Five

The days that followed Celestine's accident were a whirlwind of emotions and realizations for Rhys. As he sat by her bedside in the hospital, watching her sleep, he found himself consumed by guilt and worry. He had almost lost her, and the thought was unbearable.

Celestine's recovery was slow but steady. Rhys made sure she had the best care possible, staying with her every step of the way. They talked more during those days than they ever had before, sharing their fears and hopes, rebuilding the trust that had been shattered.

One morning, while Celestine was resting, Rhys stepped out of the hospital room to take a call from Bane.

"Rhys, I have some news," Bane said, his voice grave. "I've been looking into the accident, and I found something you need to know."

Rhys's heart sank. "What is it?"

"The brakes on the car were tampered with," Bane said. "It wasn't an accident. Someone wanted Celestine to get hurt."

Rhys felt a surge of anger and fear. "Who would do this?"

"I'm still investigating, but I have a lead," Bane replied. "I think you should come to the office."

Rhys agreed, his mind racing. He returned to Celestine's room to tell her he needed to step out for a while. She nodded, her eyes filled with concern.

"Be careful, Rhys," she said softly.

"I will," he promised, kissing her forehead. "I'll be back soon."

Rhys drove to the office,He couldn't believe someone would want to harm Celestine. He had to find out who was behind this and make them pay.

When he arrived at the office, Bane was waiting for him, a file in his hand.

"I've been looking into everyone who had access to the car," Bane said, handing Rhys the file. "And I found something disturbing."

Rhys opened the file and saw the name of his secretary, Evelyn, highlighted. His stomach turned.

"Evelyn?" he asked, disbelief and anger in his voice. "Why would she do this?"

"I don't know yet," Bane said. "But I have a feeling it has to do with you."

Rhys clenched his jaw, fury building inside him. "I'll deal with her."

He stormed into the office, his mind set on confronting Evelyn. He found her at her desk, typing away as if nothing was wrong.

"Evelyn, we need to talk," he said, his voice cold.

Evelyn looked up, surprised and a hint of fear in her eyes. "Of course, Mr. Alastair. What is it?"

"In my office," he said, turning on his heel and walking away. He heard her footsteps behind him and felt a surge of anger. How could she do this?

Once inside his office, he closed the door and faced her. "I know what you did," he said, his voice hard.

Evelyn's eyes widened. "I don't know what you're talking about, sir".

"Don't lie to me," Rhys snapped. "The brakes on my car were tampered with. You wanted Celestine to get hurt."

Evelyn's face turned pale. "I… I didn't mean for it to go that far," she stammered. "I just wanted to scare her, to make her leave you."

"Why?" Rhys demanded. "Why would you do something so despicable?"

"Because I love you, Rhys," Evelyn said, tears streaming down her face. "I thought if she was out of the picture, you'd see that we belong together."

Rhys felt a surge of disgust and anger. "How dare you," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You risked her life because of your selfishness. You're fired, and I'm calling the police."

Evelyn's eyes widened in horror. "Please, Rhys, don't do this. I was only thinking of us."

"There is no us," Rhys said coldly. "There never was. Now get out."

Evelyn stood there, trembling, but Rhys didn't waver. He called security to escort her out, then called the police to report the crime. He would make sure she paid for what she had done.

Once Evelyn was gone, Rhys sat down, his mind reeling. He couldn't believe the depths of her betrayal. But he felt a sense of relief, knowing that Celestine was safe now. He needed to get back to her, to tell her everything.

When he returned to the hospital, Celestine was sitting up in bed, looking better than she had in days.

"Rhys, what happened?" she asked, seeing the tension in his face.

He sat down beside her, taking her hand. "It was Evelyn," he said, his voice trembling with anger. "She tampered with the brakes. She wanted to scare you away."

Celestine's eyes widened in shock. "Why?"

"She thought she loved me," Rhys said bitterly. "She thought if you were gone, I'd be with her."

Celestine squeezed his hand, her eyes filled with sympathy and anger. "I'm so sorry, Rhys. I can't believe she would do something so terrible."

"I've taken care of it," Rhys said. "She's been fired and the police are involved. She'll pay for what she did."

Celestine nodded, her expression determined. "Thank you for protecting me."

Rhys looked into her eyes, feeling a surge of love and protectiveness. "I'll always protect you, Celestine. I'm sorry for everything. I was so blinded by my anger and distrust. I almost lost you because of it."

Celestine reached up and touched his face gently. "We both made mistakes, Rhys. But we can move past them. Together."

Rhys leaned in and kissed her, a tender and heartfelt kiss that spoke of promises and new beginnings.

Over the next few weeks, Celestine's recovery continued, and their bond grew stronger. Rhys made sure to spend as much time with her as possible, helping her with her physical therapy and simply being there for her.

One evening, as they sat in the living room of the villa, Rhys looked at Celestine, his heart full. "Celestine, there's something I need to tell you."

She looked up from her book, her eyes curious. "What is it, Rhys?"

"I've realized how much you mean to me," he said, his voice sincere. "I don't want to be just a contract marriage anymore. I want us to be a real couple, to share our lives and our love."

Celestine's eyes filled with tears, and she smiled. "I want that too, Rhys. More than anything."

He took her hand and led her to their bedroom, where they stood facing each other, their hearts beating in unison. "I love you, Celestine," he said softly, his voice filled with emotion.

"I love you too, Rhys," she replied, her eyes shining with happiness.

They kissed, a deep and passionate kiss that spoke of their love and commitment. They made love that night, not as strangers bound by a contract, but as two people deeply in love, ready to start a new chapter together.

The next morning, they lay in each other's arms, the sunlight streaming through the window. Rhys looked at Celestine, his heart full of love and contentment.

"Thank you for giving us a chance," he sa

id, his voice tender.

Celestine smiled, her eyes filled with love. "Thank you for not giving up on us."