Deviating from the original plot

Chapter eighty-three

Celeste nodded quietly. "I will. Truly, Evelyn... thank you—for everything."

"Don't thank me yet," Evelyn said with a gentle smirk. "Wait until you've seen the guest house. It's not a palace, but it's cosy."

✦ ✦

The next morning, a carriage waited outside Evelyn's home. The air was crisp and cool, the sun climbing lazily above the rooftops. Celeste and Clara climbed in, the few belongings they had carefully packed inside.

When they arrived, the guest house stood quietly at the edge of a serene garden, its white stone walls partially covered in ivy and its windows glinting faintly in the morning light. It wasn't large like her mansion, but it was comfortable and peaceful.

"It's beautiful..." Clara whispered in awe.

Celeste stood silently for a moment, taking in the sight. The faint scent of blooming jasmine filled the air. For the first time since she'd left her father's estate, she felt something close to relief.

Evelyn smiled warmly. "It's not much, but it's yours for as long as you need—a quiet country house with a spacious yard."

Celeste turned to her, eyes soft and glistening. "You've done more for me than my own family ever has."

"I'm so sorry, Celeste," Evelyn said softly.

Celeste shook her head with a faint, genuine smile. "No, don't be. For the first time in a long while, I actually feel... at peace. Thank you, Evelyn."

Evelyn smiled, touched by her words. "Then that's all that matters," she said softly. "You deserve peace, Celeste. And safety."

Clara, who had been quietly listening, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "We'll make it nice, my lady—I mean, Celeste. I'll take care of everything; you'll see."

Celeste chuckled lightly, the first true laugh she'd had in days. "I'm sure you will, Clara. You always do."

"To new beginnings," Celeste said to herself with a small smile.

✦ ✦

A few days later~

Celeste had slowly adjusted to her new life as a commoner. The transition hadn't been easy—she had to learn to do things she'd never done before, like shopping for essentials with Clara, cooking her own meals, and keeping the small house tidy. But despite the initial struggle, she found a strange sense of peace in it all. The simplicity, the quiet, and the freedom made her feel... human again.

Clara's cheerful presence made it all easier too. She often hummed as she swept the floors or teased Celeste for her clumsy attempts at cooking. The two of them laughed more now than they ever had in the Ashford estate.

Still, there was one thing that weighed on Celeste's mind—Victoria. She hadn't yet told her friend the truth, and the thought of it made her stomach twist with embarrassment.

"She's going to find out eventually," Clara said one afternoon as they carefully piped icing onto the cookies they had baked together. "Wouldn't it be better if she heard it from you?"

Celeste sighed, her gaze drifting over the neat rows of heart-shaped cookies cooling on the pan. "I know... But what if she pities me? Or worse—starts treating me differently?"

"She won't," Clara assured softly. "Lady Victoria doesn't seem like the type to look down on anyone."

Celeste's lips curved into a faint smile. "Maybe you're right. I'll tell her soon... I just need to find the right moment. That's why we're making these cookies—for her."