C.s Lawrence?
625 Words
Chapter 10POV: Celeste Sebastian“Hey, is that C. S. Lawrence?” someone whispered, voice barely audible but charged with curiosity.Despite the growing fame of my pen name, I’d kept myself a mystery. I never granted interviews, refused photoshoots, and dodged all the promotional fluff the publisher pushed my way. Let readers fall for the story, not the author.Rumors swirled—some fans convinced C. S. Lawrence was a man. After all, a masculine name lent intrigue, especially in a genre dominated by female readers. It made the imagination run wild.Still, I remained silent and distant behind the scenes.That was until Zara decided to stir the pot.She tagged me and Mr. Henry on a f*******: post—a blatant attempt to humiliate me in front of the world.Within minutes, the post exploded online.Liam, bored in the tea room, scrolled through his phone and froze. A sip of coffee caught him off guard, spraying his screen. He scrambled to wipe it, eyes glued to the image of me—my pure, unguarded face staring back, illuminated by soft sunlight.Even after all his years around the elite, Liam thought I was a rare gem.The post was vicious: “Saw this girl today, crying and yelling to see the boss. She claims she’s the C. S. Lawrence. Anyone know if she’s legit?”The comments section was brutal.“Impersonating a legend to get ahead? Shameless.”“Wait, isn’t C. S. Lawrence a guy? This chick’s joking, right?”“She’s just using her looks to climb the ladder.”Liam frowned, shaking his head. “What’s this? Is Enzo behind this?”But Enzo usually left these messes for me to handle—or for Liam himself. When did Zara get involved? Was I losing favor?His voice beside him startled him. “Liam.”I peeked up to see Enzo, his sharp eyes scanning my assistant’s panic-stricken face.“Why isn’t Celeste here yet?” Enzo asked coolly.Liam blinked, realizing Enzo didn’t know I’d arrived. The f*******: drama was Zara’s doing—not Enzo’s.Liam’s relief was brief.“She's here, but…” he started, voice faltering as the post flashed again on his screen.Downstairs, Zara’s smirk was venomous as she approached me.“Four years gone, huh? What, did you chase some guy, get dumped, and decide to show up again?”Her voice dripped with scorn. “Listen, Mr. Cole isn’t yours for the taking. As your senior, I’m telling you to back off—or security will see you out.”I didn’t flinch.Steadying my gaze on her, I said, “Zara, whatever grudge you hold, it’s a shame it’s so deeply rooted in hatred.”Her eyes narrowed, lips twisting into a sneer. “You’ve done more harm than you know. Ever hear the saying: too much of a good thing is bad? People like you—too smart, too pretty, too perfect—never last.”I let out a soft laugh. “Funny you say that. I intend to outlast every jealous shadow in this world. Besides, Mr. Cole asked to see me. But you’re wasting his time and yours by trying to block me. Can you afford the consequences?”She shoved at my shoulder, but I stood my ground like a rock.Her temper snapped.“Security!” she shouted.Two guards came swiftly, faces bored from countless similar incidents.“Ms. Felix,” one said, “What seems to be the problem?”Pointing at me, Zara ordered, “Remove her. She’s pretending to be someone she’s not.”The guards exchanged looks, then turned to me with no hint of sympathy.“Miss,” one said bluntly, “You can leave on your own, or we can assist.”
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