Chapter-4

Celestine exited the apartment elevator while rummaging through the contents of her bag in search of her cellphone. After taking Lilyana back to the Sterne mansion, she went straight to the agency office where Lilyana was modeling. As a manager, this huge scandal involving Lilyana had certainly made her work more demanding.

"Looks like I left it in the car," Celestine muttered when the cell phone was not found.

Celestine frowned when she saw a figure dressed in all black sitting beside her apartment door. Her footsteps slowed down as her heart beat faster. The fatigue after a long day of work was mixed with an undefinable sense of anxiety. The closer she got to the person, the more bone-chilling cold she felt.

What if that person is a psychopath? That person could be Lilyana's hater and was now targeting her because she was Lilyana's manager.

Celestine shuddered in horror, but curiosity made her get closer to that person. Who? Celestine couldn't even see his face.

Lifting her bag, Celestine got ready to face that person first. Celestine's heart skipped a beat, "Hiakk-Lily?!"

Celestine and the figure were both surprised, the figure was none other than Lilyana with her extremely hideous appearance.

"Hi, Cele ...."

Celestine couldn't believe it, "Lily, what's going on? Why are you here?"

How come? Compared to other places, currently the Sterne mansion was the safest place for Lilyana. And now, Lilyana stood before her with an all-black appearance, her gaze looking blank. 

"Cele, you're so cruel! I waited for you all this time while freezing, even your cell phone was unreachable. You have no idea what I just went through," Lilyana said pitifully.

"Yes, yes, alright. Let's go inside, and tell me everything!"

Celestine was stunned when Lilyana entered her apartment as soon as the door was opened. Wasn't she the owner of this apartment?

Lilyana had even laid down on the sofa when Celestine had just entered.

"Lily, what's going on?" wondered Celestine.

Seeing Lilyana who was frustrated more than when she was cheated on by her former lover and former assistant. How could Celestine not be surprised?

"Cele, father is going to set me up!"

Celestine's eyes widened, "What?! Are you kidding me?"

"You think I still have a sense of humor in the midst of so much trouble!" irritated Lilyana.

"So you're really going to be set up by Mr. Sterne?" 

"That's right, Cele," said Lilyana in a desperate tone. "But I rejected him and decided to run away," added Lilyana.

"Are you crazy?!" cried Celestine with wide eyes.

Not only had she been shocked by the news of Mr. Sterne's arranged marriage, Celestine was further shocked by Lilyana's reckless actions.

"Yes, I do seem to have gone mad," Lilyana whispered.

Lilyana ruffled her hair in frustration remembering the incident some time ago when she was screaming in the parking lot of the biggest shopping mall in New York. Perhaps the people who saw her thought she was crazy for making a scene.

Her intention was to entertain herself by having fun, shopping for things that would ease her stress, but instead she had to endure the embarrassment. Just imagine, all his cards were blocked by his father, with nothing left. Expecting her hard-earned money as a model was also out of the question as it would have been used to compensate Celestine for the millions of dollars she had lost due to the cancellation of her contract. 

Not only that, Mr. Sterne had sent bodyguards to take away her car. Doesn't he look like a person who has been delinquent in his installments? 

Could she really be expelled from the Sterne family?

“Dad is really cruel!” shouted Lilyana in annoyance.

“This time you’re going to be a real bum,” said Celestine, adding to Lilyana’s frustration.

“Oh, God! No, I don’t want to be homeless, Cele. But, marrying a foreign man is a bad thing.”

Celestine rolled her eyes, “I don’t think it’s that bad.”

“No, Cele! Imagine yourself spending the rest of your life with someone you don’t love. And what if that man is an old man with many wives?”

“Why are you being so dramatic? Mr. Sterne must have set you up with a suitable man, let’s call him a potential husband. The choice can’t be bad.”

“No! I still refuse this forced marriage!” Lilyana remained firm in her stance.

“Fine. Enjoy your life as a vagabond.”

Let Lilyana be stubborn. Arguing with Lilyana would only drive Celestine crazy. In her opinion, there was nothing wrong with Mr. Sterne’s matchmaking idea. No matter how you look at it, Lilyana was not smart in choosing a partner and she would even become a very stupid person if she fell in love.

Until a week had passed. Lilyana spent her time staying at Celestine’s apartment, and all she did was eat, sleep, and swear at people who commented badly on her social media. 

“Lily, you better go back home and accept the arranged marriage.”

Lilyana looked at Celestine in disbelief. How could Celestine, her best friend and manager say that to her? If she returned to the mansion, she would be obeying her father. Of course Lilyana could not accept this defeat.

“Cele, you want to kick me out too? I really can’t believe you’re doing this to me.”

Celestine sighed, “Lily, it’s not that I mean to kick you out. However, you know that I have a lot to do. And those people that your father put around me are really annoying!” Celestine complained.

That’s right. Lilyana’s insubordination to Mr. Sterne affected Celestine. Mr. Sterne, who knew Lilyana’s whereabouts, placed his men to follow Celestine wherever she went. Making her uncomfortable, like a fugitive.

“What a pity, my Cele. However, I will never lose to father. Returning home is tantamount to admitting defeat and accepting the arranged marriage. I don’t want to!”

“How about you find a job and leave New York.”

Lilyana immediately looked at Celestine with brightly sparkling eyes. “Cele, you really are a genius. What a great idea.”

A second later Lilyana’s smile faded. She thought about what kind of job would suit her. After all, she didn’t have any skills other than modeling and finding a job was very difficult. Especially a job that could help her get out of her father’s reach.

“Don’t worry. I’ve found a job for you.”

Lilyana smiled, but she immediately looked at Celestine suspiciously, “Cele, so this is your plan? Finding me a job to get rid of me?” she accused.

Celestine massaged her temples. This time she really had a headache dealing with Lilyana. 

“This is for your own good. You’d better read the job application on this website,” Celestine said as she handed Lilyana the tab.

Lilyana accepted the tab uncertainly, but this was the only way she could avoid the arranged marriage. 

**Recruitment**

Job Title: Full-time Babysitter.

Location: Woodstock, Vermont, United States.

Job Description: 

We are looking for a dedicated and experienced full-time babysitter to join our family in providing care for our baby. The ideal candidate who has good babysitting and communication skills, and is able to create a safe and stimulating environment for our baby to thrive.

Responsibilities: 

*Provide care and affection to our baby on a full-time basis.

*Prepare and give food according to the baby’s schedule and needs.

*Maintain a clean and organized environment for the baby.

Qualifications:

*Previous experience working as a baby sitter.

*CPR and First Aid certification preferred.

*Ability to multi-task and prioritize responsibilities.

*Dexterity and patience with the job.

Benefits:

*Salary and bonus.

*Paid leave and holidays.

*Health insurance coverage.

*Housing and meals.

Do you fit the above criteria? How to apply?

Send your resume and a brief cover letter to: ver-

“Oh my God, Lily! You’ve gone crazy, huh!” shouted Celestine as Lilyana threw her tab violently.

“You’re the crazier one!” exclaimed Lilyana, “I’m a model, Cele. And you told me to work as a babysitter! Seriously!” refused Lilyana vehemently.

“What’s the big deal? The job’s not so bad.”

Lilyana snorted, “Do I look like someone who has patience as thick as Mr. Sterne’s wallet? And babysitting? Hey! I’ve never even held a baby.”

“Yes, yes. You might prefer to be set up and marry a foreigner-“

“Okay!” cut Lilyana off quickly.

What could be worse than a forced marriage?

“But, I don’t have any baby-sitting experience. Aren’t I not qualified? It’s certain that I won’t be accepted.”

“Who said that?” said Celestine with a smirk on her lips. “You’ve even been hired. Congratulations, Lily.”

Lilyana’s eyes rounded, “What?!” exclaimed Lilyana with a very surprised face.

How could that be?