Substitute Bride: Utterly Pampered by Her Billionaire Husband

Chapter 1479: He’s With Another Woman

When Celeste Linden received the news, it was already quite late, and she rushed over to Morgan Ashworth’s place.

Morgan had just returned, but he was not alone. By his side was the lovely and gentle Wesley Kingsley.

Celeste didn’t know what had happened between her brother and Willow Crawford, but with Willow still pregnant, for Morgan to walk together with Wesley made Celeste furious. She spoke up, "Brother."

Morgan walked over. Having taken the third pill, he had already regained his health, but his expression was detached, and there was a chill emanating from him, as if all warmth had abandoned him. "Sister," he said.

Celeste glanced at Wesley, "Who is she?"

Morgan’s face was expressionless, his thin lips moved indifferently, "The young lady from the Kingsley family, my intended bride."

"What?" Celeste’s pupils constricted abruptly, "Miles, have you lost your mind? You and Willow..."

Morgan interrupted her directly, "I don’t want to hear that name again. It’s over between us."

Celeste raised her hand and slapped Morgan across the face.

Smack.

Morgan didn’t dodge, and his whole face was slapped to the side.

At this moment, Wesley ran over, looking at the red mark on Morgan’s face with a pained expression, "Miss Linden, please don’t hit Young Master Ashworth again. He didn’t do anything to wrong Willow. It was she who abandoned him first. Don’t you feel heartache seeing Young Master Ashworth narrowly escape death? The callous, cold-hearted one is always her, Willow. She simply isn’t worth it!"

Celeste looked at Morgan. His complexion indeed wasn’t good. He looked like he had just recovered from a serious illness. Everything about him seemed unchanged, yet everything seemed different. As an older sister, Celeste’s heart ached deeply.

"Miles, things between the two of you have reached this point, and I cannot turn them around. But Willow is still carrying your child. In the future, I hope you will accept the responsibility of being a father. I hope you will be a good dad." Having said this, Celeste turned and left.

Morgan did not follow her, nor did he utter another word. A layer of silent solitude enveloped him, like a pool of lifeless water.

...

Celeste returned and locked herself in her room, without coming out. Five years ago, how wonderful the times were—back then, the young Miles Linden and the young Willow Crawford met, understood, and fell in love with each other. She had witnessed it with her own eyes.

But with time passing so swiftly, she couldn’t witness these lovers’ fulfillment, only their rupture, which pained her greatly.

It truly made her heart ache.

Just then, there was a "knock, knock" at the door. A maid came in, holding a sheer nightgown, "Miss Linden, the master has said he’ll stay over tonight. Please prepare for a bath and change of clothes."

Still immersed in her sorrow, Celeste was further disgusted. Ethan Barnes didn’t just choose a companion every night; he even insisted on this bathing and changing of clothes ritual, as if he wanted to be a king of ancient times.

After experiencing marriage and divorce, Celeste had once despaired, believing her life would always be like that. But now, her fighting spirit was rekindled; she didn’t want to nor would she succumb to destiny.

She wanted to escape this place.

Even if she couldn’t, she would rather be an abandoned consort than suffer Ethan’s nightly disgust.

Since she moved here, he almost stayed overnight in her place every night.

"Leave the clothes here."

Being favored, Celeste was treated with the highest regard, and even the maids were respectful to her, "Yes, Miss Linden, I’ll prepare a rose milk bath."

The maid went into the bathroom, and Celeste was plotting when she suddenly felt a warmth from below—her period had come.

Great, she was on her cycle!

This was the happiest thing that happened to her lately—she could have a few peaceful days without having to serve Ethan.

Ethan returned very late every day due to his busy official duties. After coming back, he went straight to Celeste’s room.

Opening the door, the room was bathed in dim light. Celeste stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, wrapped in a white coat. She had a gentle and beautiful grace, like a breath of March spring breeze. Whenever Ethan returned under the starry sky, seeing her quietly drawing on the carpet or standing serenely like this, all his fatigue would vanish, and his soul would feel cleansed.

He had never felt this way with any other woman, only with Celeste Linden.

A person so gentle and beautiful likely held such charm, for someone like Ethan, who had been amid hellfire and darkness, to be attracted to Celeste seemed like destiny.

Ethan strode over and embraced her from behind, "What are you thinking about, so lost in thought?"

Celeste had figured out his temperament by now; he was one to respond to softness, not hardness. If someone clashed with him, he could break that person’s bones.

She had once had her bones broken.

Having no desire to endure such pain again, Celeste now cherished herself, knowing that loving oneself is key to loving others. So she softened her body and said, "I visited my brother today, but it seems he’s with Wesley Kingsley now."

Ethan buried his handsome face in her long hair and inhaled deeply; her fragrance captivated him, "Mm... Your brother and Wesley being together is a foregone conclusion."

Even Ethan said so, and Celeste knew the situation was beyond repair.

At that moment, Ethan’s hands began to wander, "Have you bathed yet? You smell so nice."

"Of course I have," said Celeste, turning around and wrapping her arms around his neck, her eyes fluttering, "Haven’t you showered yet? Would you... like me to help you bathe?"

Ethan’s eyes lit up, genuinely surprised; she had been neither warm nor cold to him for so long and had never actively engaged with him. Although she never refused, she was always passive.

Today was unprecedented; she actually offered to help him bathe.

Ethan took her small hand to his lips and kissed it lightly, "Why are you in such a good mood today? Are you teasing me?"

"Not at all. I just saw my brother and realized how fickle men’s emotions are. One moment they’re madly in love, and the next they abandon someone. King Hayden, don’t you agree? Wouldn’t your Carlotta know beneath the spring ground and not be angry?"

Sure enough, Ethan knew she had ulterior motives, bringing up Carlotta, his forbidden topic, at such a moment of enthusiasm.

Ethan snorted, sidestepping the topic of Carlotta, "You said you’d help me bathe. I’m not giving you a chance to back out."

With that, Ethan lifted her sideways into his arms and carried her into the bathroom.

He never spoke of his white moonlight in his heart, and Celeste suddenly realized he might be quite sentimental.