"Celeste's mother had three children."
"She gave birth to Celeste's older brother at 20, Celeste's older sister at 22, and then Celeste at 36." Jocelyn Shaw began, stating facts Emma already knew.
Two years ago, Celeste Monroe's former agent and assistant were bribed, nearly causing Celeste harm. After that, Jocelyn Shaw and Emma became Celeste Monroe's agent and assistant. To be a good assistant, Emma had learned a lot about Celeste Monroe. So she knew Celeste Monroe was the youngest of three, more than ten years younger than her older brother and sister. She also knew Celeste Monroe's mother had passed away early, and that she didn't have a good relationship with her family.
However, what Jocelyn Shaw said next was news to Emma.
"Celeste's mother passed away after giving birth to her, from postpartum hemorrhage." Click! Jocelyn Shaw lit a cigarette for women, took a drag, and continued: "Celeste's father, older brother, and older sister all believed she was responsible for their wife's and mother's death."
"Celeste grew up amidst her family's hatred."
"She had excellent grades from a young age, but her family wasn't willing to support her education, making her drop out after middle school to work."
"When Celeste was 16, her older brother and older sister were already married with children, yet they expected Celeste to work and earn money to support them."
"And Celeste never complained. She worked two jobs during the day and sang at bars at night, giving all her earnings to her family."
Emma was stunned into silence. After a long pause, she finally said: "Holy cow! Are these beasts even human? No wonder Ms. Monroe doesn't get along with them!" People in their thirties leeching off their sixteen-year-old sister—was that something a human being would do?
Jocelyn Shaw exhaled a puff of smoke, slowly saying: "The young Celeste actually didn't hate them at all. On the contrary, she tried very hard to win her family's affection." She sighed: "Unfortunately, her father, older brother, and older sister continuously squandered the money she earned, but they never truly acknowledged her as family."
"Later, Celeste's musical talent was discovered by CEO Feng, and she became a singer. After she became famous, her family finally acknowledged her." Jocelyn continued: "And then, they began to demand even more."
"At that time, Celeste, in an effort to salvage their family bond, still desperately catered to them. They wanted money, Celeste gave it. They exploited Celeste's fame to profit themselves, and Celeste fully cooperated." Jocelyn's voice grew heavier. "They were true vampires, clinging to Celeste, wanting to drain every drop of her blood... until that day, Celeste finally woke up."
"Jocelyn, are you referring to that day two years ago?" Emma subconsciously asked.
Jocelyn Shaw nodded: "Yes, that was the day Celeste was drugged. At the time, she was desperate and called her father, older brother, and older sister for help, but no one believed her. Or rather..." Jocelyn paused, her voice tinged with sadness. "They never truly saw Celeste as family, which is why they were so cold." She continued: "If it weren't for Frank Castle, Celeste's innocence and reputation would have been ruined." Jocelyn concluded: "After that day, Celeste finally saw her so-called family for what they truly were."
Jocelyn flicked her finger, and the cigarette butt accurately flew into the trash can two meters away. The story was finished.
Emma suddenly understood: "No wonder Ms. Monroe never gives them a good look. These people are so thick-skinned, after all that, they still come to bother Ms. Monroe." Emma, being with Celeste Monroe every day, naturally knew that besides Sarah Monroe, Edward Monroe and Celeste Monroe's father also frequently came to ask Celeste Monroe for help. But each time, Celeste Monroe firmly refused. These people would then throw a huge tantrum, only to come back pleading after a while. Before, Emma had thought Celeste Monroe was a bit too cold towards her family. Now, she just wanted to say that Ms. Monroe was still too soft-hearted. If it were her, she'd slap those garbage people every time they showed up!
"Oh, right." Emma suddenly thought of a question: "Jocelyn, you said Ms. Monroe is so good to Frank Castle just because he saved her two years ago?"
Jocelyn Shaw gave her a look: "Did you think there was another reason?"
Emma quickly said: "Of course not! Ms. Monroe is just a great person who knows how to repay kindness, hahaha!" She, of course, didn't dare say she had actually thought of other reasons. Like, Ms. Monroe wanted to turn Frank Castle from Amelia Quinn's ex-husband into her own "uncle-in-law"...
Slap! Emma suddenly slapped herself. Jocelyn Shaw frowned: "What are you doing?"
"Nothing, just a mosquito in my head, haha!" Emma felt like she was going crazy. An aunt and her ex-nephew-in-law, with such a big age difference, how could that be? I must be losing my mind!
In the spacious bedroom, the furnishings were cold, and the lighting was dim. Celeste Monroe sat on the bed, hugging her knees, curled up into a ball. If an outsider saw her, it would be hard to connect the vulnerable woman at this moment with the number one Diva Queen in America.
When Celeste Monroe was sixteen, her father owed money to loan sharks, her older brother divorced and brought his mistress home, and the new sister-in-law demanded expensive designer bags. Her older sister's company was losing money, and her niece, Amelia Quinn, could barely afford formula. At least half of these burdens fell on Celeste Monroe's shoulders. That's why, even though the bar district was full of dubious characters, she still sang there every night.
One day, a customer gave her a thousand-dollar tip, forcing her to drink a glass of wine. After drinking it, her consciousness blurred, and her body grew hot. The man thought he had succeeded and tried to take her to a hotel room. But Celeste Monroe almost bit off his ear, enraging him. Four or five grown men then ganged up and beat a young woman on the street. Celeste Monroe curled up on the ground, clinging to herself. She still remembered the scene: people coming and going in the bar street, yet no one offered a sympathetic glance to her, drenched in blood. The surroundings were brightly lit, yet to her, it was pitch black.
Since that incident, Celeste Monroe began to fear excessively bright lights. When alone, she also habitually curled up, so the pain of her memories wouldn't be as clear.
Just then, her phone vibrated twice. Celeste Monroe looked up, staring at the phone screen placed beside her.
Frank Castle: "Aunt Celeste, this is the homework from the past two days."
Then, three audio files of vocal exercises. Celeste Monroe picked up her phone and clicked on one of the audio files. A slightly deep, magnetic voice immediately filled the bedroom. This level of vocal practice was only barely passable for Celeste Monroe. But at this moment, Celeste Monroe listened intently.
She remembered that day two years ago, when her consciousness was blurred, and she was in a disheveled state, about to be caught. Suddenly, a figure appeared ahead, and she was then supported by a pair of strong arms, sinking into a warm embrace.
"Aunt Celeste, are you okay?"
At that moment, that magnetic voice was exactly like the one now. At that moment, Celeste Monroe felt a sense of peace she had never known. Unlike the brightly lit yet dark and silent bar street sixteen years ago, the alley then was pitch black, yet to her, it was brightly lit.
Click! Celeste Monroe pressed the ceiling light switch, and the bedroom filled with bright light. She looked at the light, her lips curving slightly, like a peony just beginning to bloom.
From that day two years ago, she no longer feared bright lights.