The Glow-Up Before the Break-Up
Adrian first noticed something was off when Celeste stopped waiting for him to come home.
For three years, no matter how late he worked, she was always there—waiting. But now? The house felt... empty.
The second sign? She wasn't hovering around him anymore. No more "Good morning, Adrian" in that soft, hopeful voice. No more asking if he had eaten. No more texting him throughout the day.
And the final straw?
She looked different.
Adrian was drinking his morning coffee when he saw her walking down the stairs. His grip on the mug tightened.
Celeste had always been beautiful, but this—this was something else.
Her long brown hair was gone, replaced with a sleek shoulder-length cut. She wore a cream-colored blouse tucked into a high-waisted skirt that hugged her curves. A pair of elegant heels clicked against the marble floor as she strode past him, exuding a confidence he hadn't seen before.
His brows furrowed. "Where are you going?"
She barely glanced at him as she grabbed her handbag. "To work."
He blinked. "Work?"
She finally met his gaze, her expression unreadable. "Yes. Not that it concerns you."
And just like that, she was gone, leaving behind the scent of vanilla and something new.
Adrian stared at the empty space where she had been, something foreign twisting in his chest.
———————-
Celeste sat across from her father in his grand office, hands clasped together.
"You want to work for the company?" Mr. Lancaster raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, Dad." She nodded firmly.
Her father leaned back in his chair, studying her. "You never showed interest before. What changed?"
She hesitated. She couldn't exactly say, I need to stop being a desperate housewife and actually make something of myself.
Instead, she smiled. "I realized I need to learn about the business world. I want to be independent."
Her father's expression softened. "Celeste, sweetheart, I've always wanted you to be involved in the company. But I can't just hand you an executive position overnight."
"I understand." She straightened. "I'm willing to start from the bottom."
He smiled. "Good. Then you can be my junior secretary."
She blinked. "Secretary?"
"You said you'd start anywhere." He chuckled. "If you want to learn the business, you start from the ground up."
Celeste swallowed her pride and nodded. "Alright. When do I start?"
"Monday."
It wasn't what she had in mind, but it was a start.
———————
Adrian was reviewing some files in his home office when Celeste walked in.
She didn't knock. She didn't hesitate. She just walked straight up to his desk, placed a document in front of him, and said—
"I want a divorce."
His pen stilled. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet hers.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, Adrian chuckled. "Funny."
Celeste crossed her arms. "I'm not joking."
His smirk faded. "You're serious?"
"Dead serious."
He leaned back in his chair. "What brought this on?"
She tilted her head. "Does it matter?"
His jaw clenched. "It does to me."
She laughed. Laughed. "Oh, now you care?"
Adrian exhaled sharply. "Celeste, don't be dramatic."
Her expression turned cold. "Dramatic? You think I'm being dramatic?"
She took a step closer, both hands on his desk as she leaned in. "I spent three years waiting for you to love me. Three years making excuses for you. Three years being your wife while you acted like I didn't exist."
She straightened, smoothing out her skirt. "But I'm done being pathetic, Adrian. So sign the papers."
He stared at her, something dark and unfamiliar twisting in his chest.
She was really leaving.
She was serious.
And for the first time, he wasn't so sure he wanted to let her go.
——
Adrian sat in his dimly lit study, a glass of whiskey in his hand, staring at the untouched divorce papers on his desk.
Celeste was acting out. That was the only explanation.
He had seen women do it before—pretend to walk away just to get their husband's attention.
She wanted him to chase her.
He smirked to himself. That's not happening, sweetheart.
Adrian Sinclair didn't get played.
Let her throw her little tantrum. She'd come back.
She always did.
——
Celeste sat at her tiny new desk, typing away as her father's voice rang through the intercom.
"Celeste, bring me the Project report."
She grabbed the folder and sighed. Junior secretary life wasn't glamorous, but it was hers.
Her phone buzzed. Mia.
Celeste sighed.
Celeste hesitated before typing.