Chapter 4

The wedding was set for a week later, a grand affair.

I stood in the dressing room, wearing my custom-designed wedding gown, my palms slick with nervous sweat.

Ashton walked in. Seeing my tension, he deliberately teased,

“What, having second thoughts?”

I glared at him, feigning ferocity.

“Shut up!”

He chuckled softly, then reached out to adjust my veil.

“Relax. With me here, no one will dare to laugh at you.”

I froze for a moment, suddenly feeling like this infuriating guy wasn't so bad after all.

On the signature wall at the reception, Derek's name was scrawled crookedly, squeezed into a forgotten corner.

As Valerie Sterling's 'plus one,' he'd been relegated to an extra seat in the very last row.

Derek was busily handing Valerie champagne, but his eyes kept darting towards the gift table, piled high with designer gifts.

As the wedding march began, I walked down the aisle on my father’s arm.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Derek’s back suddenly stiffen. His champagne flute tilted, red wine staining Valerie's pristine white dress.

“What are you doing?!”

Valerie’s sharp voice drew everyone’s attention.

But Derek was deaf to it.

He was staring, utterly transfixed, at the diamond waist chain on my gown.

It was the limited edition piece he once swore he'd never be able to afford.

“And now, may the bride and groom exchange rings.”

The emcee's voice resonated through the venue.

Ashton deliberately raised my left hand, allowing the ten-carat pink diamond to sparkle brilliantly under the spotlights.

“You may now kiss the bride.”

The moment the emcee finished speaking, Ashton lifted my veil and kissed me.

A wave of enthusiastic applause erupted from the crowd.

In my peripheral vision, I saw Derek stumbling forward, pushing through the crowd, only to be stopped by security.

“Celeste!”

He cried out, his voice torn.

The music swelled, hitting its perfect crescendo.

Ashton wrapped an arm around my waist, leaning in to whisper in my ear.

“Want to add another act to the show?”

Before I could answer, he suddenly turned to the audience.

“Thank you to all our distinguished guests for coming, especially my wife’s former colleague.”

As he spoke, a spotlight suddenly illuminated Derek’s ashen face.

He nervously clutched the edges of his cheap suit, his voice tight with barely suppressed rage.

“Celeste, how could you marry someone else? Just for money?!”

Ashton scoffed, his gaze sweeping mockingly over the guests.

“Money? Mr. Miller, you’re not suggesting everyone is as obsessed with it as you are, are you?”

“You might not know, but my wife is the heiress of the Albright Group.”