Chapter 4 The blood drained from Celeste's face . After a long moment , she could only manage two words : " All right . " [ ] Celeste walked out exactly as told . The moment she reached the door , the wind slammed it shut behind her with a violent bang . Warm amber light spilled from the windows while rain pelted Celeste's face like ice . [ ] Inside and outside - two different worlds , brutally severed . [ ] Celeste stood at the door , looking as pathetic as she had three years ago when her landlord evicted her . So she could still be thrown out after all . ] ] Celeste looked up at the sky , at the rain that seemed like it would never stop , so cold her fingertips trembled . [ ] She really thought she'd been clear - eyed about everything . But apparently , some part of her had still thought of this place as home . [ ] second home ... ] Celeste didn't let herself wallow long . he opened her umbrella and walked into the rain . That's when Iris called . " Your contract with Dominic ends August 16th . I'll book you a flight two days later - August 17th is ... Dominic's birthday . " || Celeste had once imagined spending one last birthday with him . ] Celeste took a deep breath , her voice firm and calm . " Don't bother . Book me on the 16th . " 1. " ] Let things end with Dominic on the day they were supposed to end . ] ] Celeste checked into a hotel . All night , Dominic didn't text her once . ] That evening , after washing up , she opened her phone and immediately saw the headline in the London Evening Standard . [] #Renowned Chinese Pianist Vivienne Harlow's London Debut Concert ! # The photo showed the woman from the apartment . [ ] Celeste's finger hovered on the screen for a long time before she finally searched " Vivienne Harlow . " After scrolling through several pages , she found news connecting Vivienne to the Ashford family . Vivienne Harlow was the daughter of the Ashford family's gardener . The two Ashford sons had gro up with Vivienne , and their affection for her was legendary in Washington's elite circles . [ ] Vivienne loved piano , so the eldest son built her a crystal grand piano worth tens of millions . Vivienne loved balloon flowers , so the second son planted an entire garden of them for her . Four years ago , Vivienne accepted the eldest Ashford son's proposal , claiming her relationship with the second son was merely friendship ... ] Celeste stared at the words " merely friendship , " then thought of that kiss in the video . A bitter smile touched her lips . 0 Celeste assumed she wouldn't hear from Dominic until after Vivienne's concert ended . [ ] But the next morning , a message came through [ ] Come back.j Celeste inmediately took a car to the apartment . But when she arrived , she saw workers carrying things out . Her steps slowed . She overheard one worker muttering under his breath . ] " Just because some woman said she didn't like it , he's throwing everything out . Fucking rich people ... " [ ] Celeste's feet refused to move . She looked up to see Dominic standing at the door , his expression detached . [ ] Then another worker emerged holding a cartoon stuffed animal . The clothes on it were clearly handmade , obviously treasured by its owner , so he asked Dominic carefully , " You're getting rid of this too ? " ] Celeste started to say she wanted it , but before she could speak , Dominic said coldly , " Toss it . " ] Celeste's heart plummeted . ] ] That stuffed animal was a gift from Dominic . ] ] Shortly after they'd gotten together , she'd mentioned that when she was little , her mother bought her sister stuffed animals but never her . She'd always told herself that when she grew up , she'd buy herself the same one . But by the time she had money , that particular toy was out of production . ] Dominic hadn't said anything comforting at the time . He just flew back to China the next day . She assumed he'd forgotten about it . But when she came home the following evening , there it was on her bed - that discontinued stuffed animal , with a note . " Whatever you want , we can make up for it . "] That's when she learned Dominic had delayed three days of business trips just to fly back to China and hunt down this toy . No one had ever taken her words to heart like that . ]] It was the first time Celeste forgot her place and hugged Dominic , sobbing without restraint . [ ] He probably never understood just how much that stuffed animal meant to her . [ ] That's y he could discard it so easily . || Let that toy that had kept her company for three years , that carried so many complicated feelings - let it be thrown in the trash because Vivienne said one sentence . Celeste stared at the stuffed animal , instinctively stepping forward to retrieve it . But the moment she moved , the worker stumbled , and the toy tumbled into the deepest part of the garbage truck . ] Celeste stood frozen , watching as her stuffed animal was buried under trash , along with the version of Dominic who'd said everything could be made up for - like he was being buried too . [ ] Suddenly , Dominic's voice cut through : " What are y Celeste turned to meet Dominic's cold gaze and snapped back to reality . [ ] She tried to smile like usual , but her throat felt stuffed with cotton . She couldn't manage it . [ ] Instead , she quickly grabbed Dominic's arm and kept her head down so he couldn't see her face . " I got your message and came from the hotel in ten minutes , Pretty fo right ? " Dominic glanced down at her , noncommittal , and said flatly , " From now on , don't leave anything of yours here . " ] Celeste's hand went rigid . She turned to look at the garbage truck - where everything she owned was being hauled away . After a long silence , she nodded lightly . " Okay . " [ ] When she left , she definitely wouldn't leave anything behind .