A Deal with My Ex’s Rival

CELINE'S POV• My husband proposed to another woman on our second wedding anniversary. I found out through a news alert on a popular celebrity blog. At first, I thought it was a mistake. Then I opened the article and saw the photograph of Nathaniel kneeling before Veronica Vale, sliding a diamond ring onto her finger while a dozen cameras captured the moment. The caption read: BUSINESS TYCOON, NATHANIEL FROST FINALLY PROPOSES TO HIS LONGTIME LOVE, VERONICA VALE. My fingers trembled against the keyboard as I scrolled through the article. Veronica was described as the woman who had always held Nathaniel’s heart, the perfect partner for one of the country’s most eligible billionaires. I read it twice before looking down at the gold wedding band on my finger. Two years ago, Nathaniel had slipped that same ring onto my finger during our private wedding in Dubai, away from the press, his wealthy family, and the people who believed a poor orphan like me had no business being with a Frost. The night we exchanged vows, Nathaniel had held my hands and met my eyes. “Give me three years, Celine,” he’d said. “Once I secure control of my grandfather’s assets, I’ll tell everyone about us. But for now, no one must know we’re married.” I’d asked why we couldn’t tell his family immediately. He explained that his grandfather’s inheritance came with complicated family expectations and that announcing our marriage could jeopardize the future he was trying to secure. He needed time to put everything in place before challenging his family. I hadn’t liked it, but I’d trusted him. After our wedding, he offered me a job as his personal assistant. I accepted eagerly, imagining that working beside him would give us more time together. Instead, he became a cold stranger whenever we stepped into the office, careful not to let anyone suspect we were more than boss and employee. I learned to hide my disappointment and accept his distance because he insisted that protecting our secret was necessary. Still, I held on to his promise. One more year, and we could finally stop hiding. Now, he had betrayed me by publicly declaring his love for Veronica Vale, the one woman I hated most. I knew that bîtch like the back of my hand. We had attended the same high school, where she had made my life hèll, mocking me for being an orphan with no family name worth mentioning. Back then, Nathaniel had been the only one who stood up to her. He was the boy I had fallen in love with, the one who had made me believe I was worthy of love when everyone else made me feel worthless. I took a deep breath. There had to be an explanation. I refused to believe our marriage meant so little to him. I grabbed my phone and called Nathaniel. He didn’t answer. I tried again, pacing between the sofa and the window. When the third call went unanswered, I stopped and examined the viral engagement pictures on my laptop screen again. Several questions flooded my thoughts. How long had he been lying to me? Had I missed the signs, or had he simply become better at hiding them? My phone lit up with his name, and I answered immediately. “Hey.” His voice was warm, almost casual. “Sorry I missed your calls. I’m in the middle of something. Is everything okay?” “Don’t act like you don’t know why I called.” I tightened my grip on the phone. “What on earth were you thinking, Nathaniel? Why did you propose to another woman when you’re already married to me?” He sighed. “Is that why you’ve been blowing up my phone? I’m working right now, Celine. I can’t talk.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I had expected surprise, an attempt to explain himself, or even a guilty silence. Instead, he sounded irritated that I had interrupted him. “Answer me! Your face is all over the news. You got engaged to Veronica, the same b***h we both hate, and you expect—” “Yes, the news is true. But I don’t love her.” The words came so easily that I almost laughed. “Have you been cheating on me with her?” “It’s a business arrangement. Her family is involved in a merger, and the engagement will help secure the deal. My parents insisted on it, so stop making a fuss.” “A business arrangement?” I repeated. “You kissed her in front of the entire country, Nathaniel!” “Celine, I don’t have time for this.” “Today was supposed to be our anniversary, don’t you get it?!” “Yes, I still know what day it is.” Of course, he knew. He had given me the day off work, kissed my forehead that morning, and left me believing we would spend the end of the day together. My chest tightened. “I trusted you all these years, and this is what you do to me?” “Listen, I have an important family meeting at the Sterling Grand Hotel tonight. I want you there as my personal assistant. The meeting starts at eight, so show up before then. Come with the folder that’s on my table in the home office.” I blinked, certain I had misunderstood him. “You’re kidding, right? You can’t expect me to just let this slide.” “There are things that need to be handled concerning the merger, and my family knows you as my assistant, not my wife. So keep your emotions out of this and do your job when you get there.” My mouth fell open. “And what exactly am I supposed to do at this meeting?” I asked. “Congratulate you on your engagement to the public love of your life?” “Can you stop making this about yourself for once?” “Goddamit! I’m your legal wife, Nathaniel. Don’t you get how messed up this is for me?!” “I’ll say this one more time. Don’t ruin everything for me because you can’t control your fücking emotions. My engagement to Veronica is purely transactional.” Before I could respond, he hung up. I lowered the phone, my jaw tightening. He had some nerve treating me like I was the problem. I wiped my damp palms against my trousers, pulled the wedding band from my finger, and shoved it into my pocket. Had Nathaniel mistaken my patience for weakness? Did he really believe that because I loved him, I would keep swallowing every insult, accepting every sacrifice, and waiting patiently while he built a future with another woman? He had pushed me too far this time. Fine!!! I would be at the Sterling Grand Hotel by eight. But I was done sacrificing my life to make his easier.