Thorns Grow After Betrayal (Celeste and Chester) novel Chapter 19

Celia's cheeks were still streaked with tears when she suddenly shrieked, "Dad, Miss Sinclair just fainted!"

The hospital staff and police arrived within minutes, scattering the brewing crisis before it could spiral further.

"That woman—she lost her grip after finding out her husband had been cheating on her with her best friend, while her own eldest daughter helped them cover it up. She was nine months pregnant. The shock made her lose the baby right then and there. She's never been the same since. No one knows what set her off today…"

When Celestine woke up in the hospital, she pieced together the events from the nurses' hushed conversations.

The woman's madness was the final straw that broke her.

Biting her lip, Celestine murmured, "I don't have the right to press charges. She hurt that gentleman—he should decide what happens next."

The nurse shook her head. "But ma'am, he's already left. He asked us to consult you instead."

Celestine hadn't expected that. Her gaze drifted to the slip of paper beside her bed, and for a moment, she was lost in thought. "Just… let her get the help she needs for now."

The man who had rescued her was gone, but he'd left behind his contact information.

Celestine picked up the note and saved the number into her phone.

When she glanced at her messages, a new one from Chester caught her eye.

[Chester]: Forget about the clothes.

She stared at the message for a moment, then deleted it with a swipe of her finger.

Meanwhile, the gossip columns were going wild, flooding her newsfeed with trending headlines.

Breaking: Joanna Fordham named Fordham Group's permanent Brand Ambassador

Fordham Group CEO spares no expense for Joanna's debut on workplace reality TV

Joanna rushed to ER! Chester pulls strings with top doctors overnight

Among the push notifications was a clip of a reporter interviewing Chester.

Chester: "Whatever I owe her, I'll repay a thousand times over."

When the video ended, Celestine's eyes shimmered with emotion.

After the incident with the unstable woman, Chester had whisked Joanna away to a different hospital, terrified she might be hurt.

Fordham Enterprises had never had a celebrity face its brand, but now—this was clearly a lifetime appointment.

And a workplace reality show? Chester had always been a control freak about the company's image, yet for Joanna, he'd allowed cameras into HQ for the very first time.

Before leaving, Celestine simmered a pot of nourishing broth—something to rebuild strength after blood loss.

She took the freshly pressed blazer from the hanger and packed it to bring along.

Oceanview Private Hospital.

Joanna had just finished lunch and was napping. The two children were curled up beside her, fast asleep.

Chester stood out on the balcony, finishing his cigarette, gazing inside with uncharacteristic softness.

On the other end of the line, his secretary was giving a status report, mentioning the incident with the knife-wielding woman.

Chester stubbed out his cigarette, his tone suddenly icy. "If she doesn't press charges against that lunatic, I will."

He couldn't shake the image of Celestine, cornered and terrified.

Chester's eyes hardened. "One more thing. Transfer her—move her to a private room."

The secretary hesitated, not sure he'd heard correctly. "You mean…?"

"Celestine," Chester said, his voice leaving no room for doubt.