The Scent of 400

Chapter 400

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Chapter 400

Celeste thought for a moment, then stood up and said, “I’ll tell you later. I’m going to take this call.”

After greeting Bryson and the others, she turned and stepped out of the private room with her phone.

Watching her leave, Matthias suddenly processed what was happening. His eyes widened in disbelief.

Though he had wondered once whether there might be something between them at a banquet last

year, when he saw Celeste dancing with Caleb.

But that idea had faded since they’d had no further contact afterward.

So, how could this be happening now?

Hearing Matthias questioning Celeste, Kieran instinctively looked over at her.

He didn’t know Caleb, had never heard of him.

But when he saw the hint of discomfort on Celeste’s face, he immediately sensed something unusual. And Matthias‘ reaction only confirmed his suspicion.

So, this Caleb… Could he and Celeste really-?

Trevor knew Caleb.

So, after hearing Matthias speak, he casually glanced toward Celeste. At first, he only meant to give her a quick look before shifting his gaze away. 2

But when he caught that unfamiliar expression on her face, he halted, and his eyes lingered thoughtfully on her retreating figure.

Once Celeste stepped out of the room, she answered the call.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Caleb beat her to it, “I thought you weren’t going to pick up.”

Because of her striking appearance, Celeste had been receiving confessions from admirers since she was young. She wasn’t a stranger to it.

But ever since she’d gotten married and had a child, her social circle had changed.

She’d never tried to hide her marital status at work either, so in recent years, such confessions had grown rare.

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Chapter 400

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She and Caleb were somewhat friends.

And since her divorce from Trevor wasn’t finalized, his earlier confession had left her feeling uneasy. Now that he was contacting her again, that unease only deepened.

Just as she was about to speak, Caleb continued, “After we saw each other last time, I gave it a lot of thought. At first, I thought what I said that day was just a moment of impulse.

“But after thinking it through, I realized it wasn’t impulsive at all. Somewhere along the way, I’d already developed feelings for you without realizing it.

“What I said last time–that was actually the truest reflection of what I felt deep down. So yes, I really do like you.” 4

When Celeste received his call, she’d more or less guessed why he was calling. But she didn’t expect him to say so much.

Caleb spoke in a steady, calm voice–earnest and thoughtful–as he expressed the conclusion he had come to after reflection.

Before she could respond, he added, “Last time you said you’d been married. ‘Been married,‘ not ‘am married.‘ Can I take that to mean your marriage is already in trouble, or maybe even over? So, could you tell me your current marital status?”

His tone held no pressure. When he asked that last question, it was even gentler.

Celeste had always had a good impression of Caleb. He was respectful and polite, and all he wanted was clarity.

Celeste was never a ruthless person. Faced with someone like him, she couldn’t bring herself to respond harshly.

She answered truthfully, “I went to file the divorce paperwork today, but it’s not finalized yet.

“You have to wait for the mandatory waiting period to be over before it’s official?”

“Yes.”

Caleb chuckled. “Seems like I have good timing.”

“It’s not…” Celeste felt more and more uncomfortable. She hesitated, then said softly, “Thank you for liking me, but I-”

“I know.” Caleb cut her off gently. Even his interruptions were tender.

“I know what you’re going to say–you weren’t planning to start a new relationship so soon. Maybe you never even considered being with me. In other words, you don’t like me right now.”

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Chapter 400

Celeste was momentarily speechless–he’d hit the nail right on the head.

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Then his voice came again through the phone, “I know all that. But I don’t mind. I can wait.”

Celeste came back to herself and was just about to tell him that she had a daughter when Caleb once again preempted her.

“You said you’d been married. I figured you might already have a child. I’ve thought about that too. But even so, my answer remains the same.

“So, I hope I can be the first in line to pursue you. And if you do consider starting a new relationship after your divorce, I hope I’ll be the first person you think of.”

८

Celeste had been confessed to many times before. But never like this. 1

Before she could say anything, Caleb’s warm voice came again, “Where are you now? Have you eaten? I just got back. Can I treat you to lunch?” 6

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