Chapter 6
Jonah hastily released Sasha’s hand.
Sasha was wearing a deep purple nightgown with intricate lace flowers. Most importantly, it was a sexy design with a deep V–neck in the front and backless down to the waist behind. I had specifically prepared this nightgown for my wedding night.
To think she had not only usurped the house meant to be my marital home, but she had even put on my clothes–it was as if she was already the lady of the house.
When Sasha saw my eyes fixed on the nightgown, she quickly covered the front with her hair and lowered her head, saying bashfully, “Sorry about this, Celeste. I haven’t had time to bring my belongings over yet, so Jonnie said I could wear your clothes first. He searched for ages, but this was the only new thing he could find, so he gave it to me. You don’t mind, right, Celeste?”
Smiling faintly, I replied, “I don’t mind at all.”
I headed for the master bedroom to retrieve my suitcase. The door was ajar, and the smell that lingered in the room was unmistakable. What with the underwear–both male and female–strewn across the floor, it was obvious what had taken place in the room earlier.
Jonah followed me to the room and hurriedly closed the door, saying, “Don’t get the wrong idea. We just… We didn’t go all the way.”
I had a hard time keeping my disgust in check. Covering my mouth with my hand, I grabbed my suitcase and avoided his outstretched hand. “Get out of the way.”
When Sasha saw me heading for the front entrance, she asked timidly, “Are you leaving, Celeste?”
I didn’t even bother turning around to look at her. Austin’s driver came over to take my suitcase and put it in the trunk, so I passed it to him before opening the car door.
Jonah rushed forward and grabbed me, asking, “What are you doing? You spent the night
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away, and now, you’re leaving with your things? Do you think this is a hotel? You’ve kicked up enough of a fuss now. If you keep this up, don’t blame me for not putting up with you anymore. I won’t stop you from leaving, but you better not expect me to try and convince you to come back!”
I couldn’t muster the strength to play nice anymore, nor did I want him to misunderstand
my attitude.
“Things are over between us, Jonah. From now on, we’ll go our separate ways. Let’s never see each other again.”
As I got into the car, Jonah continued to scoff at me. My words had provoked him.
“So be it! You’ve got such a nasty temper. If you want to throw a tantrum, go right ahead! I’ll give you a few days to calm down. You can come back once you’re willing to acknowledge your mistakes.”
Austin was the future successor to Everett Group. It went without saying that his wedding ceremony had to be an extravagant affair. Plus, since it was organized on such short notice, the entire company was involved in the planning and arrangement of the ceremony.
Soon, my parents got the news about it. Stunned as they were, they felt happy for me too.
“Why did the groom change all of a sudden?” Mom asked. “Although we’ve known him since he was a kid too… Well, I always thought you didn’t really like him.”
Mom’s question stumped me for a moment, but when I recalled the earnest look in Austin’s eyes that day, I felt confident in my choice.
“That’s ancient history, Mom. Aren’t I your daughter? Don’t you want me to marry a good
man?”
Mom poked me in the head, saying, “Of course, I do! Well, I’m glad you can see things clearly now.”
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Both Austin’s and my parents fully supported our marriage. Being an extremely wealthy
family, the Everetts even spared no expense to ensure that the wedding would go off
without a hitch.
Austin’s parents even paid my family a visit and brought jewels–all family heirlooms–for me to choose from. The jewels filled the living room with their dazzling beauty, blinding me as I tried to select one while both his and my parents watched in adoration.
Sasha successfully launched her solo exhibition on the day of our wedding ceremony. To throw her a celebration, Jonah booked a private room at an established hotel in the city and invited a bunch of his friends. Unexpectedly, few people showed up.
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Looking displeased and even a little uneasy, Jonah snapped, “Why is everyone late? They’re not even taking my calls! What are they doing?”
One of his friends looked at him and said, “Austin Everett, the successor to Everett Group,
is getting married to Celeste, the daughter of the Ferguson family today. It goes without saying that everyone in Haslow who received an invitation has gone over to attend the wedding ceremony. Nothing would keep them away, not even if they were on their deathbed. It’s no wonder barely anyone showed up here.”
Jonah froze. Soon, all the blood had drained out of his face. Grabbing his friend by the collar, he asked, “What did you say? Who is Austin marrying?”
Terrified, the man stammered, “Celeste, of course. Who else could it be? She’s the only daughter the Fergusons have. There’s even a live broadcast of the wedding ceremony that is being shared
internationally.”
