The day after the conversation she had with Damien and even the weeks that followed, Céline remained in her room. She couldn’t go to see her aunt as he had suggested. She had finally understood why he was acting coldly towards her. She had gotten the answers to all her questions.
He knew.
Damien somehow found out about her deal with John and just like she feared, he misunderstood her. He thought she was a gold-digger. A woman who only came after him for his money. A woman who had pretended to love him so she could get her hands on his wealth- and he was right.
Whatever he was feeling or thinking about her was true. She was a gold-digger. A cheat, who deceived him. She was a woman without morals. She had seduced him to get his money.
Céline was ashamed of herself. Thinking about what she had done to the man she loved made her hate herself. How could she face the world again? What had she done to her own heart?
She had to remain hidden in that room until she would be able to rot away. Yes! That was what she deserved. The world didn’t need people like her.
“Damien doesn’t need someone like me…” She whispered. She was weak and tired, not just emotionally but physically too.
She had refused to eat the meals Sarah had been bringing for her. She didn’t want to keep living. There was no point of living anymore. How could she live when her heart was no longer beating? How could she go on showing her face to people when the man she loved knew exactly what she was, a beast?
She struggled to her feet and staggered to the door. She wanted to lock it, so no one would come in to force food down her throat or even talk to her. She didn’t need anyone to question her.
As she tried to turn the key, her hands became too weak for the task and her dizziness returned in ten folds. She had been feeling dizzy for weeks but she didn’t pay any attention to it. What was the point to care? She wanted to rot away, if the dizziness would make it faster, then so be it!
The door appeared doubled in her hazy eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to focus, but everything was foggy. She couldn’t make sense of anything. The world spiraled around her and slowly, she fell to the ground.
Her breathing was unsteady, yet she was smiling. Maybe this was how it was suppose to be for her. She would die and finally go meet her parents. She didn’t deserve to live after hurting and cheating Damien the way she had done.
The door she had been struggling to lock suddenly flew open and Sarah popped her head in. Her eyes enlarged in shock as she saw Céline on the ground.
“Madam! Madam!” Sarah was shouting at the top of her lungs but Céline could only hear the whispers of her voice.
Céline could feel her body giving in to darkness and she was ready to let go of her consciousness but one thing pulled her back.
She saw her aunt.
Somehow, Elizabeth was in the room. Her panicked eyes were glued on Céline as she stood frozen by the door.
“My child!” Elizabeth cried running to kneel beside her niece.
Céline couldn’t make out any of the sounds her aunt and Sarah were making. She could only see the surprise and then fear in their eyes, but she heard nothing. Only a constant ringing remained in her head. She couldn’t tell if she was only imagining it or it was truly happening.
But whatever the case was, Céline was happy she could see her aunt one last time before she joined her parents.
Giving her one last smile, Céline closed her eyes, allowing the peaceful darkness to pull her deep into its clutches.
*
“Doctor she is stirring awake!”
Céline heard a familiar voice say but her head was too clouded to pick out who owned it. She tried to open her eyes to be able to identify whoever it was but her eye lids felt like two sacks of potatoes. They were too heavy for her to open.
She felt warm hands above she own hands and the urge to know who it was, gave her the strength she needed to lift her heavy eye lids open.
“Céline?” Elizabeth called holding unto her hands.
“Aunt?” Céline’s voice sounded foreign in her own ears. It was weak and drained.
“Oh my child!” Elizabeth exclaimed pulling Céline into a hug.
“I was so worried about you.” She added, placing a kiss on the back of Céline’s ear.
“What happened?” Céline whispered. Her mind was still foggy and she couldn’t recall exactly what had happened.
“My dear, your husband called me to come check on you and when I got here, I met you on the ground. You were dehydrated!”
“Damien told me you haven’t been eaten and you refused to leave your room for days… Is something wrong?”
Céline’s head was still heavy but the dizziness she had felt before she passed out was gone. The ringing had also left her ears and she could hear her aunt clearly. With all of that also came the realization of the matter at hand.
“Aunt, Damien knows!” She choked out, clutching her aunt’s hands tight.
Elizabeth furrowed her brows and tried to read through her niece’s expressions but got nothing in return.
“What does he know?”
Céline’s throat got constricted and tried to swallow her tears but they came out in a rush.
“He knows everything!” She cried.
“He hates me now and it’s- it’s all my fault. You warned me and I didn’t listen to you. Now I have ruined everything aunt… I have completely ruined the perfect life I thought I would have with him.”
She held Céline as she cried, patting her gently on the shoulders. Elizabeth didn’t know the right words to say to her niece. She had warned Céline about seducing the young man for his money but she refused, now look at the mess she had put herself into.
“Pull yourself together, Céline. There is never a problem without a solution.” Elizabeth tried to console her.
“The only solution here is that I have to leave… I can’t face him. I feel so ashamed aunt- I don’t want to face him…” Céline suddenly snapped.
“But he is your husband, Céline. You can’t just keep hiding here!”
“Before you make such decisions, there something you need to know,” Elizabeth said, pulling Céline away from her shoulder.
“When you passed out, Damien brought in the family doctor to treat you. She found out that you are pregnant.” Elizabeth announced with a smile.
Céline felt a warmness fill her stomach.
“I am pregnant?” She repeated, unconsciously rubbing a hand over her stomach.
This was good news. She was carrying a piece of her love. She and Damien were having a baby.
“But-” An idea came into her mind and her happiness died down.
“But what?” Elizabeth asked her.
“Does he know? Did the doctor tell him?”
Elizabeth frowned. She could not tell why Céline was asking the question, but she knew whatever Céline was thinking wouldn’t be a good idea.
“No, she didn’t tell him. She wanted you to break the news to him yourself when you woke up and felt better.”
Céline was quiet as she drew out a plan. It was good thay Damien didn’t know. She couldn’t afford to see him hate her more.
“I think it is a wonderful news and I am sure Damien would be elated! He would forgive you and you both can be happy again as soon as you tell him.” Elizabeth quickly put in, an effort to try and change Céline’s mind from whatever plan she was having.
“No, aunt…”
Elizabeth frown deepened. She could not understand her niece. This pregnancy, was a miracle. A perfect solution to her present dilemma.
“Damien can’t find out about this…” Céline said shaking her head.
Elizabeth’s heart dropped. “What do you mean, he is the father, isn’t he?”
“Yes, aunt he is the father… But aunt, Damien will think I am trying to lure him into loving me again Or that I am faking it, or I am trying to cheat him again…”
“How can you be so sure of what he would think?” Elizabeth asked. “You can’t be so sure, Céline!”
“I can’t tell him!” Céline snapped.
“Céline, for once will you listen to me!”
Céline shook her head. “No, aunt. I can’t. I have to end this. I have to take responsibility for this. It was my plan, let me handle it.”
Elizabeth face palmed herself and got up from the bed. “You are way too stubborn Céline, just like your mother!” She exclaimed, walking out of the room.
Céline was determined. She would take care of her baby alone. She didn’t have to drag Damien into it. He had suffered enough because of her.
Her aunt’s words reminded her of her plan to get revenge for her parents. Because of that vengeful spirit, she had made a deal with the devil. A deal that was still haunting her till this moment, but not anymore, she would end it.
She searched around for her phone and found it on the bedside table, she tookd it out and switched it on. Ever since Damien had asked her to switch it on, she had not bothered to do it. Now, she did.
Immediately the device came on, she dialed John’s number. He picked up on the first ring.
“Hello?” Céline called.
“It’s about time, I have been trying to reach you Céline… I have found them.” He snickered.
Céline’s heart skipped a beat.
“Come meet me at my spot and I’ll give you their name and address. But come prepared… You know our agreement.”
John smacked his lips together before laughing out in excitement.
“Send me an account where I can send your money John! I am not having sex with you!” Céline snapped, she wished she could see him right now and throw the money in his disgusting face!
“I will send it… But do not think this is over yet.”