Chapter Four – Into the Spotlight
1434 Words
The next evening came faster than Cezy expected.
She had barely slept after signing the contract, her mind plagued by thoughts of Nathan Cross’s piercing gaze and the weight of her own trembling signature on that paper. She kept staring at the folder, half expecting it to burn her hands. She was now his contract star.
And tonight, she was about to step into the world that had always been barred to her.
---
“Pick her up,” Nathan had instructed his assistant, and just like that, her ordinary life was swallowed by something larger.
A sleek black limousine waited outside her cramped apartment. Neighbors gawked through cracked curtains, whispering behind their hands as Cezy stepped outside. The car gleamed like a dark jewel under the streetlight, a stark contrast to the chipped paint of the building she lived in.
The chauffeur stepped forward and bowed as though she were royalty.
“Miss Celina,” he said, opening the door.
Cezy’s heart thundered. She clutched her handbag, her palms slick with sweat, and slid into the car.
Inside, silence and luxury enveloped her. Polished wood panels gleamed, soft leather seats stretched before her, and a faint scent of roses hung in the air. On the seat opposite her sat a box tied with silver ribbon.
Her hands trembled as she opened it.
Inside lay a gown of deep sapphire silk, the fabric smooth as water and shimmering with every slight movement. Its neckline swept elegantly, daring but not vulgar, and the hem trailed like liquid starlight. Atop it rested a small white envelope with only two words written in Nathan’s sharp handwriting: Wear this.
Cezy’s breath caught in her throat. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She ran her fingers over the fabric, almost afraid it would vanish under her touch.
As the car whisked her away, Nathan’s team transformed her. Makeup artists painted her lips a soft red, dusted her cheeks with light, and shaped her eyes into something mysterious. A hairstylist pinned her brown hair into cascading waves, glittering pins catching the light.
By the time she caught her reflection in the tinted glass, she gasped.
It wasn’t Cezy Celina staring back. It was someone else entirely — someone poised, glamorous, like the stars she had admired from afar.
For a moment, she almost believed she belonged.
---
The limousine slowed. Her pulse quickened. She peered out the window and froze.
Cameras. Lights. Shouting voices.
The red carpet stretched before the grand hall, velvet ropes struggling to contain the swarm of reporters and fans. Flashes burst like lightning. Journalists shouted questions.
And then the door opened.
The noise swelled instantly, like an explosion.
“There he is—Nathan Cross!”
“Mr. Cross, look this way!”
“Who’s that with him?”
Cezy froze, panic rooting her to the seat. Her breath came in shallow gasps. The blinding lights felt like knives. She wasn’t ready. She couldn’t—
And then, a hand appeared in the doorway.
Large, steady, commanding.
She looked up. Nathan Cross stood outside, his tall figure cut in a black suit so perfectly tailored it looked sculpted onto him. The city lights caught in his blue eyes, turning them into shards of ice.
He didn’t smile. He didn’t need to. His presence radiated authority, drawing every gaze, every camera.
“Take my arm,” he said, his tone low but firm.
Her body obeyed before her mind could think. She placed her hand into his, and the world erupted.
Flashes blinded her. Voices screamed. Questions flew.
“Who is she?”
“Is Nathan Cross finally revealing a girlfriend?”
“She looks like a rising star—what’s her name?”
Her knees wobbled, her chest constricted. She wanted to turn and run. But Nathan’s arm tightened, anchoring her.
“Smile,” he murmured, so softly only she could hear.
Her lips curved awkwardly at first, then steadier as his presence steadied her. Together, they moved down the carpet. Nathan walked like the ground itself bent for him, his stride confident, smooth. She clung to his arm, heart hammering, each step a battle between fear and determination.
“Who are you wearing?” a journalist shouted.
“Is this serious, Nathan?” another cried.
Nathan ignored them all. His grip was steady, his jaw set. He guided her like a seasoned performer guiding a novice actor.
By the time they reached the end of the carpet, Cezy’s nerves were frayed, her cheeks aching from the forced smile. She thought she might collapse.
But Nathan didn’t slow. He pushed open the golden doors to the ballroom, and they stepped into another world.
---
The ballroom shimmered under crystal chandeliers. Diamonds glittered on necks and wrists, champagne glasses sparkled, and laughter rippled across the room. The city’s most powerful gathered here tonight — celebrities, CEOs, politicians.
And now, Cezy Celina.
Her breath caught. She had dreamed of nights like this, but reality was heavier, harsher. Every glance that swept over her felt sharp, measuring.
Nathan bent his head slightly. “Don’t gawk. Smile. Keep your chin up.”
“I’m trying,” she whispered.
“You’re not trying. You’re doing,” he corrected coldly. “Eyes forward. Confidence.”
She swallowed hard and forced herself to meet the stares. For every whisper of Who is she? there was another of She’s beautiful.
Nathan’s hand brushed against her back, subtle but firm. The gesture startled her. For a second, it felt… protective. Then his mask returned, and she couldn’t tell if she imagined it.
---
Across the ballroom, Mira Celina’s world tilted.
She had been basking in attention, swirling her champagne, when the giant screens near the stage began broadcasting arrivals. And there — in sapphire silk — was her stepsister.
Walking beside Nathan Cross.
Her vision swam red. The glass nearly shattered in her grip.
“No,” she whispered, trembling with rage.
The whispers around her burned her ears.
“Who is she? That’s Nathan Cross’s date?”
“Some say she’s connected to the Celina family…”
“She’s stunning. Could Mira have competition?”
Mira. Competition.
The words seared her pride like acid. She had clawed for years to secure her place, and now her insignificant stepsister was stealing it.
Her lips twisted into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Enjoy this, Cezy. It won’t last. I’ll ruin you before you even know it.
---
Meanwhile, Nathan guided Cezy through the crowd with ease. Every few steps, someone stopped him to shake hands, exchange words. He introduced her smoothly — “Miss Celina” — never elaborating, never explaining.
Each time, Cezy smiled, her throat dry, heart rattling. She tried to remember every tip he whispered: Don’t grip the glass too tight. Tilt your head when you smile. Speak little, but look confident.
At one point, as laughter and chatter surrounded them, she leaned closer. “They’re all staring at me. I feel like I’m about to trip.”
“Then don’t,” Nathan said flatly.
Her eyes widened at his sharpness, but before she could retort, his voice softened, almost imperceptibly: “You’ll get used to it.”
For a moment, their gazes locked. She saw something flicker in his eyes — not just cold steel, but something warmer, hidden, fleeting. Then it was gone, his mask slamming back in place.
---
Hours passed in a blur. Conversations blurred into noise, glasses clinked, cameras snapped discreetly. By the time they slipped back into the limousine, Cezy’s head spun.
She collapsed into the seat, exhaling shakily. “That was… overwhelming.”
Nathan studied her. His blue eyes didn’t soften, but his voice held the faintest edge of approval. “You did well.”
Her eyes widened. Praise. Actual praise.
“Th-thank you,” she stammered.
The corner of his mouth curved — not quite a smile, more like a smirk. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
Her cheeks warmed, and she looked away.
The city lights blurred past the window. Outside, the world buzzed with headlines and gossip: Nathan Cross reveals mystery woman. Who is Cezy Celina? Is she the tycoon’s new love?
Inside the car, silence stretched. Cezy pressed her hands to her lap, her heart still racing. For the first time in her life, she wasn’t invisible. She wasn’t the forgotten stepsister, the dreamer with nothing. She was someone.
But she also knew — this was only the beginning.
And in the shadows of that glittering ballroom, Mira Celina was already sharpening her claws.
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