Thorns Grow After Betrayal (Celeste and Chester) novel Chapter 232

Raymond instinctively glanced at Chester.

Chester gave a nod.

With their father’s approval, the two kids seemed to breathe again, relief washing over their faces.

Raymond scrambled up from the ground, cheerful as ever.

Summer was nearly here, and Raymond wore a pair of navy blue overalls, cut off just below the knee.

As Celestine glanced down, she noticed the faint outline of knee pads beneath his clothes—so thin and subtle that you’d only spot them if you looked closely.

She said nothing about it.

Instead, she took each child by the hand and led them away.

Chester’s tightly furrowed brow relaxed a little.

As he’d suspected, she’d softened.

No matter how much trouble those kids caused, they were still flesh of her flesh, carried under her heart for nine months.

No matter how bitter things had gotten, she still couldn’t bear to see them suffer.

Chester’s mood lifted. He followed behind Celestine.

Celestine guided the children away from the crowd, stopping at a spot where the sun blazed overhead and there was no shade.

The concrete was covered in decorative pebbles that dug painfully into their feet.

It was tucked away, rarely visited.

She halted.

Chester assumed she’d forgotten something.

He was about to ask when he saw her raise her head. The tenderness in her eyes had vanished, replaced by cool indifference.

She gave the children a curt command.

“Kneel.”

Both kids stared at her in disbelief.

Chester’s face went rigid with anger. “Celestine, what the hell are you doing?”

“I won’t forgive you.”

Meeting Chester’s now-dangerous gaze, Celestine stood her ground, her voice calm and steady. “I won’t forgive the Fordhams.”

With that, she turned on her heel and walked away.

Panic flared in both kids.

“Mom! I can change my last name! I can be Raymond Selwyn! Please—ow!”

In his desperation, Raymond dropped to his knees, but the pebbles jabbed him sharply and he sprang up, yelping in pain.

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