Chapter 3 - THE MISTRESS WHO WANTED A WEDDING
Celeste Pryor had not expected the evening to end like that.
She had imagined tears.
Screaming.
Maybe Maren throwing a glass of wine.
She had imagined Ethan finally standing up and announcing that he loved Celeste.
Instead, she had watched his father authorize an audit.
And Ethan look at her as though she had ruined his life.
Now she sat in her Manhattan apartment staring at her phone.
Twenty-three unanswered messages.
All sent to Ethan.
Finally, he called.
She answered immediately.
“Baby.”
His voice was cold.
“What the hell were you thinking?”
Celeste froze.
“I thought—”
“You thought what?”
She swallowed.
“That if Maren knew, you'd finally leave her.”
Ethan laughed bitterly.
“You brought photographs to my father's house.”
“Because you kept promising!”
He went silent.
Celeste continued.
“You said once the financing was approved, we could be together.”
“Celeste.”
“You said your marriage was over.”
“It is complicated.”
She laughed.
“Complicated?”
He exhaled.
“Maren controls the financing.”
Celeste stared.
“So?”
“So if she pulls out, the project slows down.”
Celeste frowned.
“But your family is rich.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
“You don't understand.”
She looked around her apartment.
The designer furniture.
The expensive handbags.
The jewelry Ethan had given her.
Everything she believed was proof of his love.
Now she wondered whether he had ever intended to marry her.
“Ethan.”
“What?”
“Do you love me?”
A long pause.
Then he answered.
“Not now.”
The call ended.
May you like
Celeste stared at the screen.
And for the first time, she realized that being a billionaire's mistress was not the same as becoming his wife.
