Never Forgive, Never Forget (Chapters 21 to 30)

Chapter 21

“We’ve already got the marriage certificate,”

Celeste replied as she carefully placed each piece of porcelain back in its proper place.

Herbert really was a father who knew how to make the most of his daughter.

So eager to sell her off.

Still, she didn’t want to waste time, either, and Alfred had always treated her with respect.

For a marriage like theirs-a transaction, really-getting the paperwork done as soon as possible was the most practical choice.

She hadn’t expected things to move this quickly, though.

Herbert’s laughter rumbled over the phone.

Now that he’d gotten the answer he wanted, his urgency faded.

“That’s my girl-when you say you’ll do something, you get it done, and fast! I have to hand it to you, Celeste.”

“And that Alfred-only a few hours after meeting you, and he’s already signed the papers. Clearly, you matter to him.”

“But, regardless of what kind of man he is, men are men. Cece, you just need to turn on the charm, coax him a little, and make sure he lands that deal with Duncan Holdings for us.”

In just a few words, he’d steered the conversation right back to business.

So much for fatherly affection.

Celeste tossed out a few noncommittal responses.

Then Beverly’s voice cut in on the other end.

“I’ll bet all she cared about was the certificate-she probably didn’t even bring up the deal! She’s been running from Asterwynn for so long. When has she ever acted like a true Duncan?”

Herbert’s tone turned cold at that.

“Did you bring it up?”

“I did.”

Celeste paused, then added, “But I think I brought it up too soon. He seemed a bit put off. I’ll have to be more subtle about it next time if I want him to sit down and really talk business.”

Half-true, half-false, but Herbert seemed to accept it.

“Fair enough. Word is Alfred’s moods can be unpredictable. If you need to proceed step by step, then so be it.”

“I’ve already mentioned the Duncan Holdings project. Now, can my mother’s name finally be added to the Hopkins family memorial chapel?”

Her mother had worked herself to the bone all her life, all for Herbert and the Duncan family’s comeback.

Duncan Holdings shouldn’t be the only thing they owed her-they owed her and her mother far more.

Her mother’s name deserved a place in that chapel.

The recognition she’d never received in life-Celeste was determined to win it back for her now.

“That’s not something we can just rush,” Herbert hedged. “Adding a name to the family chapel is a delicate matter for the entire Duncan clan.”

Celeste refused to back down.

“Is it really so difficult to add one name, Father? Don’t forget-when the Duncan family was at its lowest, if it hadn’t been for my mother and her craft bringing in business and money, there wouldn’t even be a family chapel standing today!”

Herbert fell silent.

On the other end, Beverly’s voice suddenly sharpened.

“We’re all family here. Why do you always have to dredge up the past, Celeste?”

“You married into the Hopkins family, became Mrs. Alfred Hopkins, and now you don’t even know your own surname! All you think about is how to use the Hopkins fortune to prop up your mother’s side. Instead of fighting us at every turn, you should be careful-if you ever lose your man, see how you manage without the Duncan family to fall back on!”

Everyone knew about Celeste and Philip.

Her sudden return to Asterwynn and quick agreement to the marriage. It was almost certainly because things had fallen apart between them. Beverly’s words were a direct hit-she knew exactly where to aim.

But while Celeste could admit she’d chosen the wrong man, she’d long since stopped making love the center of her world.

Now, business came first. Her mother’s place in the family chapel mattered more than any romance.

Celeste shot back, her tone icy.

“Beverly, maybe you should save that speech for yourself.”

“My mother rebuilt Duncan Holdings from scratch with nothing but her pottery skills. I helped Philip get his inheritance. Even without you all, I’d still find a way to survive. But if Duncan Holdings loses the Hopkins project, the gap in your finances is so big-Beverly, can you cover it on your own?”

Silence fell-so complete you could hear a pin drop.

Duncan Holdings might have made a comeback, but in recent years, the family had been burning through cash, and Herbert’s old-fashioned management style only made things worse. The losses kept piling up.

Beverly, despite being groomed as the heir, was far from capable of restoring the family’s former glory.

Which was exactly why this marriage deal with Alfred had come to be.

Chapter 22

The moment Celeste called her out, Beverly lost it. Her face twisted in anger as she stomped her foot hard on the floor.

“I knew it! You never saw us as family! If you don’t care about the Duncans, fine, but Dad raised me himself. If you’re saying I’m no good, aren’t you just saying Dad failed as a father?!”

By the end, Beverly’s voice was quivering, as if she were about to throw herself into her father’s arms and sob.

Herbert’s face darkened; his anger flared.

“I’m your father. How dare you talk back to your elders with such disrespect! A few years abroad and you’ve forgotten every bit of proper manners and respect?”

He jabbed a finger at Celeste. “And just what did your sister say that was wrong? You’re a Duncan by blood-when one of us rises, all of us rise; when one of us falls, we all do. You’re pouring the Hopkins’ money into our family’s gaps, but in the end, don’t we all benefit from it?”

He let out an exasperated sigh. “You really have become wild and unruly, just like your relatives say. Seems I’ll need to teach you a lesson one of these days!”

Family? Celeste had never once considered these people her family.

She met Herbert’s scolding with a faint, almost amused smile.

“Actually, Alfred has already agreed to partner with Duncan Group.”

Herbert fell silent in an instant.

Celeste let out a soft, almost playful “Hm?”

“By the way, Dad, you mentioned wanting to teach me a lesson?”

Herbert hesitated, his tone shifting as he scrambled to save face. “Ah, come now, sweetheart. Why would I ever want to scold you? I just hope you’ll remember your manners and live well with the Hopkins family.”

He finally managed an awkward, wheedling chuckle. “Cece, if you can land this deal, you’ll be the biggest hero the Duncan family’s ever had.”

Hero? To Celeste, it was nothing but an empty title.

She lounged back into the couch, her gaze turning cold as she took in the elegantly arranged porcelain pieces all around her.

“I’d rather have Mom’s memorial placed in the family chapel than be your so-called hero.”

“That’ll have to wait until the project’s actually signed off,” Herbert shot back quickly.

Of course, he wouldn’t agree so easily. As far as he was concerned, it was just Celeste talking-nothing real had happened yet.

This girl… She’d left the Duncans for years, raised that illegitimate child Philip, and now she was making a name for herself. Clearly, she had some ability. If he let her get her mother’s memorial into the chapel so easily, he’d lose his leverage over her, and then how would he ever get her to do his bidding again?

His thoughts made, Herbert muttered a few more half-hearted reassurances, then ended the call himself.

Beeeeeeep. The line went dead.

Celeste lowered the phone, her eyes drifting over the delicate porcelain. She couldn’t help but remember the way her mother used to smile while making those pieces. She clenched the phone tighter in her hand.

She would reclaim everything for her mother, no matter what.

With that, she rose, brushed past the memories, and headed straight. for the city center.

Alfred had given her another property-a penthouse in Moonwater Grove, a luxury complex only ten minutes from the Duncan Group headquarters.

Only two apartments per floor, and from the top, she could see nearly all of Asterwynn laid out beneath her.

Compared to that remote old mansion, this was where she truly belonged.

Celeste called for a moving crew and an interior designer, picking out just the essentials-a few pieces of furniture, necessities for daily life. Nothing fancy. Just practical.

The workers moved with quiet efficiency.

As she waited by the door, the elevator chimed. Another moving crew-just as organized-opened the apartment across the hall.

Moonwater Grove wasn’t a new building. The odds of two people moving in on the same day were almost nonexistent.

Celeste couldn’t help but smile in surprise. “What are the chances?”

It reminded her of the old days-how Philip used to live next door, their two houses under renovation at the same time. Now, her neighbor was a stranger, but again, their apartments were being done up together.

This time, she didn’t feel that old sense of unease.

Instead, she found herself a little curious. Maybe, just maybe, she’d run into this new neighbor someday. And if they became friends? Well, it wouldn’t be so bad.

A faint smile tugged at her lips.

Life without Philip seemed… brighter.

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

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