Chapter 17 Aren't you coming with me? Honey.

The next morning, the sunrise broke the peace of the neighborhood. Celeste was rudely awakened by a commotion downstairs. She threw on her robe and headed down, only to find Chloe already there, making a scene. "Why isn't Celeste downstairs yet?" Chloe demanded. "Everyone's here. We've even brought gifts to apologize. She's not still sleeping, is she?" "It's pretty rude to start yelling in someone else's house this early," Celeste's voice floated down from the staircase, catching Chloe off guard as she descended in her robe. With a fresh face and graceful demeanor, Celeste barely glanced at her. Despite Chloe's image of her as a simple country girl, Celeste carried herself with undeniable authority. "Good morning, madam!" the servants greeted in unison, annoying Chloe even further. Madam? This country girl was now Mrs. Ford! Celeste smiled. "I don't remember inviting Miss White over." Chloe, seething but trapped by her need for forgiveness, managed a strained smile. "I came to apologize for last time. Sorry about that," she said, her voice reluctant. Celeste calmly took a seat on the sofa, her hair elegantly shielding her amused eyes. "But wasn't it all a misunderstanding, Miss White? Coming here to apologize... does that mean you had a hand in having me wrongly accused and taken to the police station?" Chloe's face turned sour. She hadn't expected Celeste, whom she thought of as naive, to pin her down so effectively. Now removed from her position as chair of the auction house and under strict orders to secure Celeste's forgiveness or face permanent dismissal, Chloe was desperate. She clenched her teeth and said, "I... I just wanted to mend our relationship. If you're willing to forgive me, please accept this gift." She paused, then added with a menacing squint, "Refusing it would mean you disrespect me." A threat? Celeste thought to herself that she wasn't someone easily intimidated. She glanced around and spotted Nathaniel outside. Walking over confidently, she said, "I'll need to discuss this with my husband." Husband?! Chloe was furious with envy. She just called Nathaniel her husband! That woman! “Take it. ”Nathaniel said. Celeste was slightly taken aback. Was Nathaniel really going to let the White family slide? Seeing her surprise, Isaac stepped up quickly. "There's a party tonight. You should come, have some fun. It's a chance for everyone to get to know each other better, maybe clear up any misunderstandings." "A party?" Celeste stayed close to Nathaniel, not saying much. Something felt off to her, and she knew she needed to tread carefully. Nathaniel gazed down at her quietly, mulling over this as a good opportunity to test her if indeed there were any doubts about her identity. "Enjoy it." he decided. Celeste was stunned. He actually agreed? Knowing how cautious Nathaniel usually was, why would he be okay with her going out alone with Chloe? It was obvious Chloe was up to something. Suppressing her doubts, Celeste looked up at him and nestled closer, "But I'm scared to go alone, honey. " "Aren't you coming with me? Honey. " She looked up at him with eyes full of admiration, almost as if he were a god. He found her utterly irresistible. Just moments before, he had resolved to probe into her identity, but now he found his resolve wavering. He lifted his hand to stroke her hair, his thoughts of testing her fading rapidly. After a moment, he nodded. "Alright, I'll join you later." He always felt the need to protect her. Testing her? That could wait, better to go slow. "We'll be at the Emperor Club tonight," Isaac said, quickly pulling Chloe away. Chloe had maintained a stern face, but seeing Nathaniel and Celeste together, so sweet and close, sparked a fierce jealousy in her. As soon as she was in the car, she started screaming and violently hitting the seat. "Why, just why? What magic has that witch Celeste used on Nathaniel to make him protect her like this? What's so great about her?" "Chloe, maybe Nathaniel just likes her type..." Isaac tried to calm her. "I don't believe it!" Chloe cut him off, her eyes blazing with anger. "It's just a phase for him, he'll get tired of Celeste soon enough!" "He's never had a woman stay by his side this long. Celeste won't be any different!" Isaac felt a headache brewing. "The fact that there hasn't been anyone else makes Celeste unique. Nathaniel's obviously into her..." "I'll make him despise Celeste soon enough..." Seeing her continue to mutter to herself, Isaac didn't push further, only murmuring, "Sis, don't mess this up. If Mom and dad find out you're going after Celeste, things could get really ugly." "What's there to fear? I'm not as dumb as Ava. No one will catch me!" Chloe was confident. She had already schemed everything. If Celeste dared to show up at the party, she had a plan to embarrass her. The humiliation she had endured would be paid back tenfold, a hundredfold on Celeste! Just you wait!