Celeste

"Where in the world did that marriage certificate go? Did Benny really stash it like some top-secret document? Was he worried I'd file for divorce behind his back?" Kristine Holt muttered to herself, both amused and irritated as she rummaged through drawers in her Slufield villa.

With their fifth anniversary just around the corner, Kristine's mind spun with plans. She wanted to surprise her husband with a custom helicopter, designed entirely by her own hands.

Benny Higgins had always raved about Kueen, that elusive designer—and now, she would finally reveal that she was Kueen all along.

This anniversary was supposed to be unforgettable.

But as she gathered all the documents needed for the ownership transfer, she realized she needed their marriage certificate to finalize the paperwork.

"Found it! Wait, why are there two certificates here?"

All the excitement drained from Kristine's face in an instant.

Carefully, Kristine unfolded both documents. One belonged to her and Benny. The other was for Benny and his childhood love, Emilee Hewitt.

Her brows furrowed, confusion quickly morphing into a sharp unease. Which certificate was actually real?

Driven by a rising wave of dread, Kristine rushed to check the registration number for her own certificate online.

No matter how many times she tried, the system kept flashing error messages, asking her to re-enter the information—clear proof that the document was a fake.

Kristine's hands shook as she typed in the details from Benny and Emilee's certificate. This time, the site loaded with no trouble at all.

Reality crashed down on Kristine like a tidal wave, leaving her stunned and aching.

All those years—five years of believing she and Benny were truly married, of trusting his endless proposals and declarations that Emilee was nothing more than a closed chapter in his past. Everyone knew them as the perfect couple, but now it felt like her entire life with him had been nothing but a cruel illusion.

After Benny complained she was too thin and unfit for motherhood, Kristine had thrown herself into weight gain shakes and supplement regimens.

Her body changed quickly, all for him—her once celebrated figure traded away without a second thought.

And now she was supposed to swallow the idea that it had all been meaningless?

She could not accept that—not yet.

Kristine prided herself on being levelheaded, refusing to jump to conclusions before knowing the whole story.

Brushing away her tears, she summoned a cab and headed straight for Benny's office. She needed answers, face to face.