, Celine was focusing on romance, saying goodbye to find herself a man. So, Celine, is being with a man a bun?”

Celine replied, “Not at all.”

“Looks like someone’s still heartbroken,” Jason teased.

Perry jumped in: “So Celine has someone she can’t handle, huh?”

Cyrus couldn’t stop laughing. “Alright, stop making fun of Celine. Let’s just say she’s been through a tough time with men these past three years. Sorry, it’s just too funny. I need a moment to laugh! Oh my goodness!”

Celine rolled her eyes, wishing she could kick them out of the group chat.

Just then, Cyrus got back to business. “Celine, it’s time for you to get back to work. The surgery appointments are piling up. You have a tricky heart surgery scheduled for tomorrow at Haven Hospital.”

Celine replied with an “Okay” emoji.

She noticed a new message when she turned to WhatsApp’s main page. She clicked on it—it was from Adam. It was almost rank. For the past three years, she had messaged him daily using her “Celine Tate–Alvarez” account, and he hadn’t responded once. Now, she had logged into this account, and he was trying to contact her.

Then, the thought crossed her mind: “You thought you were better than me, but now I’m out of your league.”

Celine’s fingers hovered over the screen, ready to tap on the chat box.

Alvarez Group was a powerhouse in Mercity, dominating the city’s economy. The building towered over everything, glowing even brighter at night, symbolizing wealth and power. After dropping off Carly, Adam made his way to his office. He sat in a sleek, black leather chair, reading through documents. He signed his name at the bottom of each page with sharp, decisive strokes. The city lights reflected off the tall windows as if the whole city was there to highlight his presence. His phone buzzed with a WhatsApp notification.

Adam picked it up. It was a message from one of his junior employees. When he read the reply, he paused for a moment before a smirk appeared on his lips. He couldn’t help but laugh.