Chapter 4
I treated her barking like nothing more than the yelp of a stray dog. Calmly, I reached for a glass of champagne, gave it a gentle swirl and took a slow, deliberate sip.
Perhaps my composure came off too convincing. A hush began to settle over the crowd. Faces that once brimmed with mockery now wavered with hesitation. Doubt flickered in their eyes as if they feared I still held a hidden card. In the vast banquet hall, not a single soul dared to throw me out.
But Griffin didn’t buy it. He glared at me, eyes brimming with impatience, stealing glances toward the entrance.
And then, his gaze brightened in an instant.
“Dad, Mom, you’re finally here!” he called out, his voice dripping with triumph.
He turned back to me, smugly looping his arm through his father’s. “Celestine, you claimed no one here has the right to dismiss you. But my dad should qualify, don’t you think?”
He wasn’t wrong. Though I wore the title of CEO at Cavendish Group, the chairman, his father, still held the reins. He alone had the power to strip me of my position.
“Dad, I know Celestine’s good at buttering you up and I get that you’re fond of her, but being with her feels like pure torment. The only woman I’ve ever truly loved is Arabella and now, she’s carrying my child. Please, just let us be together.”
“Hello, Uncle, Auntie,” Arabella greeted sweetly, shedding her usual arrogance in favor of graceful politeness.
My father–in–law had never liked her, especially after she dumped Griffin in the past. But now, faced with the undeniable sight of her swollen belly, he bit down his disapproval and held his tongue.
My mother–in–law hesitated, her voice soft as she turned to Arabella. “Are you really pregnant with Griffin’s child? Are you feeling unwell at all?”
“I was doing just fine until Celestine upset me,” Arabella pouted, feigning frailty with a spoiled, pitiful expression. “Now my stomach’s starting to hurt.”
Pickering behind his eyes.
At that, my father–in–law stared in my direction, emotion
Just moments ago, my calm confidence had begun to sway the crowd. But the instant Griffin’s parents showed even a flicker of concern for him and Arabella, every shred of doubt vanished from the guests‘ eyes. They now fully believed I’d just been putting on a show.
Contempt surged through the room, their stares slicing into me like cold steel. 9
Griffin, riding high on the moment, let out a smug grin.
“Dad, Mom, I want a divorce. If you’re after someone to wait on you hand and foot, th
lower herself to that. Once you spend time with Arabella, you’ll see she’s everything
hire a caretaker, No self–respecting woman would Could
Me as couldn’t have been clearer. And when whispers spread that I’d want.“W
like I carried disease.
Sensing victory, Arabella burst into laughter. “So what if you’re good at crawling? Without power nothing!“2
Just as his parents were about to chime in, I lifted a hand to silence them.M
his parents‘ feet, the crowd recoiled
latus, all that effort still adds up to
Griffin’s face twisted in disbelief before he barked, “You used to jump at their every word and now you’ve given up now that we’re done? Unbelievable.“W
you
dare cut them off? Is it because
“Dad, Mom, can you really stomach seeing me stuck with someone so manipulative?” Griffin pleaded. “I want a divorce. Please just let it happen.“%
Arabella quickly chimed in, her voice sweet but sharp. “Uncle, Auntie, surely you wouldn’t want your first grandchild born without a proper name and status? Once Griffin divorces her, I’ll marry him right away.”
My in-laws turned to me with unreadable eyes, their gazes lingering before shifting toward Griffin and Arabella, fingers laced tightly, as if sealing a pact. After a long pause, they let out a heavy sigh.4
“What a shame. Some things just aren’t meant to be. You can’t force what was never right from the start.”
“Griffin, do what you feel is best.”
Griffin’s face lit up like a child handed a long–awaited toy. Without wasting a second, he called someone over to bring the divorce papers.W “Celestine, you could’ve walked away with compensation, but your greed ruined that. Once we sign, you’ll be nothing to me. No ties to me or the Cavendish Group. Everything you’ve lost, you brought on yourself.“W
The laughter of the guests rang in my ears, overwhelming, like an unrelenting tide, while Griffin’s impatience cut through the noise and urged me to hurry up.
Without a second thought, I signed the divorce papers, my hand steady and certain.
“Now that we’re nothing to each other, it’s time you understood where my confidence truly comes from,” I said clearly, every word deliberate as I set the pen down
7:30 PM d
D
