Chapter 18 Celeste, how will you handle this?

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the sky turned a vibrant orange. Celeste climbed into the car and set off toward the Emperor Club. "Isn't Mr. Ford coming along?" she asked. The driver, who was assigned by Nathaniel, was the only one accompanying her; Nathaniel himself hadn't been in touch. "He's swamped with work but he'll catch up later," the driver replied. Celeste nodded but something felt off. Knowing that Chloe bore a grudge against her, it was strange that Nathaniel hadn't provided any particular instructions. He had even said that the outfit for the ball was sorted; she just needed to show up and someone would take care of the rest. Wasn't he concerned about her being in Chloe's territory? "Ma'am, we're here," said the driver. "Okay." Celeste wasn't too concerned about Chloe's minor plots. After all, this was an exclusive high-society ball in Sea City, likely filled with influential people. She might just gain something from the night. "You're right on time, Celeste," Chloe greeted as Celeste got out of the car. Dressed in a striking red gown and heavy makeup, Chloe looked dazzling, almost like a fiery phoenix. But standing next to Celeste, she somehow seemed to lack something. "This way, Miss Sterling," a waiter promptly came over and escorted her to the dressing room to select a dress. The dresses came in every color imaginable. Chloe decided to stay away, probably to avoid any suspicion. It was just Celeste and the waiter, who explained, "This ball is organized by Miss Ruiz. She intends for it to be a genuine social gathering, not a showdown of debutantes vying for the spotlight. That's why all the dresses are predetermined, available in various sizes." An interesting rule indeed. An interesting rule indeed. Celeste scanned the room and chose a black dress with ruffled edges—a somewhat understated option that was safely stylish and unlikely to draw undue attention. "Let me know when you're ready," the waiter said before stepping out. Celeste missed the smug flash in his eyes. She also didn't see him exchange a meaningful look with Chloe, who was watching from a distance, stirring her drink with a look of eager anticipation. Chloe believed that Celeste, that naive country girl, would only choose from the dresses she had tampered with, with a little nudge from the waiter. After all, even if there were prettier dresses, Celeste wouldn't dare to pick something too eye-catching, right? Celeste had just lifted the dress, her fingers touching the smooth fabric, when she suddenly paused. Something was wrong. Chloe wasn't kind enough to just invite her to the ball out of goodwill. She wouldn't let her off that easily. This dress... something about it just didn't smell right. She sniffed the dress closely and realized it had been treated with some sort of chemical. To the eye, it looked just fine, but the material was as fragile as if it had been aging for decades. At a glance, it seemed alright, and it felt okay to wear too. But if it were to be pulled or grabbed, it would probably tear apart easily! She remembered a similar scene from a TV show, wondering how fabric could be ripped so effortlessly by a mere step. She later found out there were plenty of ways to tamper with material. The chemical wasn't hard to get; just apply it in advance, and once she wore the dress in a crowded place, it would rip into pieces— The thought of the dress splitting open in public was too mortifying for Celeste to even consider! The embarrassment was one thing, but the exposure in front of so many people could bring shame to Nathaniel as well. "Chloe, that was low!" Celeste cursed under her breath as she hurried to call Nathaniel. When you're being bullied, naturally, you turn to your beloved husband for support! She eagerly dialed his number, but only got a long series of beeps, with no answer. After three attempts, still no response. Celeste stared at her phone, bewildered. What's going on? Was Nathaniel that busy? "Miss Sterling, are you ready?" someone knocked from outside. After responding, Celeste quickly formulated a plan. The dress is going to rip? No problem, she had a solution for that. Chloe kept trying to make her life difficult, probably never guessed that Celeste could not only see through her schemes but wasn't someone to mess with. If Chloe dared to target her, she needed to be prepared for the consequences! Celeste touched the dagger she carried, her lips curling into a wry smile. She had already thought of the perfect plan! …… At the moment the phone stopped vibrating, Nathaniel lit a cigarette. Through the smoky haze, he glanced at the number on his phone screen, his expression tense, yet he made no move to return the call. Felix reported in a low voice. "I went to the Sterling family. Mr. Sterling suggested, like Ava, that Celeste isn't as straightforward as she seems. He also mentioned, if you doubt it, he could prove it tomorrow." "He thinks he can?" Nathaniel took a deep drag of his cigarette, skepticism in his tone. Celeste must have been in a real bind to call him three times in a row. "The Sterling family seems quite confident. Maybe there really is another side to her?" Felix suggested. "Really?" Nathaniel pushed aside his worries, grabbed his coat, and stood up. "Let's go check it out." Logically, something didn't add up about Celeste. Given Chloe's track record, she was likely to pull a stunt at tonight's ball. Facing a crisis, could Celeste keep up her act? If she truly had another identity, tonight would be the night it came out. Chloe was annoying but crafty. Celeste, how will you handle this?