Chapter 25
Julia’s POV
I could feel the tension around Celeste was unbearable.
“Huh?” Celeste blinked at me, feigning innocence, but her grip on the bowl tightened. “What did you say?”
I smiled harmlessly. “Have a taste of it.”
Her face switched. “No, it’s for you! I made it for you with good intentions. You have to believe me! It’s…”
“It is specially made for me? Yeah I’ll surely take it but I want you to join me. You need it too.”
She hesitated. “Yeah, I made it with so much love. It’s meant to rekindle things between us, and it will help you recover too. Just drink it and you will be fine.
I refused, my voice firm. “If it’s harmless, then you should have no problem taking a sip. I took a few steps forward, now standing in front of her. “Congee is for women, you said. You aren’t a man, are you?” I questioned, playfully.
“No, Julia. I’ll have a sip, that’s not a problem. I have enough in the kitchen and I’ll have it later.” She took a step forward, stretching out the bowl to hand it over to me.
Watching her carefully. “Celeste,” I said, my voice gentler this time. “You’re trembling.”
She stiffened as she gripped the bowl tighter. “I… I’m just cold,” she mumbled, averting her gaze.
I reached out, covering her hands with mine.
“You’ve been kneeling for so long. You’re weak. Just one sip so you don’t fall again and perhaps faint this time.”
She let out a nervous chuckle, shaking her head. “I told you, Julia. I’ll have mine later. This is for you.”
“You can share mine with me.” I added but she declined as always.
Until Mr. Sterling, who had been silently observing, let out a sigh.
“Alright that’s enough,” he said calmly. “Celeste, just drink it. Julia is right. You need the congee as much as Julia needs it. Just take a sip at least.”
“Grandfather…” he didn’t let her finish.
“It’s just a congee and it’s not bitter either. Don’t be stubborn, kid.” He added.
“Ok.” She nodded.
Left with no choice, Celeste brought the bowl to her lips and took a sip and then shifted her gaze to Mr. Sterling before smiling at me.. “There, I just did.” She forced a smile, but I noticed the slight tremor in her fingers.
“Does it taste good?” I asked, watching her closely.
Celeste swallowed hard. “Yes.”
“Good,” I said smoothly. “Since you’re in a weak state, you should have all of it. It will help you recover.”
Her lips parted to speak, to argue as usual. “That’s not…”
I stepped forward, tilting my head. “Drink it, Celeste. Your body needs it.”
Under Mr. Sterling’s gaze, she had no way out. With reluctance I alone could see, she forced herself to gulp down the majority of the congee.
As soon as the bowl was nearly empty, she clutched her stomach and she bolted off.
I watched as she stumbled toward the nearest door, barely making it to the toilet before the sound of violent retching could be heard.
Mr. Sterling, who seemed not to understand, spoke. “What’s wrong with her?”
I smiled faintly. “Perhaps she drank it too hastily.”
He narrowed his eyes at me but said nothing. Instead, his gaze drifted to my wrist. His eyes darkened when he saw the bruises.
His voice was low, but filled with concern. “Your wrist… and your neck. Who did this to you?”
Chapter 26
+25 Bonus
Chapter 25
Julia’s POV
I could feel the tension around Celeste was unbearable.
“Huh?” Celeste blinked at me, feigning innocence, but her grip on the bowl tightened. “What did you say?”
I smiled harmlessly. “Have a taste of it.”
Her face switched. “No, it’s for you! I made it for you with good intentions. You have to believe me! It’s…”
“It is specially made for me? Yeah I’ll surely take it but I want you to join me. You need it too.”
She hesitated. “Yeah, I made it with so much love. It’s meant to rekindle things between us, and it will help you recover too. Just drink it and you will be fine.
I refused, my voice firm. “If it’s harmless, then you should have no problem taking a sip. I took a few steps forward, now standing in front of her. “Congee is for women, you said. You aren’t a man, are you?” I questioned, playfully.
“No, Julia. I’ll have a sip, that’s not a problem. I have enough in the kitchen and I’ll have it later.” She took a step forward, stretching out the bowl to hand it over to me.
Watching her carefully. “Celeste,” I said, my voice gentler this time. “You’re trembling.”
She stiffened as she gripped the bowl tighter. “I… I’m just cold,” she mumbled, averting her gaze.
I reached out, covering her hands with mine.
“You’ve been kneeling for so long. You’re weak. Just one sip so you don’t fall again and perhaps faint this time.”
She let out a nervous chuckle, shaking her head. “I told you, Julia. I’ll have mine later. This is for you.”
“You can share mine with me.” I added but she declined as always.
Until Mr. Sterling, who had been silently observing, let out a sigh.
“Alright that’s enough,” he said calmly. “Celeste, just drink it. Julia is right. You need the congee as much as Julia needs it. Just take a sip at
least.”
“Grandfather…” he didn’t let her finish.
“It’s just a congee and it’s not bitter either. Don’t be stubborn, kid.” He added.
“Ok.” She nodded.
Left with no choice, Celeste brought the bowl to her lips and took a sip and then shifted her gaze to Mr. Sterling before smiling at me.
“There, I just did.” She forced a smile, but I noticed the slight tremor in her fingers.
“Does it taste good?” I asked, watching her closely.
Celeste swallowed hard. “Yes.”
“Good,” I said smoothly. “Since you’re in a weak state, you should have all of it. It will help you recover.”
Her lips parted to speak, to argue as usual. “That’s not…”
I stepped forward, tilting my head. “Drink it, Celeste. Your body needs it.”
Under Mr. Sterling’s gaze, she had no way out. With reluctance I alone could see, she forced herself to gulp down the majority of the congee.
As soon as the bowl was nearly empty, she clutched her stomach and she bolted off.
I watched as she stumbled toward the nearest door, barely making it to the toilet before the sound of violent retching could be heard.
Mr. Sterling, who seemed not to understand, spoke. “What’s wrong with her?”
I smiled faintly. “Perhaps she drank it too hastily.”
He narrowed his eyes at me but said nothing. Instead, his gaze drifted to my wrist. His eyes darkened when he saw the bruises.
His voice was low, but filled with concern. “Your wrist… and your neck. Who did this to you?”
Chapter
+25 Bonus
I was taken aback for a moment. In my previous life, he had been the only one who had ever shown me genuine kindness. And he was still the same person in my current life. He didn’t change.
I lowered my gaze. “It’s nothing, Me Sterling. Don’t worry about it.”
“Don’t lie to me,” he said, his tone sharper now. “This… this is not nothing. Someone hurt you.” He said as he examined my bruises, taking a close look.
I swallowed and then forced out a smile. “Trust me, it’s nothing. Thank you for caring.”
His lips pressed into a thin line. “Of course, I care. If I had known sooner, I would have…” He suddenly coughed, his body trembling from the force of it.
“Mr. Sterling!” I stepped forward instinctively, reaching out to steady him.
But before I could, a voice cut through the room in a very loud and aggressive and unwelcoming tone..
“What are you doing?!”
I barely had time to turn before a rough hand grabbed me by the arm and yanked me back.
I hit the floor hard, my breath escaping in a sharp gasp.
Alex stood over me, fury blazing in his eyes. “Are you trying to harm him?!”
I looked up at him, stunned. “What?”
He didn’t wait for an answer. He rushed to Mr. Sterling’s side, pulling out a small vial of medicine and helping him drink it.
Mr. Sterling exhaled deeply, his coughing easing. He looked at Alex with disapproval. “Enough. She did nothing to me.”
Alex’s jaw tightened, his hands still clenched into fists. “But…”
“I said enough.” Mr. Sterling’s voice was sharp. “You owe Julia an apology.”
Alex’s expression twisted, but before he could say anything, the sound of hurried footsteps interrupted us. We all shifted our gaze towards the direction of the approaching footsteps.
A maid rushed in, her face stricken with panic.
“It’s Miss Celeste! She… she fainted in the toilet!”
Instantly, Alex was quick. He rushed towards the maid.
Alex’s entire body stiffened. “Who did you say fainted?”
