Chapter 4 - The Shattered Gala
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“Let him go, Grant!” Celeste cried out, grabbing Grant’s arm in desperation.
“Please, everyone is recording this on their phones!”
Grant turned his head slowly, looking at Celeste as if she were a total stranger.
Her expensive makeup was smeared with tears, but her eyes held a frantic desperation to save face.
Grant slowly released his grip on Julian’s lapels.
Julian stumbled forward, coughing and frantically straightening his disheveled tuxedo collar.
Grant turned his full attention to the woman he was supposed to marry in less than sixteen hours.
He picked up the fresh check that sat on the table.
Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Signed by Celeste Monroe.
“How long have you known about Mia?” Grant asked, his voice dead and empty.
Celeste looked down at her diamond-encrusted shoes.
“Six months,” she whispered.
The word felt like a physical blow to Grant’s chest.
“Six months,” Grant repeated, shaking his head in disbelief.
“We were picking out our wedding venue six months ago.”
“We were looking at houses in the Hamptons six months ago.”
Celeste reached out to touch his chest, but Grant stepped back, completely out of her reach.
“My father found an old file in his office archives,” Celeste pleaded, her tears flowing freely now.
“He realized that Charles had an illegitimate daughter who was about to turn twenty-two.”
“Under the terms of the old family trust, any biological child could challenge the corporate shares upon reaching adulthood.”
Grant’s eyes narrowed into sharp slits.
“So this wasn't about protecting me from a scandal at all.”
“This was about protecting your father’s legal fees and Julian’s corporate shares.”
Mia stepped beside Grant, her posture calm and unwavering.
“Celeste came to the diner where I worked last Tuesday,” Mia said clearly.
“She drove an eighty-thousand-dollar Mercedes and parked it right in front of the window.”
“She slid this check across the counter and told me to sign a total release form.”
“She told me that if I took the money and moved to another state, Grant would never have to know his father was a monster.”
Grant looked back at Celeste, sheer disgust radiating from his expression.
“Is that what you thought of me, Celeste?”
“You thought I would want to hide my own flesh and blood to protect my stock price?”
Celeste sobbed openly, no longer caring about the staring guests or the hushed whispers filling the hall.
“Grant, we were building an empire together!” Celeste cried out.
“My father’s firm represents half the Fortune 500 companies in this city!”
“If this scandal broke out, our merger would have collapsed!”
“Julian promised my father twenty percent of the logistics subsidiary if we kept this girl quiet until after the wedding!”
Julian hissed in fury.
“Shut up, Celeste!” Julian shouted, his face turning bright crimson.
“You stupid girl, you’re throwing away your entire future!”
Grant looked at Julian, then down at the three-carat diamond ring glittering on Celeste’s left hand.
Grant reached out.
He didn't yell.
He didn't curse.
He simply took Celeste’s left hand and slid the massive diamond engagement ring off her finger.
Celeste froze, gasping for air.
Grant held the ring above her crystal champagne flute.
He let go.
The ring splashed into the golden champagne with a dull clink, sinking straight to the bottom of the glass.
“The wedding is off,” Grant announced, his voice booming across the grand ballroom.
“The rehearsal dinner is over.”
He turned toward the hundred and fifty high-society guests who were watching in utter disbelief.
“Get out,” Grant said, his tone leaving no room for debate.
May you like
“All of you.”
“Get out of my sight before I have security throw you onto the street.”
