Chapter 5: The Birthday She Spent Alone

After leaving Rodriguez Group, Trevor remained inside the car without saying a single word.

His assistant, Ethan Brooks, cautiously glanced at him through the rearview mirror.

"Mr. Fleming... should we return to the hotel?"

"No."

Trevor loosened his tie and closed his eyes.

Celeste's calm expression continued replaying in his mind.

Not once during their conversation had she cried.

She hadn't begged him to stay.

She hadn't accused Wynn.

She hadn't even asked about Jordyn.

It was as if she had erased him from her life completely.

That feeling unsettled him.

Meanwhile, inside Rodriguez Group, Mia entered Celeste's office carrying a cup of coffee.

"Ms. Rodriguez, are you alright?"

Celeste smiled faintly.

"I've never felt more relaxed."

Mia hesitated before speaking again.

"Mr. Fleming looked... different today."

"People only realize what they've lost after it's gone," Celeste replied calmly.

"Unfortunately, that's no longer my concern."

She lowered her head and continued reviewing a stack of contracts.

Work had always been something she excelled at.

Years ago, before marriage, everyone in the business world believed Celeste Rodriguez would become one of the country's youngest female CEOs.

She had abandoned that future for Trevor.

Now she was simply reclaiming the life she had left behind.

That evening, Trevor returned to the hotel instead of flying back to Andostan.

For the first time in years, he couldn't focus on work.

He opened his laptop.

The wallpaper displayed a family photo.

Trevor stood in the middle.

Jordyn smiled brightly while sitting on his shoulders.

Celeste stood beside them, looking only at him.

He suddenly noticed something.

In every family photograph...

Celeste had always been looking at him.

But he had never looked back.

A knock interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in."

Ethan entered with several documents.

"Mr. Fleming, here's everything you requested about Mrs. Fleming."

"Leave it."

Trevor opened the file.

Inside were dozens of reports.

"President of Rodriguez Group..."

"Annual business revenue..."

"Charitable foundation founder..."

"International investment awards..."

The deeper he read, the more surprised he became.

After marrying him, Celeste had quietly continued managing her family's company from behind the scenes.

Even while taking care of him and raising Jordyn, she had never stopped working.

Yet she had never mentioned any of it.

Trevor slowly closed the file.

"I never knew..."

Ethan remained silent.

He had worked beside Trevor for years.

Even he knew more about Celeste's achievements than Trevor did.

Back in Andostan, Jordyn sat quietly inside the villa.

"Dad still isn't back?"

Hannah nodded.

"He's still overseas."

"Can I call Mom again?"

"Of course."

Jordyn tried another video call.

The result remained the same.

"Unavailable."

She slowly lowered the tablet.

"Mom's really angry this time..."

For the first time since Celeste left, guilt quietly appeared inside the little girl's heart.

She remembered everything she had said that morning.

"Can't Wynn be my mom instead?"

At that moment, those words suddenly sounded cruel.

Meanwhile, Celeste attended an evening charity banquet organized by several business leaders.

Unlike the lonely birthday she had spent just days earlier, tonight she was surrounded by respected entrepreneurs and investors.

"Ms. Rodriguez, congratulations on returning to the company."

"We've been looking forward to working with you again."

"Your European expansion plan is brilliant."

Compliments came from every direction.

Celeste accepted them with graceful humility.

Across the ballroom, an elderly gentleman approached with a warm smile.

"Celeste."

"Grandpa William."

William Carter was her late grandfather's closest friend and one of the country's most influential businessmen.

"I heard you're finally focusing on your career again," he said.

"Yes."

"Good."

He nodded approvingly.

"For years, I thought you buried your talent for the wrong man."

Celeste smiled without denying it.

"People grow eventually."

"And you've grown beautifully."

Elsewhere, Trevor sat alone in his hotel suite.

Unable to sleep, he unknowingly opened his phone gallery.

Thousands of photographs appeared.

Most of them were work documents.

Business meetings.

Construction sites.

Company events.

Only a handful included Celeste.

He opened one taken six years ago.

It was her birthday.

She was holding a cake, smiling brightly.

He remembered leaving only fifteen minutes later because of an emergency meeting.

Another photo.

Their fifth wedding anniversary.

Celeste was smiling.

He wasn't even looking at the camera.

One by one, memories surfaced.

Every important day...

He had been absent.

Every celebration...

She had spent waiting.

His phone suddenly buzzed.

It was a reminder notification.

"Missed Event."

"Celeste's Birthday - Three Days Ago."

Trevor stared at the screen.

He had completely forgotten.

Not just this year.

Almost every year.

He slowly leaned back in his chair.

For the first time in years...

Regret quietly settled inside his heart.

Not because Celeste wanted a divorce.

But because he finally realized...

He couldn't remember the last time he had ever made her smile.