Chapter 61

CELINE’s POV

“Your mother is such a silly woman…” Mr. Smith let out a hearty laugh. “She was aware that I had a disability. She absolutely could not bring herself to part with the money. I had already told her that everything was good and that it would make me happy if she would use the money that I gave her. It’s my way of helping her—

“Mr. Smith… what’s your relationship with my mother?” I interrupted him since I was interested in finding out more about the man.

After staring at me for a short period, he eventually broke into a smile and gestured with his hand toward me.

“Don’t think badly about us, Celine…” he said. “We’re innocent– I mean … it’s just a one-sided love. You should know that your mother has never liked me…”

His confession didn’t come as a surprise to me at all. If it weren’t for love, a strange man wouldn’t send four thousand dollars each year to my mom. And if he doesn’t love my mother, I will consider the man who is standing in front of me to be a selfless man.

“Your mother was a good person, Celine…” he continued after a moment of silence. “She shouldn’t have passed away at such a young age… She didn’t do anything bad to deserve this…” Mr. Smith’s eyes turned red again… found that I, too, was unable to stop my own eyes from welling up with tears.

I forced myself to take my eyes off of him and instead glanced at the tombstone on the grave. “As the old proverb goes, Go d will always start by picking the prettiest flowers in the garden…”

“You’re right…” he agreed while nodding his head. “Because your

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mother is not only beautiful on the outside, but also on the inside… that’s why I fell in love with her. But sad to say…”

He gave me a puzzled look while shaking his head.

“I just arrived in the city and saw the news criticizing you…” he suddenly changed the topic. “Don’t you have any plans to clarify your name? I know you’re not that kind of person…”

I gave him a sideways glance and arched my brow in response to what he said. “How do you know that I’m not the kind of person who would do something like that?” I inquired with skepticism.

He smiled as he thought back about something happy and said…” Sandra is a woman with a kind heart… She would never bring up a daughter with that kind of outlook on life. You must have been the one to take the blame for your sister…

At that very time, I found myself a little surprised.

I was taken aback by the fact that a complete stranger could be so confident that the shameless h ussy described in the media wasn’t

me.

“Celine, you’re not required to return the money to me in any way…” When I didn’t respond to what he was saying, he continued talking anyhow. “I have no one else in my life. Simply accept the money, and find a new place. Leave the Lauren family, please…”

I simply took a glance at the unremarkable yet affable middle-aged man. After that, I wrinkled my nose and shook my head in

disagreement. “Are you aware that they took the life of my mother? She did not take her own life; rather, my twin sister and my own father were responsible for her demise…”

The anguish I experienced at the time of my mother’s passing came rushing back to me all at once, and clenched my fist tightly against my chest.

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“Tell me how can I leave?!” As I focused my intense gaze on him, my entire body, as well as my voice, began to shake. “How am I supposed to do nothing while they have such a happy and picture- perfect life? How can they continue to laugh and smile while they are the ones responsible for the death of my mother? They have no right to live happily!”

“You can’t win this fight against them!” he exclaimed.

“I’m positive that I can!” I shouted back at him. “If I don’t even give it a go, how will I ever know?”

“Tell me, Celine…” he said in a stern tone. “What can you possibly do to take on such a powerful family? Do you know that they committed wrong against your mother many years ago?”

“What exactly do you mean by that? I inquired while staring at him in

a state of bewilderment.

“Your mother was severely beaten, almost to the point of death

Celine…”

AUTHOR’S POV

Twenty-one years ago…

Orphaned all his life, Karl Smith could be found wandering aimlessly about the neighbourhood, searching for somewhere to take shelter

and some food to eat. When Sandra Stewart came to his aid, he was

on the verge of passing away from starvation. She brought him home, fed him, and provided him with everything he required; yet, he was unwilling to accept any of it.

Sandra Stewart was born into a wealthy family in Connecticut, and grew up there. And because Karl never stopped following her before and after school, he was quickly in a position to rescue her from the

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bullies who were making fun of her.

After that, Karl Smith was designated to be Sandra Stewart’s personal bodyguard. And as time went on, he found himself falling in love with her… but he never had the courage to tell her how he felt because he

was afraid that she would get angry and fire him.

Simply seeing her, taking care of her, and spending his entire life with her was all he needed to make himself happy. That is… until Mr. and Mrs. Stewart arrived home with a stranger named Julio Lauren with

them.

The fact that Julio Lauren apprehended a robber at the airport who was attempting to steal Mr. Stewart’s wallet is what initially drew the latter’s attention to Julio, and he quickly hires him as Sandra’s second bodyguard.

Karl acknowledged that he felt envious of Julio, but he was unable to do anything about it because he was only an employee working on Stewart’s estate. Since Julio was a woman-pleaser par excelle the naive Sandra found herself gravitating toward him.

When Karl saw this, it made him feel terrible, but all he could do w offer her his best wishes for happiness.

After a month had passed, Sandra went to a party where she was given drugs and ended up losing her virginity. She had no idea who had done this to her, but the fact that she was pregnant was what caused her parents to become enraged and shocked. Both Mr. and Mrs. Stewart were irrationally enraged as a result of the scandalous nature of the event that took place.

Because there was no other option, Mr. Stewart offered Sandra the counsel that she should have the pregnancy terminated, otherwise… it would not bode well for her future.

However… Sandra was unable to take it any longer. Even though she

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didn’t know who the father of her child was, she didn’t want the harm that she had already experienced to be passed on to the child that was developing inside of her.

It was at that time that Julio Lauren admitted that he was the child’s biological father. He declared that he was ready to tie the knot with Sandra and vowed that their love would endure for the rest of their lives together.

The Stewart parents gave in so that they could save their daughter from any embarrassment. Sandra felt a deep sense of gratitude towards Julio, which further increased her love for him. They didn’t even have time to be engaged before they got married, and just nine months later, Sandra gave birth to twins.

In the beginning, Julio was a wonderful father to his daughters, which demonstrated to his wife’s parents that he was, in fact… a kind man, which made the Stewart family even happier.

They went so far as to suggest to Sandra that once the twins reached adulthood, she should consider having another child for Julio.

Because Sandra had completely and utterly fallen in love with her responsible spouse, she was naturally delighted with the agreement.

However… man makes the proposals, and G od makes the decisions.

After a period of two years, Mr. and Mrs. Stewart were both taken from this world by a tragic event. And Sandra had her lowest points in her life during those times. She felt a deep sense of gratitude that her husband had been there for her to receive comfort and support, and had even taken over the business her father had left for her.

After a year had passed, the business had reached new heights of success, and as a result, Sandra felt a deep sense of gratitude towards Julio. And since it was almost time for the twins to start school, Sandra reasoned that it was the ideal moment for her to have

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another child, this time a son.

But…

“But, what?” As I watched Mr. Smith who was tightening his fists and gritting his teeth, my chest tightened and my breath caught in my

throat.

“Julio Lauren was a scu mbag!” he exclaimed. “Everything was an act. He didn’t really love your mother. He tore Sandra’s dream apart and

threw her from heaven to hell…”

“W-what happened?”

Julio brought home a lover named Sasha. Sandra’s mind went completely blank when she received the dreadful news all of a

sudden.

“I don’t understand why you’re doing this to me, Julio!” Sandra asked the question, and she had tears streaming down her face.

“How can you ask me that when you’re the one who’s been having an

affair with another man!” Julio roared in her face.

“What are you talking about?” She appeared to be in complete disbelief as she looked at him while shaking her head. “I’m sorry, but… I just can’t do that to you, Julio. You’re already aware of how much I love you!”

“You shameless sl ut!” he shouted and threw some photos at her face.

She caught one photo in her hands and her eyes widened when she saw her own self sleeping with Karl “This is not true!” she sobbed in protest. “I didn’t do anything like this! This is all fake, Julio! Please…”

However… Julio didn’t believe that, and he immediately submitted a divorce petition. Sandra was willing to get a divorce with him and not ask for alimony; but, there was one condition: she had to take both of her children with her.

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On the other hand… Julio wasn’t in agreement. He couldn’t help but wonder what people in the wider world would make of the situation if the children were taken away from him? That he was an

inconsiderate and disrespectful father?

It was impossible for him to allow himself to suffer a blow to his reputation, so he wed Sasha and took his other daughter.

Sandra has suffered a total loss. She moved to Staten Island with

Celine and lived a poor life there. Karl made an effort to help her, but she rejected his financial assistance.

Karl was heartbroken. He continued to withhold the confession of his feelings for her, and then he fled the country in order to pursue his financial goals.

When he learned that Sandra was in very poor health, he made a covert transfer of a significant amount of money to her account. However… he didn’t risk going to visit her for many years because he didn’t want to interfere with her life in any way.

“Did you actually have an affair with my mother?” I asked Mr. Smith the question despite the fact that I was already aware of the

response.

“Never…” was the response he gave. “Those photographs are not real. The only reason Julio did that was to give himself a reason to divorce

your mother…”

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