Thorns Grow After Betrayal (Celeste and Chester) novel Chapter 119

Gideon gently slipped her foot out of the high heel.

Celestine stared, transfixed, as he slowly eased the shoe off, inch by inch.

It was late spring, the warmth in the air unmistakable.

On either side of the apartment complex's pathway, crabapple blossoms drifted down in soft waves, carried by the breeze.

Celestine felt her cheeks grow inexplicably hot.

From where she sat, she could see Gideon's profile—sharp, handsome features, impossibly flawless from every angle.

There was a soft pop as the heel finally came free.

Gideon's brow, which had been creased in concentration, relaxed. He slipped the shoe back onto her foot and reminded her, "All done. Next time, slow down—no need to rush like that."

Celestine was too flustered to answer right away. After a moment, she mumbled, "Oh… okay."

She pulled her hand away, only then realizing just how warm her skin had become.

"Celestine?!"

The shout pierced the quiet night—angry, shocked.

Startled, Celestine turned around.

She saw Chester, his face twisted with anger, standing beside Joanna, who looked concerned but couldn't quite hide her delight in the drama.

Celestine's gaze dropped to their interlocked hands, just as Chester blurted, voice tight with accusation, "It's late. Why are you here with him? What were you doing just now?!"

He had just walked Joanna up to her apartment when he spotted a familiar figure in the distance—Celestine, unmistakably. But there was a man crouched beside her, his face hidden, posture ambiguous and—Chester thought—far too intimate.

The longer he looked, the stiffer his expression became.

Joanna's incredulous gasp broke the silence: "Isn't that Celly? What is she doing here, this late? And who's that guy with her?"

Her words hit Chester like a sack of bricks, leaving him breathless.

He didn't love Celestine, but that didn't mean she could betray him!

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