Meanwhile, while the sisters were having an argument, Nathan had arrived on the mansion which shocked Mei, Grandma Sana and the kids.

"Daddy!"

"Nathan...oh my god! What happened? I thought you're in the hospital?" Mei asked.

"Mom, I know you have questions. I'll explain to you later, but now, we have to leave." Nathan said as he urged everyone to pack up and got inside the van.

"What's going on?" Aunt Lucy asked everyone.

Nathan then turned his attention to her and said, "Aunt Lucy, please take care of the house while we are away. We just have to go somewhere for a vacation."

"Of course you don't have to ask me to do it. It's our job to take good care of the house while all of you are away." Aunt Lucy said.

"Thank you Aunt Lucy. Please pack up some of the kids' things." He told her.

"Daddy? We're going on a vacation?" Li Jun who also rushed towards him with his other siblings asked.

Nathan then stoop down to talk to his toddler son and said, "Yes son. And we're going with your mom this time."

"Really?" Both Li Wei and Li Jun's eyes sparkled upon the mention of their mom.

"So go ahead and help Aunt Lucy in packing up the things that you wanted to bring for this trip. But not too much. Okay?" He instructed at the same time didn't forget to remind them on what to do.

"Yehey!" The boys squealed in happiness as they rushed upstairs in a hurry to start packing.

Even little Eve was ecstatic as if she knew what was going on. She was just so innocent.

"Don't run!"

"Be careful!"

Nathan and Mei reminded them.

Though the floors were covered with carpets, accidents may still happen and they might get hurt which was something Nathan and Mei wanted to avoid as much as possible.

Nathan then turned to his mother and grandma and said, "And for you mom and grandma, you may pack your travel essentials and don't forget your medicines."

Mei and Sana listened to him and they both retreated to their respective rooms to pack up.

To speed up everything, he asked a few female servants to help them.

He then picked up his phone and then called his sister Yuki to inform her to cancel all of her engagements and follow them to Seoul as soon as possible.

Celine was putting on her make up as she had a schedule today. Sam was standing behind her helping with her hair.

"What? Niichan, I can't! I'm in the middle of a big project. I just can't leave it or else I have to pay a breach of contract!" Celine said making Sam to be alarmed too.

The both of them knew that the situation was quite serious as Nathan would never demand such a heavy thing from her.

"Then, I'll help you pay it! You're life is in danger, do you even know that? Eunji said that Luo Mian was after you...for revenge." He said from the other line.

"You don't have to do that for me Niichan. I can handle Luo Mian. You don't have to worry about him." She tried to reassure him but Nathan won't buy it.

"Yuki, don't be stubborn! Do you even know how capable that man is in hurting you?! Not even emotionally! He can hurt you...harm you physically. Worse, he might even kill you if you would let your stubbornness to rule in your head!" He said with a sigh.

"Niichan, I know what I am doing. Don't worry, I won't let him touch even a single strand of my hair. And besides, I know you won't let me be, right?" She said with a smile though Nathan could not see it.

"Of course! That's why I am calling you now." He said as he tried to persuade her.

"Niichan, I know you have your fair shares of problems, too. You should focus on them as they're threatening your own family's safety. The kid's safety and happiness must be our top priority. As for me, don't worry about me that much. I'm not that weak to back down to challenges, niichan." Celine said before she turned off the phone.

Nathan on the other line could only heave a huge problematic sigh. He had no other choice but to sit down on the couch.

He thought convincing her would be easier this time. Alas! She's gotten even more stubborn.

"What was that?" Sam immediately asked Celine as soon as she ended the call.

"Nothing much. Nathan-niichan was just being paranoid about something that should not be his number one priority. His priority should be his own family's safety and just let me handle mine." She said.

"Oh! He's only worried about you, Celine." She said while curling Celine's hair.

"I know and I am grateful about that. But...I'm no longer a weak child who could not even take the toy that was being snatched away by another kid." She said.

Samantha sighed as she knew that once Celine had made up her mind, it would be hard to persuade her to change it.

"Though I think I agree with your brother when he talked about your stubbornness, I know that you mean it when you say you can handle things on your own. You're a strong woman after all. But I do hope you would not keep it to yourself. We're here you know. I am here...willing to help." Sam said while looking at Celine.

"I know and I am thankful." She said with her most charming smile that could melt the heart of her fans.

"Well I guess...I might soon announce my retirement." Celine hinted.

"Are you sure about this decision of yours this time?" Sam asked her as she turned off and placed the curling iron down.

"Yes...I am. I am more than sure now. Let this be my farewell project for my fans who had been together with me since day one of my journey to stardom. I'm not getting any younger. And I think I should focus more on myself and away from the spotlight as a public figure." She then stood up from her vanity chair and walked towards the window and looked up at the sky outside.

"I know my fans would truly be disappointed with my decision now. But, I hope they would understand me, too. I love being a celebrity as it made me reach a lot of people. People from different walks of life. I'm happy that I made them happy with my shows and movies." She then paused with a sigh.

"But somehow, despite the fame that I'm blessed with, which I'm very very grateful of, deep inside, I felt empty and lonely. When I go to bed and sleep at night, silence would be my only companion and it saddens me to be honest." She then looked at Sam who had remained silent all this time because she was listening to her.

"I no longer want to live my life because of other people. This must saddens you, too. You have been with me for such a long time. But even if I retired from this industry we can still be friends you know." She meaningfully said and Sam only chuckled while listening at her.

"You really think I'll stay in this industry when you're gone?" Sam told her making Celine's eyes to widen in shock as realization hit her.

"No! You have a bright future ahead of you! You're a very talented manager Sam and very hardworking personal assistant at the same time. You could still produce another top artist under your care." Celine said.

Sam sighed as she sat on the couch.

"Celine we are a team. I existed because of you. Since the day you had chosen me to be your assistant even if I was a fresh graduate in highschool with no experience at all in this craft, I vowed to be only loyal to you and work harder to be your support."

In short, she was nothing if not for Celine's trust in her.

"And besides, I don't think I can handle another artist who was as stubborn as you do." She said with a chuckle which made Celine to sigh.

"Thank you for that Sam, I'm really grateful to have you as my manager, too. But are you sure? You're still so young to give up on this career that you're good at just because I was no longer in the picture." Celine asked her.

"I am very sure Yuki." She said with finality.

"Then...it's settled. This would be our last project together then." Celine sighed as she knew she could not change Sam's decision, too.

"So, what's your plan after you retire?" Sam could not help but ask.

"Well, I plan to travel for a year to find myself. And then after that...maybe go to an IVF clinic to start my process of having my own child." She said which shocked Sam.

"Why? Don't you want to get married?" She said.

"I don't know. Finding a partner now could be energy consuming. I'm afraid that I would... never mind, I just don't want to raise my hopes up in the marriage you know." She chuckled sadly.

Failed relationships in the past never meant that you would have another failed one in the future.

But for Celine, she had suffered so much emotional pain in this life that she's afraid another one could completely break her. And it would be hard for her to love someone again.

"But still, I want to be a mother." She continued.

Sam then said something that shocked Celine and Sam herself.

"Then...can I be with that journey, too?" Sam uttered in a serious tone.

"Don't worry. I won't expect anything from this. Even as a friend, I just want to make sure that you won't be alone in this. We've been through thick and thin together." Sam's face was a little bit something when she said that.

Though she tried to explain herself, Celine had looked at her differently.

She was right, they had been through thick and thin together.

Her life as a hollywood actress with an Asian decent had never been all sunshine and rainbows. There were a lot of things going on in the background. Discrimination had always been there and Celine had experienced it, too.

Even when she came here in Beijing. Though she had created a good career overseas, it didn't mean that she was not discriminated here, too.

Things had never been so smooth for her behind the curtains.

Of course those actresses who felt that their resources had been snatched away from her would always find fault and would bring trouble for her.

And as her manager, Sam had helped her solve those things even before things had blown out of proportion.

Aside from her brother, Sam had been her rock which enabled her to be confident in whatever she would do.

And looking back this past two years, Sam's treatment towards her had become different. Not that it had gone bad but in contrary, she had become more thoughtful and caring.

Maybe because she had fired the assistant that her agency had provided for her. And after that, she had become her assistant and manager at the same time.

Because of their relationship, the person who knew her so well was Sam, too. Nathan only came in second.

She knew she could trust her in everything and she had been the most sincere person she had ever met second to her family.

But should she bet on it? She's quite unsure.

She didn't even know if she was just only assuming with Sam's intentions or what. She didn't want to break the friendship that they had built just because they both messed up. She didn't want things to be awkward.

One thing was very sure to her, she could trust Sam.

So she'll let time to whisper the things that she wanted to know on her ears.

"I can't answer you now, Sam. You know how complicated I could become sometimes. I really need time for this." Celine finally said after a long silence.

Sam then smiled as she said, "Sure...take your time. I'm not going to pressure you. But know that whatever treatment I have been giving to you won't change. After all...before these things, I had treated you as my friend."

Just like Celine, she didn't want things to be awkward between them, too. Just because she was hinting her with something.

But she was being honest and sure of what she wanted. Life without Celine...felt like h*ll for her.

"Thank you. I really appreciate that." She replied with a smile, too.

"Great! So better get ready as we're leaving in five minutes." Sam then had become back to her professional self.

After all, she was her manager, too. So she better do her job well.

They had reading of the script schedule for today after she was selected to be the lead in a big drama production.

And this would be her last project for her fans. After this, she would be retiring...for good.

And as for the development in her story, we will cover this later on.

***