Truth?

"Aww babe, you had someone watching me? I'm so touched."

"Stop deflecting Celeste. You asked me to come 3 days later for a reason. What happened while you were in that house?"

Richard watched as the Celeste avoided his gaze. She had been sleeping over 24 hours and her pale almost translucent skin looked even more wan. The whites of her eyes were bloodshot, causing her violet eyes to have a reddish tint. The right side of her face was a shocking mix of purple, yellow, and green as the bruise slowly healed. Her slim arms and legs were dotted with bruises of various stages as well. In other words, her body looked horrific and scary. When he had taken her to the military hospital, the doctor on duty had thought she was a victim of domestic violence or was a soldier being tortured.

He wanted to agree but it didn't make sense. He had seen her combat abilities and she should be able to take on any regular person that approached her. Unless…she had gotten injured on purpose.

"Celeste, tell me what happened." No response.

"Are you being abused?"

"No." Celeste shook her head rapidly.

"Then tell me what happened? How did you get like this?" Richard persisted. He didn't believe her in the slightest.

"It's a long story."

"We have nothing but time." Seeing that she planned on ignoring him, he continued, "You won't be able to leave without my permission anyway."

"And why not?"

Richard gave her a sharklike grin, "This is Imperial Military Hospital and in here, I'm considered a god. I suggest you start speaking up if you don't want to be strapped to that bed until you heal up."

Celeste stared at him angrily before pushing her hair back and sighing.

"Well, to start off I'm not being abused."

Richard reached out and gently touched the bruised side of her face causing her to flinch from the pain.

"This looks like somebody slapped you and from the bruise size, it was a person with large hands. Most likely a man. Who hit you?"

"Mr. Detective, am I talking or are you talking?" Celeste grumbled while glaring at him.

"I'm listening."

"Rather than abuse, it's more like corporal punishment? As you know I am in a delicate position in the house so every time I do something that's perceived to rock the boat, let's just say I get punished."

"And the boat was rocked because of me?"

"You might be part of it."

Seeing that he was about to interrupt, Celeste held her hand up and continued, "I knew what I was getting into when I proposed our contract, and regardless of how I look right now, I am satisfied with the results so far."

"So, you intentionally allowed them to beat you black and blue even though you could fight back?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To be honest, it's to hook you to my cause." Celeste looked at him with an earnest expression. She had considered coming up with an excuse, but she thought that honesty would be the right way to go. After all, he had helped her out.

"Although we do have a contract, to be honest, I'm the one taking advantage of you and selling your name, the benefit for you is not enough for you to continually do me favors. No matter how much goodwill a person will have, it will eventually become annoying being used all the time. But that changes if you feel pity for me. You're more likely to be more tolerant and generous. I've told you I'm in a precarious situation, I need all the help I can get."

"So, this was a plot against me?"

"Rather than a plot, more like a play? You get to play the knight in shining armor rescuing a damsel in distress. Did it work?" she looked up at him with sparkling eyes.

"What if I didn't come?"

Celeste simply shrugged, "We have a contract. Plus, they would have eventually let me out and bruise heal. It's not the first time and it certainly won't be the last time they do something like that to me. They'll have to be more cautious in the future."

"It's the last time."

"What?"

"This is the last time. If you let them touch you again like this I'll break the contract with you."

"But-"

"You wanted to sell my name to boost yourself right? Properly use it and don't do useless things and harm your body like an idiot."

"I'm not an idiot."

Seeing her sulking face, Richard wanted to knock her forehead in anger but when he saw that face full of bruises, he held back. But his anger was still bubbling. The fact that the Valentine family would abuse their own child this way made him sick.

He remembered he still had Edward Jr. in his custody.

"You know I captured your brother. He's currently locked up in a military holding cell."

"You did? Why? "Celeste turned to him with her eyes sparkling brightly.

"He was annoying. Any opinions on his treatment."

"Lock him in a dark room. Starve him for three days. Then beat him up. You can probably release him after that." Celeste replied with no hesitation. It was the karma he deserved for doing the exact same thing to her. Ideally, she wanted to beat him herself but this time she would leave it to the professionals.

"Okay. Get some rest." Richard casually replied before attempting to head out. Before he had taken more than two steps, Celeste had grabbed the back of his coat and held on tight.

"What?"

"Uhm, I really am feeling much better now. I would like to leave." Celeste told Richard nervously. She had been fine while she had been talking to him, but the moment he began leaving, she felt all the fear and nausea she had been suppressing rise up again. She hadn't been able to stop herself from clinging to Richard, the only stable thing in this room.

"The doctors plan on monitoring you since you are malnourished and might have some internal injuries. Be good and don't pull out the IV. I'll be back."

"No, I really don't want to be here. I want to leave." Celeste clutched Richard's jacket tighter her face becoming paler than it already was. The machine monitoring her heart rate and oxygen levels began beeping causing her anxiety to rise even higher.

"Celeste? Calm down. I'm going to get the doctor." Richard turned to look at the panicking girl. He watched as her face turned blue and she began gasping for air.

He watched her heave once before grabbing her into his arms and tilting her head over the bed.

Bleaurghh! Cough! Cough!

Celeste felt her body heaving and her stomach emptying itself before cool fingers gently pushed her hair back and wiped her mouth.

"Hah, Hah, I'm okay." Celeste said while panting and trying to push him away before her body heaved again and she threw up once more. Celeste could feel her body begin to shiver uncontrollably.

"So troublesome." Richard tsked while arranging her so her back leaned into him while held her waist in one hand. With the other hand, he quickly paged the doctor and wrapped her in a blanket hoping to stop her shivering.

"Truly, I've never met somebody as troublesome as you."

"Babe how could you say that abo- bleargh-"

"Rather than talking nonsense try to stop throwing up. You haven't even eaten so what exactly is coming out?" Richard said.

Celeste didn't answer, she just continued heaving.

Soon a doctor burst into the room. He was a tall man with glasses and had his blonde hair in a ponytail. Although he was wearing the standard black military uniform with a white lab coat over it, he looked sloppy as if he just woke up.

When he caught sight of Celeste lying limp in Richard's arms he started to retreat while leaving a snide remark.

"Oh, sorry Commander I didn't mean to interrupt you and your little girlfriend. I guess that explains the elevated vitals and you accidentally paging me. Don't let me stop your bedtime activities. This third wheel will now retreat."

"Get back here or I'm deploying you immediately to the Middle East!" Richard roared.

Hearing the threat, the doctor stopped retreating and sloppily leaned against the door, "Yeah yeah, what's the problem with the patient?"

"Am I the doctor or are you?" Richard almost growled, "I was going to leave the room, but she started throwing up and is shivering. Did you miss something when diagnosing her?"

"Babe…I just don't want to be in the hospital. Anywhere else is fine. Even the Valentine mansion. Can I please leave?" Celeste turned to look at Richard sadly. Her body was shivering even with the blanket around her, her teeth were chattering, and she looked as if she was about to cry.

"Doctor. I'm fine right? Nothing that can't be treated at home? I want to be discharged." Celeste pleaded with the man who just came in.

Seeing him hesitate and glance at Richard before speaking, Celeste threw herself from Richards arms, staggering as she landed on the floor.

She grabbed the IV needle in her arm and ripped it out in one clear motion, wincing at the pain. Glaring at Richard, she arranged her hospital gown before pointing at him, "Richard, I'm leaving here. if you want me to stay, you'll have to tie me to the bed, and I'll hate you forever bleargh-"

Richard glanced at the girl who was barely able to stand without shivering and heaving up her guts.

"Even if I say I'll cancel it* if you don't stay?" he coolly asked. He saw her hesitate before her shoulders slumped in defeat.

Celeste wanted to continue to rage out especially when Richard threatened to cancel the contract between them. She felt as if she was between a rock and a hard place. She really couldn't stay in a hospital another second, but she also couldn't have him cancel their contract.

Deciding to retreat to advance, Celeste softened her demeanor and gazed at Richard with puppy dog eyes.

"Babe…I- being in a hospital makes me sick. It's that kind of reaction. I'm willing to go through a full checkup to get a clean bill of health but, I really can't stay here. Can we leave? Please?"