A deal with the billionaire; My ex-fiancé’s rival

“It feels surreal to stand here, trying to eulogise my mother when we had plans of having a family dinner this evening,” Adeline started, her face blank. “She was the best mother, a powerful force behind all the achievements I’ve made. She believed in me even when all odds were against—” A buzzing sound pierced through the atmosphere, cutting her mid-speech. “I’m sorry,” Adeline muttered. Adeline took out the phone from her pocket to put it on silent when she saw that the text had been from her fiancé, Matthew. Adeline made a mental note to check the content later, and she continued with her speech. After giving her speech, everything else passed in a blur, and the ceremony ended shortly. Adeline barely registered her father’s departure, but her best friend, Shannon, stood silently behind her. “I still can’t believe Matthew didn’t show up today of all days,” Shannon muttered with disapproval as they headed for the car. “He’d be here if he didn’t have an important business trip,” Adeline defended him, then remembered she had yet to check the text. The text stated that he had a surprise for her, and an address was attached to it. She wondered what surprise he could have prepared, knowing today was her mother’s funeral. Would it make up for his absence? Adeline showed Shannon the text. “Let’s go to this address. Matthew said he has a surprise.” “A surprise? Alright,” Shannon murmured as she started the car. When they arrived at the address, Adeline rechecked the address to confirm they were at the right place, because of the music blasting from the supposed location. She didn’t want to believe Matthew would be insensitive or stupid enough to bring her to a party on the same day she had buried her mother. “It’s the right address,” Shannon pointed out. They both alighted, handing the key over to the valet. Trying to find a parking space was almost an impossible task for the bald, uniformed man because the street was lined with different luxurious cars. Fortunately, he found an empty spot close to the entrance and parked the car. Relieved that the car was settled, Shannon urged Adeline to text Matthew while they walked towards the open field, whose entrance was designed with just flowers. On getting to the entrance, they still didn’t get a reply from Matthew, so she dialled his number. “Let’s just go in,” Shannon suggested. Adeline nodded and followed her, then froze suddenly when the welcome banner caught her attention. “Welcome to SaMatt’s Baby Shower and Gender Reveal Party.” Adeline’s earlier numbness was slowly replaced by a pit-forming dread with each passing second. It felt like a subtle warning from the universe that her world would be shattered in a few minutes, but she was determined to find out whatever it was. “SaMatt? It had better not be what I’m thinking,” Shannon hissed when she saw the banner, too. Suddenly, blue-colored powder was shot up, and the crowd roared happily. Adeline froze when she saw a tall, lean, muscular man fist-bump the air and kiss the slim blonde woman with a huge baby bump before he took off in happiness. “I’ll kill that f*****g manwhore,” Shannon seethed. Watching her best friend’s fiancé run around happily like his fiancée hadn’t just buried her mother an hour ago made Shannon see red. But as she was about to march up to them, Adeline grabbed her hand. Although Adeline’s hand shot out, she felt detached from her body as she watched all their high school friends laugh happily and rejoice as if they didn’t know Matthew was engaged to her. The betrayal hit her like a moving train, and the numbness she felt earlier was replaced with agonising pain in her chest. As if on cue, Sasha’s eyes met Adeline’s from the podium, and she smiled maliciously. Adeline figured out immediately that Sasha had sent her the message, and the smug smile on her face screamed triumph. Adeline nodded defeatedly in agreement because the man they’d been fighting for since high school was now hers. Adeline chuckled, and what started as a chuckle became hysterical laughter. Slowly, heads turned, and smiles dropped as Adeline’s hollow, dry laugh immediately shifted the atmosphere. Some of the guests quickly hid their faces, while some grew curious, wondering why two women clad in black stood aside—one laughing hysterically and the other visibly mad. Matthew saw the lone figures and froze, his mind puzzling how they could have known. Adeline looked in his direction and thought, And there he was. Her fiancé. The one she had been in love with for eight years. Her best friend before he became her lover. Frozen like a deer caught in headlights. Matthew collected himself and quickly walked in their direction. His eyes twinkled with guilt, and his lips parted, searching for words. “B-Baby... Addy, I can explain,” he stuttered. The guests edged closer to the scene, and whispers grew louder. Sasha walked to the centre of the scene, hating how Adeline was the centre of attention. “Sweetheart, there’s nothing to explain,” Sasha said sweetly. “She can see clearly what is happening.” Matthew mumbled, “Addy, I swear it’s not–.” “Bastard,” Shannon spat. “Not what it looks like?” Adeline finished. “I had just buried my mother. You should have been there with me, offering comfort—but you’re throwing a baby shower party with her?” “Ad—” “You know, I craved the surprise. I thought it would make me feel better,” Adeline admitted. “Maybe it didn’t make me feel better, but I am definitely surprised. Exceptional performance.” Matthew reached for her. “Please, I—” “If you lay your hands on me, I’ll detach them from your body,” Adeline threatened coldly. “Why are you begging her? You said you didn’t like her, you said she forced herself on you after I left, then why do you want to lie to her?” Sasha fumed. Matthew shook his head frantically, desperation overwhelming his features. “N—no, no. I never said such about Addy. This is a mistake.” “The mistake of me finding out? Or the mistake of knocking up the woman who had done nothing but destroy you?” Matthew flinched, and Sasha sucked her teeth at the magnitude of Adeline’s words. Although she had invited Adeline to hurt and humiliate her, she couldn’t withstand the words Adeline was spitting. The crowd had formed a circle around them, and some people had even got their cameras out, recording. Finally, Sasha found her voice and said coldly, “We don’t have to explain anything to you.” “Addy, let’s not do this here,” Matthew pleaded, ignoring Sasha. Scoffing, Adeline spat, “Not here, right?” Adeline ran her fingers through her hair, but in between, the ring on her finger got stuck. She ripped out the hair strand alongside the ring immediately. All eyes were on her, wondering what her next move would be. Even her best friend didn’t know how Adeline would react. Adeline looked at the princess-cut diamond ring her cheating fiancé had given her. Without hesitation, she removed it and threw it at him. With a broken smile on her lips, she breathed, “Okay. Enjoy the party.” Matthew and Sasha relaxed as they watched Adeline’s retreating steps. However, Shannon stood glaring at them, her fists clenched. “You’re a piece of s**t who doesn’t deserve to see another day. I promise you, you will regret ever wronging her. And you, w***e, you think if he did this to your fellow woman, he wouldn’t treat you the same one day? How delusional.” Adeline’s heart was breaking apart as she motioned to the valet to bring the car. After he left, she noticed that the place was a bit less occupied by cars. An unknown amount of time passed before the valet came around. Immediately, the car key was handed over to her, and she yanked the driver’s door open. She sat and slammed her head on the wheel, her breath catching in her throat because she had just lost another person. It dawned on Adeline that this was the reason he’d not talked about getting married since he proposed to her a year ago. Adeline couldn’t help but think back to how his attitude had changed about ten months ago, and if she wasn’t wrong, that was when he had started seeing Sasha again, considering the pregnancy’s timing. As Adeline turned on the car ignition, Matthew’s face during the gender reveal flashed in her mind—how he had kissed Sasha passionately, and how he had taken off in happiness at the thought of having a baby when he caused her to lose hers. Something snapped in Adeline, and she looked to her left, where they were all gathered, with only one thought in mind.