"How is that possible?" Julian did not believe it.

"Do you know why the piece he composed is called 'Cloud-Nest by the Stream'? Because it was created for me."

Chapter 19

When Celine first met Adrian in the UK, she only felt he was somewhat familiar and didn't think much of it.

It wasn't until later that Adrian told her they had actually met a long time ago, only back then, Adrian was heavier and had baby fat on his face.

He didn't dare confess rashly, deciding to lose weight first so he could appear before her with a perfect image.

But by the time he slimmed down, Celine had already fallen in love with Julian.

Stories of their love circulated in the circle, and no one else could possibly intervene.

Adrian went abroad and improvised the piano piece "Cloud-Nest by the Stream," hiding within it countless days and nights of unspoken love.

He had thought it a matter of fate—if he got her, it was his luck; if not, his destiny. But he hadn't expected that Heaven would truly favor him and send Celine to his side.

The heart’s direction is where one’s shoes lead.

"Now, do you understand?" Celine said to Julian, word by word. "He is more affectionate than you, more loyal than you, and most importantly, he has waited for me for so long."

Julian felt his chest ache, but he still refused to give up.

He stepped forward and gripped Celine’s hand tightly, his expression stubborn: "Come home with me. I will compensate you a thousand, ten thousand times over. Whatever he can do, I can do as well."

Celine was utterly irritated and tried to shake off his hand.

Adrian stepped forward to help, and in the confusion of the three, Celine’s collar was torn.

Her fair skin was exposed to the air. Julian stopped his hand abruptly.

He stared fixedly at Celine’s chest, his eyes widening slightly: "This is... what?"

Celine angrily covered her collar, and Adrian immediately took off his jacket to put it on her.

Although she covered up quickly, Julian had already seen it.

"It was you... not her..." Julian muttered to himself, looking at her in a daze.

Celine didn't understand the crazy things he was mumbling: "Julian, go be crazy somewhere else. If you do this again, I’m calling the police."

Before she could even make the call, Julian fled in a panic.

He returned home in a fluster and dialed his assistant’s number immediately: "Go investigate! Five years ago, did Celine attend the Sterling banquet? Check it right now!"

Soon, the assistant replied: "Mr. Sterling, it’s confirmed. Madam did indeed attend the banquet five years ago, but she left halfway through."

Julian put down the phone, his heart sinking to the very bottom.

The reason he fell for Sienna was that he thought she had saved him.

Five years ago, the Sterling family hosted a banquet and invited many people. Julian, disliking the noise, went to the poolside alone to drink his troubles away.

At the time, he happened to have a cold, and feeling dizzy and uncomfortable, he accidentally tumbled into the water.

Having had too much to drink, he was weak and struggled in vain. Just as he was about to drown, someone dragged his body up.

He had choked on water and his consciousness was hazy, but he vaguely remembered the person was a girl, wearing a low-cut dress, with a birthmark on her chest.

After waking up, he had searched everywhere for a girl at the scene with a birthmark, causing quite a commotion, but he never found her.

It wasn't until later, when he met Sienna, who was doing odd jobs at his house, that he saw the birthmark and became convinced she was the one who had saved him.

Sienna had not denied it. After they got together, when he noticed the birthmark was gone, Sienna told him at the time that it had been painted on.

For all these years, he had never doubted it in the slightest.

At this moment, with the truth brought to light, Julian realized how absurdly wrong he had been.

The life-saving benefactor he had been searching for so desperately, wanting to compensate, had been the wife he despised and was forced to marry all along.

Yet he had abandoned her, letting her be bullied by Sienna, the imposter.

Julian’s heart felt like it was being sliced by knives, and recalling every action he had taken, he was filled with boundless remorse.

He was wrong. He was terribly, terribly wrong.

He opened the door; it was snowing in London. Without an umbrella and without hesitation, Julian arrived outside Celine’s home.

Chapter 20

Inside the house, Celine and Adrian were having dinner together.

The warm candlelight adorned the table, and they were enjoying the steak Adrian had pan-seared by hand, savoring this tender moment.

Hearing a knock at the door, Celine thought it was the delivery, but when she opened the door, she saw Julian.

Celine prepared to shut the door without a word, only to see Julian kneel down with a "thump."

"What are you doing?" she frowned.

"I’m sorry." He squeezed the three words out.

Celine impatiently tried to chase him away: "It’s useless no matter how much you say. If you feel guilty, stop coming here to disturb me."

"Celine, listen to me." Julian looked up at her. Only half a day had passed, but he looked noticeably haggard, his eyes bloodshot.

"I used to think Sienna was my savior, which is why I liked her. Now I’ve discovered that my savior was actually you."

"Do you remember the Sterling banquet five years ago? I fell into the pool, and you saved me."

"At that time, I really thought I was going to die. I was already in despair. You were like a fish, swimming through the void and into my heart."

"It was Sienna; she deceived me and took your place, leading me to misunderstand you for so many years. Now, I have already driven her away. I don't have the slightest feeling for her."

"I know I was wrong. I was terribly wrong. Celine, I’m sorry. Will you forgive me? Can we get back together?"

The once proud and arrogant Julian Sterling was now sacrificing all his dignity, kneeling before Celine.

His lips were pale, his figure swaying as if he would faint at any moment.

Celine gazed down at the top of his head, saying nothing.

Of course, she remembered.

It was the first time she had ever attended a Sterling banquet. She had been incredibly excited, watching Julian the entire time, until she saw him go to the pool halfway through.

She followed him, then witnessed him fall into the water.

She hadn't hesitated for a second, diving in to save him, becoming so exhausted from the exertion that she collapsed afterward.

Her mother, who had come to find her, saw this and took her home. From that day on, she ran a high fever for a long time.

But the first thing she did upon waking was to ask about Julian’s condition. Hearing he was safe and sound, she had murmured, "As long as you're safe, it's fine."

She had once loved Julian, but it was all in the past. She didn't love him anymore.

"Julian, you don't need to use this self-abusive method to try and earn my forgiveness. I don't love you; this trick doesn't work on me."

Her coldness, her heartlessness—it felt like a thousand cuts to him, yet he refused to let go.

"I wanted to kneel myself. I did wrong, and I deserve to be punished."

"If you want to kneel, then kneel. Suit yourself."

Celine left only that sentence before shutting the door.

Julian stayed kneeling. Snow fell in soft flurries onto his shoulders, onto his hair, dyeing his hair white.

He was dressed thinly, and his whole body couldn't stop trembling.

Listening to the occasional bursts of joyous laughter from behind the door, Celine’s laughter was so real; she truly looked so happy.

But thinking that the man bringing her that happiness wasn't him, Julian’s heart felt as though it were being torn apart.

He had originally had this opportunity. If he hadn't believed Sienna’s words so easily back then, if he had investigated a little more thoroughly, would he be the one sitting inside sharing dinner with Celine?

He realized the truth too late, which was why he wanted to do his utmost to recover it.

As long as Celine could have a change of heart, he would be willing to pay any price.

When that day came, they would reconcile. He could practice the piano with her, listen to her favorite concerts, cook the meals she liked, and they could have a son or daughter, raising them together.

The child would inherit her talent and his capability.

The sound of laughter from behind the door jolted Julian out of his fantasy. He tugged at the corners of his mouth in a bitter smile; a snowflake landed beneath his eyelid, melting into a drop of water that rolled down.