Chapter 3
After being kicked out by the Liang family, Celeste lived in a rundown neighborhood. When I arrived, she came shortly after. She wore a cheap, worn-out coat, and her manicures in the photos were gone, even her complexion looked poor. But I didn’t miss her smooth, well-maintained hair, her well-cared-for skin, and the possessive hickeys on her neck. I clenched my fingers, looking at her meek demeanor but harsh words, and said, “Celeste, I’ve found a lawyer. You will go to jail.” Celeste looked up, a sneer flashing quickly in her eyes, then she lowered her head, kneeling before me. But her mouth was full of malice, “I won’t go to jail, you’ll never see that day.” She muttered softly, “Cripple.” Just then, Jasper arrived, passing Celeste like a stranger, sitting next to me, asking, “It’s getting cold, Mrs. Jenkins made you soup, go home and drink it?” He glanced at Celeste as he spoke. I bit my lip; it was only ten minutes, and Jasper couldn’t wait to rescue her. “She just said something to me, I recorded it.” I struggled to keep my emotions in check, took out a recorder from my bag, and handed it to Jasper. For a moment, Celeste’s face turned pale. Jasper frowned slightly, playing the recording, and when it reached the “cripple” part, his brows furrowed, glaring at Celeste. “What did she say?” I looked at him, eyes hopeful. Jasper put away the recorder, his Adam’s apple moved—a sign he was about to lie. Then he signed, “She said she knows her mistake, sorry.” I stood up, my gaze lingering on Celeste, then unexpectedly slapped her across the face! Celeste’s head was knocked to the side, I used so much force that my palm tingled. “What’s the use of knowing your mistake? Going to prison is how you atone.” I said coldly. Celeste’s tears fell instantly, she looked at Jasper with grievance, but Jasper ignored her. “What did she say?” I asked him eagerly, my eyes full of anticipation. Jasper put the recorder away, swallowing hard—a subtle sign that he might not be telling the truth. In sign language, he replied, “She said she realized her mistake and apologized.” I stood up, my gaze lingering on Celeste before I suddenly slapped her across the face. The force of the slap made her head snap to the side. My hand stung from the impact. “Realizing your mistake is pointless. You need to pay for it in prison,” I said icily. Celeste’s tears fell immediately. She glanced at Jasper, seeking some sympathy, but he ignored her. Instead, he took my hand, gently massaging it, and signed, “Don’t get your hands dirty.” Jasper led me out of Celeste’s place, put me in the car, and then seemed to remember something. “I have a meeting with a client around noon. Can you head back first?” The driver was already in the seat. I nodded, and Jasper kissed my cheek before seeing me off. Once home, I put on my headphones and opened the surveillance app on my phone. The sounds of intimacy filled my ears. “She started it. Besides, she can’t hear, so what’s wrong with me saying a few things about her…” Celeste sat stubbornly on the couch in a suggestive maid outfit, her eyes red and on the verge of tears. “I know you’re in love with her. So, don’t come to me anymore. I shouldn’t be alive; dying would be better!” “Why don’t you just send me to prison then?” Jasper had already taken off his shirt and kissed Celeste hard, trying to act tough. “Two years ago, your life was mine. I won’t let you die, so don’t even think about it.” Seeing Celeste about to cry, he quickly wiped her tears away and sighed, “Don’t cry, sweetheart. Why say such things? How could I bear to send you to prison?” Jasper always believed I would eventually forgive Celeste. But that’s impossible. After I finished speaking with the private investigator, Jasper came home. I noticed the Twitter account following me had posted something new. A maid hiding her face, with a Rococo wallpaper background, clearly not the decor of that inner-city neighborhood.