Chapter 5

Celeste's POV

My hands began to shake as I stared at his hardened face. Had he already seen through my act? I took in a shaky breath.

"Act?" I asked, about to crack a smile when he spoke again.

"The exclusive guests don't use this entrance. Your act can't trick me." He said, signalling to his colleague at the corner.

My eyes widened. I couldn't get thrown out like this, I hadn't talked to Heather yet. I put on a strict face and spoke. "I just want to take this path. What can you do to me?"

My voice remained stern and I stared at him with a degrading look but he didn't even shake.

"I've seen a lot of your type but you are the strongest so far." He said, and at the end of his words, I felt a cold grip on my shoulder. The hairs on my skin rose immediately.

I tried to speak but before I could, someone spoke behind me.

"Let her in. She's with me." He said, I recognized that voice. It was the man from the company.

The guard's face changed as soon as he saw him standing but he still tried to argue. "She could be a fr..."

He slurred the rest of his words after he was given a hard glare.

I smiled, rolling my eyes at the duo as I walked in. "Thank you," I whispered to him, but didn't let him finish before I vanished into the crowd.

"You owe me one." Those were his words before I left, but I couldn't pay much attention to them.

I walked a little around the venue and soon enough, I sighted her — Heather Evercrest, the one who would help me out of this misery. I smiled, taking slow, steady steps towards her.

"Mrs. Evercrest," I called, a few inches away from her. I raised my glass to her but all she gave me was an unconcerned look.

I smiled through gritted teeth. This wasn't the look I planned for but it was just the one I needed.

"Millie just joined the family, did you do a thorough check on her?" I asked and her face hardened immediately.

Heather seemed to know what I was about to say but she didn't say a word.

"I heard she ran off with millions. What do you think the press would think about your fraudulent daughter-in-law?" I asked, and I saw her hands curled up together.

I smiled. It was working.

"The press wouldn't have the chance to say anything. I'll take care of whoever tries to ruin our name" Heather said, her face hardened, her fist now unclenched.

I blinked. Twice. She knew of this, and she supported it?

I shoved away the thought, trying to probe her once more. "You won't have your sight on everyone."

"I have my power in the media, no news is getting out without my consent." She said, and I stumbled backwards, my knees growing weak.

I stared at the expression that she held on her face and I finally understood why Millie was so smug about it.

These were the people she had as in-laws. I stumbled back a step, but Heather inched forward.

"You seem like a threat. How did you get in here?" She questioned, a cold, hardened look on her face.

I trembled, inching backwards and I eventually turned, attempting to run off. However, I soon felt her grip on my shoulder. My whole body shook as I looked over my shoulder.

Heather had let me go, and she was now talking to him, his eyes darted towards me and he signalled for me to leave.

I took the cue and hurried on steps, walking out through the back where I was sure no one would notice me.

I took slow steps on stepping out, my leg still shaking from fear. She was right. An attempt to get to justice would only send me deeper into the hole.

I paused, tomorrow was the trial. I could have scraped through it, but now, I was in jail for sure. Heather already had her eyes on me.

There was still someone who could help me, my eyes lit up immediately. Although his request was absurd, he was the best option. No. The only option I had.

I hurried home, taking his card from the clothes I had worn that day. My hands still hovered over the dial button but I took in a deep breath and clicked it.

"Thought it through?" He asked as soon as the call went through. I scoffed.

"Let's talk," I said through gritted teeth. I would play their games the way they loved it. I smiled, walking the rest of the mile back home.

Hord Restaurant

I took a sip of the water already dropped on the table, eyes scanning the restaurant before stopping at the entrance. But I had to say, the restaurant was high-end. Crystal chandeliers hung low around the restaurant, the tables made from wood that would probably cost some people's salaries.

I scoffed. "What a show off!" I said deep inside me, asking myself to meet him here.

The door opened, and he walked in. He raised his brow slightly as soon as he saw me sitting across the table.

I sighed, I had come two hours earlier because I had nothing else to do. I lowered my gaze, checking the time and he was right on time, even a few seconds earlier.

He sat across from me, extending the menu towards me. "I had booked this table thinking you would still be hesitant and I would have had to wait for you. It actually ended up being the other way around." He chuckled lightly before nodding at the menu.

I scoffed. "What are your terms?"

"Three years. You act as the perfect wife and I help you deal with your problems. A sum of two hundred million when you are done." He said.

"Not only that, but I also want revenge. I don't want her locked up, I want to see her begging, crying for help." I said, Millie's smug look flashing in my face.

"Okay." He smiled, dropping a file on the table. "Sign this." He extended a pen towards me, I grabbed it, pulling the file closer when I paused.

I looked up at him then spoke. "I have another clause.”