Chapter 16
Noelia chatted with her grandmother while waiting for Leister’s text:
[Something urgent came up. Need about an hour.]
She didn’t think much of it–Tom had come personally, so it must be serious.
Around noon, relatives and friends started arriving for the birthday celebration.
‘Where’s Leister, sweetie?” someone asked.
These people hadn’t come just to celebrate Grandma’s birthday–they wanted to see and be seen.
‘He’s handling some work crisis. Should be here any minute.”
Noelia smiled politely and continued playing hostess.
‘I heard Leister and Noelia are having issues. Word is he’s got some young thing on the side.”
‘No shit? They’ve been putting on a good show–Instagram’s full of their couple goals bullshit. Makes sense why he’s MIA oday.”
‘Someone said he took her to the hospital recently. Think the little slut’s knocked up? Would explain why Noelia’s belly’s been lat as a board!”
‘God, how embarrassing. If they divorce, she’s gonna get screwed. All our years of ass–kissing down the drain!”
The gossiping relatives weren’t even trying to whisper.
Noelia froze, humiliation burning through her like acid.
She was about to shut them up–this couldn’t reach her grandmother–when…
CRASH!
Shattering glass made her heart stop.
She whipped around to find her grandmother white as a sheet, swaying dangerously, clutching her chest.
“Grandma!”
Noelia rushed over, supporting the frail woman and quickly administering heart medication. “Stay with me, Grandma…”
Her grandmother’s shaking hand gripped her arin, eyes wide with shock. “Sweetheart, tell me the truth. Are you and Leister really…”
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She’d heard every fucking word.
The gossiping relatives looked terrified seeing the old woman’s cardiac episode.
“Oh God, we were just talking! Don’t take it seriously!”
“That pregnancy thing’s probably bullshit anyway!”
“Yeah, just stupid rumors!”
Making it infinitely worse.
Noelia angrily told them to shut the hell up and helped her grandmother to a quiet room. “It’s not true, Grandma. Leister and are solid. Don’t listen to their garbage… I’ll get him on the phone right now.”
After her medication kicked in, her grandmother improved but still gripped Noelia’s hand desperately. “Go. Call him this
nstant.”
‘Right now.”
Her tone brooked no argument.
.eft with no choice, Noelia asked someone to watch her grandmother and stepped outside to frantically dial Leister.
Call after call went straight to voicemail.
Fuck.
f Leister didn’t show today, this doubt would destroy Grandma. With her weak heart, the stress could literally kill her.
Any luck reaching him?”
fer dad appeared, looking worried. Work kept him crazy busy, but family came first.
Voelia felt like breaking down but forced herself to stay strong.
Still trying. Probably stuck in some important meeting.”
Despite their limited time together growing up, he could read his daughter like a book.
He sighed and squeezed her shoulder. “I’ve got Grandma covered. Don’t stress.”
Her throat burned as she nodded,
After he left, she tried Leister one last time,
This time, someone picked up.
Loud music and voices crashed through the speaker.
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“Leister, where the hell are you? We’ve got a situation–can you please just come when you’re done? Grandma’s really sick and I’m scared…”
Her voice cracked with desperation.
She needed him to come through just this once…
But instead of his voice, she heard cruel laughter.
Her blood turned to ice.
Anita’s smug voice dripped through the phone: “Notte Lounge, room 808. Come drag his ass away yourself!”
BEEP BEEP BEEP,
‘he dial tone felt like knives in her ears.
ler knuckles went white gripping the phone.
If Leister’s not here by now, he obviously doesn’t give two shits. Probably balls deep in his side piece.”
Poor Noelia. Wasted the best years of her life just to get royally screwed over.”
If the old lady finds out, it’ll probably kill her. Honestly, who knows how much time she’s got left anyway.”
Delia’s hands trembled as her face went ghostly pale.
ight. She’d built an empire with him–from nothing to billions. During those startup hellscape days, she’d worked PR, rinking clients under the table until she was hospitalized with bleeding ulcers.
he’d sacrificed everything for him…
nd this was her payoff?
is whore stomping all over her,
blic humiliation.
e couldn’t even show basic respect for her family.
omething dark crystallized in her mind.
yes burning with unshed tears, she headed for the exit.
Notte Lounge, Room 808.
When Noelia reached the VIP room, she found the door cracked open
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Even bracing herself, what she saw inside felt like her heart being ripped out with rusty pliers.
She clamped her hand over her mouth to muffle a sob.
The room was a fucking romantic wonderland-
Heart balloons everywhere, rose petals carpeting the floor… someone had gone all out.
Dead center, Leister knelt on one knee, sliding some gorgeous ring onto Anita’s finger.
The sight made her eyes burn like acid.
She knew that ring.
For over a year, she’d watched him designing it–intricate, stunning, with this rare sapphire that screamed devotion.
She’d assumed it was her anniversary surprise.
Nope. Birthday gift for his mistress.
They’d been together that long?
While she was planning their romantic celebration…
Tision blurring with tears, she fought to stay silent.
eister kissed Anita’s hand reverently. “Happy birthday, baby.”
inita practically glowed while Noelia lurked like some pathetic stalker–a complete fucking joke.
is boys started chanting
Kiss! Kiss Kisst
You don’t put a ring on without sealing the deal!”
WHAM
her special day!”
led, stood up. framed Anita’s face, and kissed her like she was everything
coulda’s take another serand she pressed against the wall to keep from collapsing and stumbled away blindly.
The slammed into a walter carrying this elaborate cake
The whole thing crashed to the flour as Ids tray caught her wins hard
“Fuckd”
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Pain shot up her arm.
Before she could process it, the guy started screaming.
“Are you fucking kidding me? Watch where you’re going!” He looked ready to cry picking up cake pieces. “That was custom–made for Mr. Devereux! You think you can afford to replace this?”
Just fucking perfect.”
Noelia mumbled apologies, but hearing Leister had ordered it felt like swallowing glass.
So he wasn’t careless–her family just didn’t matter compared to Anita.
He was partying it up while her grandmother had a cardiac episode from stress.
How am I supposed to explain this clusterfuck to Mr. Devereux?”
The waiter was losing his shit.
ighting back tears, Noelia pulled out a thick wad of cash.
This should more than cover it. I’ll have a replacement sent over and personally explain everything to your manager. We
ood?”
lis eyes went wide seeing the money. After hesitating, he nodded–best offer he was gonna get.
hat’s when the VIP room door flew open.
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