Chapter 7: The Charity Gala

The Sloane Foundation Charity Gala was the party of the season, a glittering night in the city's most upscale hotel ballroom. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm light on the room, their beams playing off the marble floors and the diamonds adorning the guests. The atmosphere was thick with the scent of expensive perfume and the hum of soft-spoken chatter.

Celeste stood in the doorway, her hand resting lightly on Elliot's arm. She wore a stunning emerald-green gown that hugged her curves in all the right places, its beading flashing with every movement. Her hair was styled up into a smooth updo, and her makeup was flawless, but beneath, she was a ball of nerves. This was her first high-profile event as Elliot's wife, and she knew she'd be under scrutiny.

Elliot, as usual, was the very picture of cool. His tuxedo black, his face unreadable, he scanned the room. "Don't forget, this is a performance," he said in a low tone. "Smile, smile, and don't let them get under your skin."

Celeste took a deep breath, her chin quivering up. "I can take care of myself."

As they swept into the ballroom, the room seemed to hold its breath. All eyes were fixed, all chatter stopped. Celeste felt the weight of their eyes, the whispers that followed them like a ghost. But she kept her head high, her smile unwavering. She would prove to them she was worthy of Elliot's world—in her own terms.

The Social Sharks

They had taken only a few steps when a woman approached them, her red gown as vibrant as her smile. Veronica St. James, socialite—and, as it soon became apparent, Elliot's former mistress.

"Elliott," Veronica cooed, her voice thick with fake sweetness. "Too long." She looked at Celeste, a broader smile on her face. "And here's the famous Mrs. Sloane. My, my, Elliot married you? I thought he only loved women he could control."

Celeste's face flashed with anger, but she maintained her composure. She smiled as vigorously as Veronica, her face as cutting as hers. "Then you didn't know how to get controlled very well."

Veronica's smile faltered for an instant before she recovered herself, her laughter cracking like a broken potsherd. "Oh, I rather like her, Elliot. She has fire."

Elliot's lips twitched with the slightest whisper of a smirk. "She does.".

As Veronica left, Celeste gazed at Elliot, her heart pounding. She'd expected him to be furious, to chide her for speaking out of turn. But instead, she saw something in his eyes—something that seemed to be an approval.

A Warning from the Enemy

Celeste was sipping a glass of champagne when Lucas stood alongside her, his smile as dashing as it was insincere. "Enjoying the party, Celeste?"

She gritted a polite smile. "It's lovely."

Lucas leaned in, his voice hardly above a whisper. "Enjoy the limelight while it lasts. Elliot never holds women for long."

Celeste's smile faltered, then steadied. "I'll keep that in mind."

Lucas's eyes glinted with malice. "Do you even know who Natalia is?"

The title hit her like a punch in the gut. She tried to hold back the response, but she couldn't stop the flicker of alarm that danced on her face. Lucas saw it, his smile growing. "I thought not. You could ask Elliot about her. If you dare."

Before she could say anything, he spun around and walked away, alone in the center of the ballroom, his mind reeling. Who was Natalia? And why did the mere mention of the name send Celeste shivering like a reed in the wind?

The Forced Intimacy

As the evening wore on, a reporter approached them, camera ready. "Mr. and Mrs. Sloane, might we get a photograph? Maybe a kiss for the press?

Celeste's heart missed a beat. She glanced at Elliot, expecting him to decline. But to her shock, he hesitated for only a second before he turned towards her. His hand cupped her face, his touch surprisingly gentle, and then he kissed her.

It should have been for display, a quick peck to placate the cameras. But when their lips met, something shifted. There was flame, a burst of something real neither of them had expected. Celeste's breath froze, her hands reflexively bunching onto his arms. For an instant, everything else froze.

When they parted, Celeste's cheeks flushed, her heart racing. She looked up at Elliot, attempting to get some sign of how he felt. But his expression was impossible to read, his eyes shadowy and closed down.

He turned silently and left her standing there with her mind whirling.