Chapter 3 - The Business Magnate

"Celeste, last night, you suddenly disappeared. Is everything alright? You said you weren't feeling well."

His full attention is on me now after Isabella.

I'm really the second choice here. I hate it.

"We were looking for you to introduce you to the Riofloridas, but you weren't around anymore. Are you feeling okay now?"

I couldn't help but silently roll my eyes at his remark. They had already introduced Isabella to that prominent family before, so why did I also have to be introduced to them? Was it to further emphasize that I was the least favorite?

"Yes, Dad. I'm feeling better now. I just needed to rest suddenly. I'm sorry." I lied and continued eating silently. I could feel his intense gaze on me.

"Oh, really? You didn't have any potential investors, then?" Dad turns to Isabella.

I could clearly see how his expression softened as his gaze shifted to his other daughter.

"Isabella had conversations and secured deals with several major investors last night. Including the son of Rioflorida Empire. Isn't that right, Isabella?"

"Of course, Dad. Their son and I are close so it's easy for me to close a deal with them." Isabella confidently replied to Dad.

"That's why I'm very proud of you, dear," Dad commented happily.

I snorted. In this scenario, I couldn't help but feel jealous and irritated. I had just mentioned feeling unwell, and here he was comparing the two of us again.

How can he be so insensitive?

"How about your meeting with Mr. Lim? How did it go?" He changes the topic.

"Huh? Ah…" I bit my lower lip as I remembered that perverted old man and my failure to close the deal with him.

I felt a mix of nervousness and fear in my heart during those moments. I tried clearing my throat. I took a sip of water and started composing the right response to his question.

Should I just lie or not? I was sure he would find out soon enough, especially once he spoke to Mr. Lim. Nah. Never mind. Screw it. Fuck.

"About Mr. Lim… Dad, something happened during our meeting. He backed out for some reason. I'm so sorry." I confessed to him.

"Mr. Lim? The old man who has been interested in our business for months?" My stepmother interjected with a hint of skepticism.

"Yes, him. But things didn't go as planned. He... he made advances towards me, asking for inappropriate private time. When I refused, he withdrew his interest in our company."

"What?" Dad halted and turned to me. This time, his expression is cold and angry.

"Are you serious? This is Mr. Lim we are talking about, Celeste."

"Yes, Dad, I'm serious. He was…"

Before I could continue what I was about to say, he cut me off by heaving a curse violently.

"How could you let this happen? You should have been more careful, more vigilant! Our future was at stake!" His voice echoed throughout the entire dining hall. I firmly shut my eyes.

My words hung heavy in the air, the silence punctuating the room. Dad's face contorted with anger, disappointment etched into every line before bursting out like that.

"Dad, I did everything I could to handle the situation. I protected our family's integrity and our business. Believe me. I tried convincing him to close a deal with us, but he was persistent. He was asking for something else from me!" I tried to fight for my case but I saw how they were so firm and threatening.

"Are you sure you're telling us the truth, Celeste? It seems convenient that you suddenly had a problem with Mr. Lim after disappearing last night. Maybe you're lying to cover up something else." Mama Victoria accused me which made my heart become heavy even more.

"What? No! Why would I do that?" Tears welled up in my eyes as she pleaded my case.

Frustration and desperation are slowly eating me up. I knew this would happen. 

"No, Ma, I swear it's the truth! I would never lie about something like this!" I almost yelled at them for them to hear me out but they were acting like a deaf!

The tension escalated, and voices rose in a heated argument.

"I don't know, Celeste. Say you're just making it up to cover up your failure to acquire Mr. Lim." Mama Victoria continued accusing me.

"No–!"

"I can't believe you, Celeste! I trusted you with him because you said you can close that deal with him. And then what now? You're trying to make a story here to cover up your failure and lies?" He roared with so much anger.

He has started again, launching hurtful words at me as if I don't have any feelings, as if I'm not his own child.

"You're such a disgrace to this family! You know how important Mr. Lim is to us, don't you?!" Tension hung thick in the air as he looked at me with his furious expression.

His face contorted with anger and disappointment, his voice laced with venomous words that struck to my core.

"You're a disgrace! How could you be so careless, so reckless? So… Stupid!" His voice thundered and that left a deep mark on my heart.

My heart shattered with each word that left his lips. Tears welled up in my eyes as I fought to maintain my composure.

"C-can't you just let me explain first?"

"Enough! I've had enough of your reasons and lies, Celeste!"

"D-dad, please!" I pleaded once again, but he remained to shut me out.

"You're a big disappointment, you know that? You are just like your mother! Unable to do any good in this family. Shameful!"

As his words hung in the air, the weight of his disapproval crashing down on me, I felt my world crumble.

Betrayed and cast aside by the very man I had looked up to, my dreams shattered into fragments.

"W-what? Really? You're bringing Mom into this?" I couldn't believe the words that escaped my mouth.

The trembling of my hands intensified, and I couldn't control it anymore. I couldn't understand him either.

Why did Mom suddenly become part of this discussion? It was supposed to be about me and how cruel he was to me!

His gaze grew even colder as if his eyes could kill, and it felt like I had been lifeless in his presence since earlier. I could clearly see the hatred in his eyes.

Is this how much he despises me? Does he truly loathe me?

"And what do you want to hear? Don't put the words in my mouth, Celeste." He threatened me. I felt cold and numb.

"I don't want to see you at the company for the rest of the day. Leave."

I couldn't fight anymore. I can't defy his words for some reason.

Fuck this life. Just fuck it!

***

My mind went blank as I stared at the pregnancy test kit in my hands. My hands continued to tremble uncontrollably.

I couldn't fathom what my reaction would be to this revelation. I pressed my hand against my mouth, stifling a suppressed sob.

"S-shit... No… T-this can't be…" I stuttered.

At the same time, I heard the door of my condo unit swing open, revealing Aurora.

"What's that?" Her gaze fell upon the kit I was holding.

I saw how her eyes widened as she realized what it was.

"Oh, my God, Celeste! You're pregnant?!" She hissed.

Fear enveloped my entire being during those moments.

I am indeed pregnant. There was no doubt about it. Two red lines confirmed it. I am indeed pregnant. Fuck!

"By whom?" She asked and sat down beside me.

She even stared at the kit one more time and looked at me. We locked eyes for a while, and her jaw dropped when she discovered the answer to her question, even though I didn't say a word to her.

"Shit. By that guy? Oh, my God! You didn't use protection?"

The next day, I narrated to her and Kim about what happened between me and that guy when they asked why I suddenly disappeared.

At first, they couldn't believe it because this wasn't really me. I always followed Dad's rules obediently. They knew I couldn't defy them due to my fear of being disowned.

"W-we... we did, but something must have gone wrong. I can't believe this happened." I muttered some curses helplessly.

"What are you going to do? Your dad will surely kill you if he finds out."

That was also the first thought that crossed my mind. I hadn't even recovered from what happened last week with Mr. Lim, and now this was the new challenge I had to face. When will this end?

"I don't know…"

"Have you figured out who the guy is?" She asked while rubbing my back to comfort me.

"I did. I was with him last week, during the night of that party." I confessed to her.

Nothing happened between us that night of the party when we ran away. We just strolled around the area and passed the time until I decided to go home.

He also asked for my number, but I didn't allow him to have it. I made up my mind that we couldn't see each other again, especially since he knows Isabella. I can't get involved with him. I don't want any trouble.

And here I am now, fuck, worried because it seems like it's not just about getting involved with him. I don't even know his name! I don't have time to look for his name. I just know he's the only son of The Rioflorida family.

And I'm not interested in him.

"What? Why? Who is he?"

"He is the heir of the Rioflorida Empire. The business magnate. That prominent family. Fuck me." I uttered and stood up.

I threw away the pregnancy test and went outside my room.

"And Isabella knows him. I think she likes him. I'm fucked up, Au. This can't be happening."