A Deal with My Ex’s Rival

Chapter 2: Three Weeks Until His Wedding

CELINE'S POV

At seven forty-five that evening, I stepped out of a taxi in front of the Sterling Grand Hotel. The building rose above me in glass and polished stone, its entrance illuminated by elegant chandeliers. A few reporters lingered near the driveway, hoping to catch a glimpse of Nathaniel or his new fiancée.

I kept my head down and walked through the revolving doors.

Inside, the lobby smelled of fresh flowers and expensive perfume. Guests in formal attire moved between the reception desk and the elevators, their conversations blending into a low murmur.

I had barely taken three steps when a familiar voice stopped me.

“Well, well. If it isn’t Nathaniel’s little lapdog.”

I turned.

His mother stood beside the entrance to the private lounge, dressed in a tailored navy gown with a string of pearls resting against her throat. Her gaze moved over me, pausing briefly on the folder in my hand before settling on my face with open disgust.

“Good evening, Mrs. Frost,” I greeted her stiffly.

She gave a short, humorless laugh.

“Still following my son around, I see. I would have thought today’s news would be enough to make you understand your place.”

My cheeks burned, but I kept myself composed.

“I’m here because Nathaniel asked me to come.”

“Of course he did.” She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “You’re just his assistant. Nothing more, Celine. Don’t confuse the fact that he keeps you around with the idea that you mean something to him.”

I gripped the folder tighter, wishing the floor would open up and swallow me. A few guests were already throwing awkward glances in our direction.

She glanced toward the private lounge, where laughter drifted through the half-open doors.

“My son is getting married soon, Celine. And to make things clear, Veronica comes from a family that matters in this city. She is the kind of woman who belongs beside a Frost, not—”

“Me?” The question escaped before I could stop it. “Tell me, what kind of woman am I?”

Her lips curled in disdain.

“You are a girl with no name and no status. Nathaniel was kind enough to give you a job and keep you close because of your pathetic history together. Don’t mistake that kindness for a future with him! I’ve seen the way you look at him.”

Her words stung, but I refused to look away.

She leaned closer, her voice turning cold.

“Stay away from my son outside working hours, Celine. Stop calling him, stop spending time at his villa, stop making demands on his time, and stop behaving as though you have some claim over him. Now that he is engaged, I will not tolerate you hanging around him like a desperate little dog.”

I bit down on my lower lip, fighting the urge to lash out and tell her the truth.

If only she knew.

If only she knew that the son she was so eager to protect from me had married me two years ago, and that the ring on my finger was proof of the vows he had made willingly.

But I couldn’t tell her. Not yet.

His mother straightened and adjusted one of her pearl earrings.

“Now, go inside and do the job you were hired to do. Veronica will be joining us shortly, and I expect you to treat her with the respect she deserves.”

She turned toward the lounge, leaving me standing alone in the middle of the lobby.

Then she paused and looked back.

“One more thing, Celine. The family has already agreed on the wedding date. I expect you to step into your usual role and help plan the wedding.”

My heart lurched.

The wedding date?

Nathaniel had told me the engagement was a business arrangement, something temporary that would end once the merger was secured. He had never mentioned a wedding date.

I stared at her, struggling to hide my shock.

“Oh, really? I had no idea. When is it?” I asked.

She smirked. “Three weeks from now.”

For a moment, the words refused to sink in. Three weeks. He had barely given me time to process his engagement, and now I was expected to help plan his wedding to another woman.

“Is there a problem?” his mother asked.

“No, Mrs. Frost.”

I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing me break.

“Good! Come along. We shouldn’t keep our guests waiting.”

She turned and entered the banquet hall.

I took a deep breath before following her.

Veronica arrived with her parents just as we reached the entrance. Nathaniel’s mother immediately replaced her cold expression with an enthusiastic smile.

“Veronica, darling! You look absolutely beautiful.”

She kissed Veronica on both cheeks before greeting her parents with equal warmth. She fussed over Veronica’s dress, complimented her jewelry, and ushered them inside.

I followed behind them, clutching the folder and my purse.

The banquet hall was arranged around a large round table, with several members of the Frost and Vale families already seated. Their names carried weight in business circles, and their conversations revolved around investments, acquisitions, and the merger that had brought both families together.

I scanned the room and found Nathaniel sitting near the far side of the table.

Our eyes met.

For one brief second, I thought he might acknowledge me. Instead, he looked away.

Then Veronica approached him.

Nathaniel immediately rose from his chair, took her hand, and pulled her toward him. Before I could make sense of what was happening, he kissed her, one hand resting against her waist as though they were the only two people in the room.

I froze.

The folder nearly slipped from my hands as I watched my husband kiss another woman in front of me.

I took a step back, my mind reeling from the shock.

A stupid part of me wanted to believe the kiss meant nothing, that he was simply playing his part to secure the merger.

Then he drew back and smiled at Veronica.

It was a soft, genuine smile. The kind he used to give me when we were younger and still dating, long before our marriage became something he insisted we had to hide.

My stomach sank as I forced myself to move.

I had come here to do my job, and I would do it before going home to figure out how to handle this betrayal.

The remaining guests arrived, and the chairs around the table quickly filled. Nathaniel’s mother directed Veronica to the seat beside him, while her father settled into the chair on her other side.

I remained standing at the corner of the hall until Mrs. Frost threw me an impatient glance.

“Celine, there’s an empty chair over there. Sit down and make yourself useful if we need anything.”

I swallowed my irritation, pulled out the chair she indicated, and sat with my folder on my lap.

The meeting began with polite greetings and congratulations to Nathaniel and Veronica. Their engagement was praised as a wonderful union between two influential families, and several guests raised their glasses to the couple.

I kept my eyes on my notes, trying to stay focused.

Every toast felt like another reminder that the life I wanted with Nathaniel was being celebrated for someone else. As the meeting progressed, Veronica seemed to notice my silence. Whenever someone congratulated her, she glanced in my direction with a wide, satisfied smile.

Nathaniel, meanwhile, barely looked at me. He listened attentively whenever Veronica spoke and leaned toward her whenever she whispered something in his ear.

I watched him laugh at one of her comments and let my fingers curl into a fist beneath the table.

“Um, Celine?”

I looked up. Veronica was staring at me, one hand resting beside her glass.

“Yes?”

She glanced at the tablecloth. A little red wine had spilled near her plate.

“Could you clean this up, please?”

I stared at the spill, then at her.

“Excuse me?”

“The wine.” She gestured toward it. “It’s on the tablecloth.”

“Yes, I can see that.”

“Well, are you going to clean it?”

A few people around the table turned toward us. I set my pen down on the table with a firm thud.

“I’m Nathaniel’s personal assistant, Veronica. I’m not your maid. If you need something cleaned, you can ask a member of the hotel staff.”

Her smile faded.

“I’m asking you, Celine. Or is understanding a simple request beyond your abilities, huh?”

“And I’ve answered you. Cleaning up your spill isn’t my job.”

The table fell silent. Around us, conversations died one after another until every guest at the table was watching us.

Then Nathaniel finally looked my way.