Chapter 5: Jealousy

At Duke’s office, early morning...

Celine stepped out from the elevator, clutching the folder of event receipts Clara told her to deliver.

From behind the frosted glass of Duke’s office, she could hear his voice. Even though it's low, it's still full of authority.

“No, Alexandra, this isn’t your concern anymore!"

Celine froze. The name hit her like a whisper in the dark. Alexandra, the name he whispered.

The woman from last night, the one with the smirk.

“You don’t get to dictate what’s mine,” the woman’s voice hissed through the speakerphone.

“Alexandra—”

“No, listen to me!” she snapped. “You parade some nobody as your wife? After what we had?”

Celine’s hand trembled. The words sliced through her chest.

Duke’s tone hardened. “This conversation is over.”

“Oh, it’s not,” Alexandra said angrily. “You think replacing me with a charity case will clean your image? Watch me destroy it.”

The line went dead.

Celine stepped back, heartbeat thudding in her ears. She didn’t realize Duke had seen her through the glass until his voice broke the silence.

“How long were you standing there?”

She hesitated. “I-I came to deliver these.”

He didn’t move. “You were eavesdropping.”

“I wasn’t. I—”

“You were.” He walked to the door and opened it wider. His expression was unreadable, eyes like cold steel. “Come in.”

She did. Slowly.

He shut the door behind her. “What did you hear?”

“Nothing important,” she lied.

“Lying doesn’t suit you, Mrs. Austen."

She swallowed. “Fine. I heard… her. Alexandra.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “That’s a name you don’t need to remember.”

“Too late for that.” Her voice shook. “She was at the event, wasn’t she?”

He looked away. “It’s not your concern.”

“How can it not be? She talked about replacing you. She said she’d ruin you!”

“Enough!"

“Enough?” Her frustration bubbled over. “I stood there last night pretending to be your perfect wife while the woman you actually loved watched from across the room!”

He turned sharply. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. You don't know anything about me, nor about...us!"

“Then explain it to me,” she demanded. “Who is she to you?”

His silence was the only answer.

Celine laughed bitterly. “You can command the press, intimidate everyone around you, but you can’t even tell me the truth.”

“Because the truth won’t help you,” he said finally. “It’ll only hurt, besides... that's one of the rules we have."

“It already does.” Duke didn't expect those words from her..

He stared at her for a long moment, his face cold but his voice softening, as he never expected that he'll be the one to break one of his rules as fast as that. "Alexandra Harper...was my ex-fiancée. It ended years ago.”

“Ended how?”

“Badly.”

“That’s vague.”

“That’s all you’re getting.”

Celine crossed her arms. “And now she’s threatening you. Because of me?"

He exhaled. “Because of us.”

She blinked. “Us?”

“You signed the contract. You’re part of my world now. Which means you’re part of the target.”

The weight of his words sank deep. “You make it sound like I should regret it. And... we are actually now married at all."

“Maybe you should.”

“Then why keep me here?” she whispered.

His gaze softened, but only for a heartbeat. “Because walking away now would make her win.”

Celine stared at him. “So that’s all this is? A game between you and your ex? Woah! It's too shallow of me to think that you don't have that much secret inside you."

He didn’t answer.

She shook her head. “You know, I used to think you were cold because you didn’t care. But maybe it’s worse. Maybe you care too much, just not about me.”

Something flickered in his eyes, it's pain, maybe. Then it was gone. “Don’t overthink your role, Celine. It’s business.”

She laughed without humor. “Right. Just business. Like a job to save my brother," she said bitterly.

She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her. “Celine..."

“What?”

He hesitated, his hand hovering in midair like he wanted to reach for her but couldn’t. “Be careful today.”

“Of what?”

“Of her.”

Celine left Duke’s office without another word. The door closed behind her with a quiet, final click that sounded far too much like rejection.

The hall felt colder.

Clara caught her outside the elevator. “Mrs. Austen? Are you all right?”

Celine forced a smile. “I’m fine.”

“Mr. Austen’s in one of his moods again, isn’t he?”

“Something like that.”

The elevator doors slid shut. As she descended, Celine stared at her reflection in the mirror lining. Mrs. Austen. She was starting to hate the sound of it.

By afternoon, she sat in the penthouse living room, scrolling through her tablet. The city glittered beneath the glass walls. The silence gnawed at her.

He had an ex-fiancée. She's thinking whatelse she didn't know about Duke?

Not a fling, not a rumor. An engagement. A woman from his world, beautiful, powerful, and dangerous.

Celine laughed under her breath. “I was never meant to fit here.”

The door opened. Duke stepped in, removing his jacket, sleeves rolled up, looking exhausted.

“Long day?” she asked quietly.

He paused, studying her. “You’re still awake.”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“Why?”

She looked at him. “You already know why.”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he poured himself a drink. “You shouldn’t let her get in your head.”

“I wouldn’t—if you actually talked to me.”

“I don’t talk about the past.”

“You mean you don’t talk about her.”

He turned his back to her. “She’s irrelevant.”

“Then why did you sound so angry on the phone?”

Duke’s shoulders tensed. “Because she still has shares in one of my subsidiaries. She’s using it to stir trouble.”

“That’s all?”

“That’s enough.”

Celine stood. “Do you ever stop lying to protect yourself?”

He faced her slowly. “Careful, Celine.”

“No, you don’t get to warn me!” she snapped. “You brought me into this, paraded me as your wife, and now your ex is threatening your company because she thinks I replaced her.”

“She’s delusional.”

“And you?” she whispered. “What are you, Duke?”

Silence.

Her eyes glistened. “You told me not to fall in love. Don’t worry. You made sure of that.”

For a second, his jaw clenched. A crack in the armor. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Didn’t mean to what? Make me feel like a placeholder?”

He stepped closer, his voice low. “Don’t twist this into something it’s not!"

“What is it, then?”

He hesitated, staring at her lips like the answer was there. “A mistake,” he said finally.

Celine’s throat tightened. “At least you’re honest about that.”

He turned away again, hand pressed against the edge of his desk, eyes distant. “You shouldn’t take it personally.”

“How can I not?” she murmured. She's trying so hard to focus on her reasons why she agreed into this situation, yet she can't hold herself from hurting because of unfamiliar jealousy.

Finally, Duke spoke, voice quieter. “Alexandra was supposed to be my partner in business and in life. It didn’t work out.”

“Why?”

“She wanted my name more than she wanted me.”

Celine let out a hollow laugh. “So now you married someone who needed your money instead.”

He met her gaze sharply. “Don’t reduce yourself like that.”

“I’m just being realistic.”

“I could have chosen anyone for this deal,” he said, voice low but steady. “But I chose you.”

Celine blinked. “Do you regret it now?"

His eyes softened, just a little. “No, because you don’t pretend to be perfect.”

She almost smiled. Almost. “You say things like that, then shut me out the next second.”

“I’m trying to protect you.”

“From what? From her?”

“From me.” Her eyes widened a bit with confusion. The quiet after that was deafening.

Hours later, when Duke went to his study, Celine curled up on the couch, phone in hand, scrolling aimlessly through the news.

Then her stomach dropped.

Breaking News: Is Duke Austen’s Marriage a Sham?

Dozens of photos filled the screen, Celine and Duke entering the gala, his hand on her waist, the way she looked at him, but alongside them were screenshots of documents, contracts, and leaked messages.

She tapped one open, her hands trembling. It was a cropped image of the marriage contract Duke made her sign.

“Oh my God…”

The captions screamed ‘fake wife,’ ‘corporate cover-up,’ and ‘Austen empire scandal.’

Her phone buzzed with notifications. Calls. Messages.

“Celine!” Clara’s voice came through, frantic. “Don’t open social media. Alexandra Harper just leaked everything. The press is in chaos—”

The line cut off.

Celine stared at the glowing screen, the truth staring right back. Her heart pounded so hard it hurt.

And somewhere across the city, Alexandra Harper leaned back in her office chair, a cruel smile curling on her lips as headlines spread like wildfire.

The scandal has begun.