Celia felt she had done nothing wrong. She would never allow herself to become another man's mistress—that was her bottom line, her principle.
No matter how deeply she loved Nathaniel Fu, she would never debase herself.
When Nathaniel told her the story of Yara Lu's mother, she finally understood: Nathaniel would never let go of Yara. If that was the case, then there was no future for them. So, she made the painful decision to cut the knot cleanly.
A full day had passed since her return, and still, he hadn't contacted her.
Adults didn't need words. They understood everything in silence. After their bitter parting, they had become strangers.
Celia had already resolved to draw a clear line between them. But just as she tried to move forward, Elder Jiang revealed something shocking—he had a bell bracelet identical to hers.
Celia left Tsinghua University in a daze, her heart weighed down. It felt as though an invisible thread kept pulling her and Nathaniel back into the same circle—no matter how much she wanted to cut free, the entanglement only grew tighter.
How could she find him now? How could she take even one step closer?
It was as if fate itself delighted in playing cruel tricks on her.
Fu Group Headquarters — President's Office
Nathaniel sat in his chair, ignoring the documents spread before him. Instead, he held a bell bracelet in his palm, studying it intently.
It was identical to Celia's. They were clearly a pair, though he hadn't realized it until now.
This bracelet had been left to him by Xia Si.
He brushed his thumb across the tiny bell, tracing the faint engraving: My Heart.
At that moment, Yara Lu entered the office. "Nathaniel."
He lifted his gaze to her.
She approached with a poised smile. "We've set the date for our engagement—the ninth of next month. It's time to make it official, to announce it publicly and send out the invitations."
Nathaniel's expression remained unreadable. Since returning from abroad, his demeanor hadn't changed much, except for the sharper chill in his aura—a silent warning for others to keep their distance.
Closing his hand around the bell, he gave a slight nod. "Alright."
Yara's lips curved into a satisfied smile. Once their engagement was public, she would reclaim her place as the capital's darling, and the spotlight Celia had stolen would finally return to her.
"Nancheng," she continued sweetly, "the arrangements are nearly complete, but there's still the matter of my wedding gown. Xiao Fowu, CC's renowned fashion designer, has rejected me again. He refuses to design a dress for me."
At the mention of CC, Nathaniel frowned. The international luxury brand was notoriously difficult to approach. He had once encountered King, CC's mysterious master perfumer, in Yecheng—and had nearly uncovered King's true identity.
Now, CC's star designer, Xiao Fowu, proved just as elusive.
"Yara," Nathaniel said evenly, "a forced collaboration won't bring good results. If he's unwilling, then we'll look elsewhere."
But Yara's eyes gleamed with ambition. "Then let's host a competition—the Fu family can sponsor a fashion design contest. Whoever wins will have the honor of creating my wedding gown."
It was a shrewd idea. A grand competition under the Fu family's name, all for her sake—it would become the talk of the entire capital.
Nathaniel's expression softened slightly, and he nodded. "Very well. As long as it makes you happy."
Her face lit with joy. "Nathaniel, I'm so happy right now."
She rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him.
Meanwhile, before Celia could even decide how to face Nathaniel again, the news of his engagement to Yara Lu exploded across every media outlet.
Golden-embossed invitations were delivered one after another with great fanfare, announcing the engagement for the ninth of next month.
At home, Celia sat motionless in front of the television. Every entertainment headline featured the story, and smiling hosts delivered the news with barely concealed envy and excitement.