Chapter 185: Married Again

Hours passed by as she waited for Tristan to return to the cottage, but he never showed up. She wanted to talk to him, there were a lot of questions in her mind, her heart would never be at ease until she found her answers.

He said he didn’t do love, does that mean every single moment they shared was insignificant? Did that mean she had absolutely no significance to him? Did that mean, their children would mean nothing to him?

She had wanted to tell him about them, she had wanted to open up her heart to him, admit her feelings and tell him that she had his children, but he had shattered her heart by turning his back to her.

Celine didn’t know if it was her wishful thinking, or her own way of ignoring the pain of her heart breaking, but somewhere deep inside, she could feel the depth of his affections for her.

More tears gathered in her eyes and she fought to keep it back, she didn’t want to cry anymore, she didn’t want to bury herself in the pain.

However, she lowered herself by the edge of the bed, leaning her body on it she let herself fully cry it out, her heart felt heavy, like a heavy boulder had been placed on her chest. It was suffocating.

As the night creaked silently, so did her tiny sobs echo in the small cottage.

Perhaps she had cried for hours on end and had gotten exhausted. But Celine didn’t realize when she cried herself to sleep in that uncomfortable position by the bed.

As her sobs finally seized completely. The tall shadow of the person that had been lurking around the cottage finally revealed himself. He silently walked into the dark cottage which Celine had turned off the lights.

He stood over her by the bed, the faint moonlight coming in from the open windows cast a light glow on his handsome face. However, the usual cold aloofness was missing from his hazel eyes, instead it held a tinge of sadness. He gently gazed at the woman sleeping by the bed, his hand reached forward, only an inch from her hair before it stopped abruptly. His hand pausing in midair for a few seconds before he retracted them and quickly turned around and walked out of the cottage.

Tristan stood on the bridge outside the cottage, he clenched his fist tightly. Why had he come here? He’d told himself it was over, she had fallen in love with him and he had to push her away. Then why did he come here hiding sneakily, he’d watched her cry in so much pain.

He closed his eyes, he swallowed a painful lump in his throat. There was no future for them both, he couldn’t love her. With that thought, he finally strode away leaving the old dwellings.

***

The moon descended into the horizon, paving way for the sun to rise with it’s golden glow signifying the next day.

Celine slowly moved from the edge of the bed feeling a painful soreness in her joints from spending the whole night on a single side.

“Tristan…?” She called softly looking searchingly around the room. A faint aching pain arose in her chest when she recalled everything that happened the day before.

So he hadn’t returned to the cottage after all.

Her eyes were sore from crying herself to sleep on the bed’s edge the night before, but fresh tears welled up again. She swallowed hard as memories flooded her mind.

’For five years I have struggled to forget you, I thought I didn’t care until I met you again, and it all melted away, my heart warmed to you, it yearned for you, I thought I couldn’t have you, I wanted to let go, but my heart wouldn’t let me, and now I have to live with the heartbreak of never getting to be with you.’

She shut her eyes, pearl like tears streaming down her cheeks.

’My heart belongs to you alone, I wished you’d be mine…but I might have to let you go.’

She wiped her tears and got up from the floor, she didn’t so much as wince at the pain from sleeping for long hours on the floor by the bed, because the pain in her heart far surpassed any physical pain she could ever feel.

She slowly walked to the large open window that was blowing in a chilly breeze, her gaze looked far out at the vast waters that occasionally had some cottages built over it. She tried to restore calm to her heart, tried to surpress the pain filled disappointment in her chest. Her hands clutched tightly to the wooden window sill. And she tried to force a smile to her face amidst the tears.

Even if she’d failed, at least she could say she’d loved and lost, rather than not at all.

Back then when she heard about Tristan getting married to Erica, in her heart break she had impulsively agreed to marry Julian Grant. Though her engagement with him still stands, she was hoping that by chance, Tristan would accept her, he’d tell her that… That he loved her too.

She was wrong, she was more than wrong.

Celine took in a shaky breath, she closed her eyes for a second, and opened it once more. Though there was pain, a firm determination shone in her eyes.

She turned around and suddenly began pulling out her things from the closet. She took her suitcase and began loading her luggage inside. She didn’t care how messy she was placing everything in, she just shoved in every last thing she laid her hands on, her eyes getting clouded with tears again, but she wouldn’t shed them.

She had silently bore the loneliness of raising her own kids for five years. She could fight away this pain in her heart. Though she told herself that, she knew the pain wouldn’t just go away.

She had just zipped up her bags when a knock on the door suddenly interrupted her.

She paused her hands abruptly, she quickly wiped the tears on her face before heading towards the door to open it.

Standing outside the door with a smile on her face was Hailey, “Celine where have you been lately, I’ve been looking all over for you and Tristan.”

Celine forced a small smile on her face asking, “Why, what’s wrong?”

Hailey was about to speak in excitement then suddenly stopped noticing Celine’s red eyes.

“Hey, are you alright? Have you been crying?” Hailey asked softly.

“No, I’m alright, is there something you want to tell me?” Celine quickly masked her emotions and queried instead.

“Yes, but you don’t look too good.” Hailey seemed worried.

“I’m fine.” Her voice choked a bit, she couldn’t help it. Regardless of her long years acting, she couldn’t hide the true emotions that ate her heart.

“Is it Tristan, are you guys having troubles with your marriage?” Hailey stepped into the cottage giving Celine a worried look.

Celine quickly wiped the tear that slid down her face, but another one fell after.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to hide your pain from me, I’m a friend, let it out.” Hailey comforted softly rubbing Celine’s shoulders comfortingly.

Celine let out a sob, and Hailey pulled her into a hug patting her back, which only made her cry harder.

“It’s okay, everything will be alright.”

After some time, Celine’s sobbing slowly seized, and she pulled away from Hailey. She gave her a small grateful smile,

“Thank you.” Her voice coming out hoarse.

“No need to thank me, I understand what you’re going through. Actually, Simon and I, we also have a lot of differences despite the fact that we look like a perfect couple,” Hailey smiled self mockingly, “Sometimes I find myself regretting leaving everything for him.”

Hearing that, Celine gave her a surprised look, to which she quickly replied, “But it doesn’t mean I love him less or have stopped loving him, on the contrary, those painful times in our relationship lead me to realize how much he means to me, makes me realize that leaving everything to be with Simon was the best decision I ever made, it makes me see just how deeply I love him, in the end, it makes our relationship even stronger.”

Celine lowered her head to hide the pain in her eyes, Hailey gently patted her shoulder, “I’m sure it’s the same for you and Tristan, anyone can see it, he loves you very much.”

Hearing that Celine scoffed lightly.

“He really does, it’s obvious that he’s an aloof person, but he always goes to get your breakfast each morning at the hall, and never fails to show up for you everytime, the other day a crab got your toe when we went to the beach side, he ran over to your side, with how worried he was about you anyone can tell that he cares about you deeply, and the way he looks at you is so special sometimes I feel envious of you.”

Celine recalled their days spent in the old dwellings. From the moments he’d carried her on his back up those tall mountains, to the day he ran over to her aid when she’d been stung by a crab. The past few weeks here had been heartwarming for her, and during that time everytime she looked in his eyes, all she could see was warmth, warmth where she began to think that he truly did love her. She knew till this moment, a certain part of her heart still felt as if he did, but she also didn’t want to ignore reality and stay in the world of make believe.

Hailey wanted to keep speaking when her eyes landed on the packed luggage on the bed, she walked towards the bed asking incredulously, “You were planning to leave?” She gazed at Celine wide eyed.

Celine silently lowered her head. She knew Hailey believed that she and Tristan were a real couple. Though she wanted to tell Hailey the truth, she didn’t know how to say it.

“Is it that bad?” Hailey asked, “So bad that you want to leave?” She looked at Celine searchingly but she still remained silent.

“Celine do you know that among all the couples in the lover’s test, people consider you both the perfect match?”

She walked towards Celine holding her shoulders making her look up, “Celine don’t make a mistake you’re going to regret later okay?”

Celine wanted to tell her it was all a lie, that they were never a real couple, however, she knew that letting this secret out would completely ruin things for Tristan. He had worked so hard to get this deal, she didn’t want to ruin things for him. Even if he didn’t love her, her heart still wouldn’t want anything that could cause him pain.

“I know that most marriages don’t have a future, but those that have love in them, can still work, all they need is a new start.” Hailey said. “And believe me, what you and Tristan need is a new start.”

There was this mysterious air in Hailey’s tone as she said the last words, which made Celine looked at her in question.

“I came here to call you over, it is time for the final rounds of the lover’s test.”

Celine frowned slightly, she had wanted to leave, but she couldn’t leave what she and Tristan started halfway. Even if he wouldn’t be with her, she wanted the best for him, she wanted him to get back the deal he’d worked so hard for, she wanted him to live the life he wanted.

It was just a matter of a few hours, after the final rounds of the lover’s test, they would get the contract, and then she would leave. At least with this, she could have a few moments with him for the last time.

She wiped her tears and looked at Hailey asking, “What is the final round?”

“Come with me.”

She followed Hailey out of the cottage, where they headed to the large building that was the island chief’s residence.

Inside the palace like building were a lot of people and a subtle air of festivity where everyone seemed to be celebrating.

She wondered just what was going on.

Hailey pulled her to go upstairs where they headed to a room. She pushed open the door and they were met with an extremely spacious room filled with a few familiar women. The room had several dividers, which was separated in sections for each woman, then on another side was a vanity section, where each women were seating in front of a mirror.

But the surprising thing was that, a few of them were dressed in white dresses of different styles, wedding gowns.

Hailey pulled her past them towards the end of the room where there were two empty sections.

“What is going on here?” Celine asked Hailey looking quite confused.

Hailey turned to her squarely, “This is the final round of the lover’s test.” Celine frowned, but Hailey added, “There is going to be a mass wedding. And all the couples are to be married again.”

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