Chapter 9: The First Betrayal

The Leaked Scandal

Celeste was shaken from sleep by the persistent ringing of her phone beside her bed. Half asleep and disoriented, she reached out for it, squinting at the screen. The messages were ruthless—dozens of texts, emails, and social media messages. Her heart sank as she read the first one, a news notification whose headline sent a shiver through her veins:

"Billionaire Elliot Sloane Shelled Out $10 Million to Marry Celeste Monroe—Gold Digger Scandal Uncovered!"

Her hands trembled as she clicked on the article. There, splattered across the screen, was a fake bank statement with a $10 million transfer from Elliot's account to hers. The article painted her as a mercenary, a woman who had sold out for money. The comments were an abuse sewer, with people calling her every epithet in the dictionary.

Celeste's stomach churned. She threw the phone onto the bed, her mind reeling. Who had done this? And why? She knew the answer before she even considered it: Evelyn and Lucas. They were trying to destroy her, to get Elliot to divorce her. And it was working.

Elliot's Controlled Rage

Celeste rushed into Elliot's office, her face red with anger. He sat at his desk, cool as he stared at the same article on his computer screen. That he should be so composed only fueled her anger.

"Do you really believe I'd have leaked this?" she bellowed, slapping her hands on his desk. "This ruins me too!"

Elliot's gaze was calm. "I don't think you leaked it.".

"Then why aren't you freaking out?" she snapped back. "This makes me a—like a—"

"A gold digger?" he summed up for her, his voice infuriatingly calm. "Yes, I know."

Celeste's face twisted in fury, her chest heaving. That's when it hit her—he had predicted this. He had known that it was to be expected.

"Lucas or Evelyn did this," Elliot said, sinking back in his chair. "I'll handle them."

"You'll deal with them?" Celeste repeated, her voice increasing in volume. "What about me? You don't even care that this makes me look like a whore?"

Elliot's expression was still. "What did you expect, Celeste? That this would be easy?"

His words stung more than she was ready to admit. She had known this marriage was a business arrangement, but she hadn't expected to be thrown to the wolves so quickly. And the fact that Elliot seemed so cavalier only made it hurt worse.

The First Real Fight

Celeste drew a breath, her hands trembling as she rummaged through her purse. She pulled out a folder and slammed it onto his desk. "You got what you wanted. Get this done."

Elliot glanced at the folder, his brow furrowing slightly. "What is this?"

"Divorce papers," she said, her tone firm in spite of the storm raging inside her. "I'm done. I will not let you—or your family—shatter me."

Elliot stood, his massive form looming over her. He crept closer, his voice low and menacing. "And what then? Scramble back to a world that already cast you out?"

Those were words that stung her in the stomach like a slap. She flinched, yet she did not back away. She glared instead, flames burning in her eyes. "I may have agreed to marry you, but never to become your captive."

For a second, they simply glared at one another, the air between them charged with tension like a live wire. Then, with no further comment, Celeste whirled and stormed out of the office, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor.

Elliot stood watching her go, his face impassive. But when the door slammed shut behind her, something flickered in his eyes—something that looked almost like respect.

The Aftermath

In the seclusion of her own bedroom, Celeste fell onto the bed, her hands shaking. She was choking, the crushing weight of the scandal weighing her down. But under the anger and the fear, a fire burned. She was not going to allow them to destroy her. Not Elliot, not Evelyn, not Lucas. She had fought too long and too hard to be where she was, and she was not going to let them take it from her.

She picked up the phone and rang Isla. Her friend picked it up on the first ring. "Celeste, I've heard the news. Are you okay?"

"No," Celeste admitted, doing her best to speak calmly. "But now I require your help."

"Anything," Isla had answered with certainty.

"I need you to see what you can find on Evelyn and Lucas. You know? If they plan on getting filthy, then I need to get ready."

"Consider it done," Isla said. "But Celeste… be careful. These people are dangerous."

"I know," Celeste responded, her voice firm. "But so am I."

Elliot's Reflection

He remained seated at his desk late into the evening, the divorce documents still sitting there before him. He gazed at them, his thoughts churning. He had anticipated the scandal, but he hadn't anticipated Celeste's response. She had challenged him, stood up to him in a manner no one else had. And for the first time, he viewed her not as a pawn, but as a player, a player in her own right.

He picked up his phone and dialed Grayson's number. "I want you to investigate whoever leaked that bank statement," he instructed his lawyer when he answered. "And make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Consider it done," Grayson said. "But Elliot… are you sure about this? About her?"

Elliot paused, his gaze drifting towards the door Celeste had escaped through. "I don't know about anything anymore."

The Calm Before the Storm

Celeste spent that evening sitting next to the window, staring out into the city lights. She had this strange feeling of peace, like the storm had washed clean the air. She didn't have a clue what was coming, but one thing was for sure: she was not going to let Elliot—nor anyone else—tune her existence.

Elliot stood in the doorway, watching her, his expression unreadable. For the first time, he saw her as more than a tool to be used, but as something worthy of himself. And he couldn't help but wonder if he had been too hasty in jumping to a conclusion about her.