Chapter 431

The atmosphere between them instantly turned glacial. Evelyn's silence pleased Celeste immensely - it meant her carefully chosen words had struck their mark.

A smug smile curled Celeste's lips as she raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. The bay's shimmering reflections danced across her face like liquid gold.

"You have countless options besides Ethan," Celeste said, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "But he's my only chance at happiness. Ms. Sterling, won't you take pity on me? Please give him back to me?"

Evelyn arched an eyebrow, her lips twisting into a dangerous smirk that didn't reach her cold, assessing eyes. She tilted her head slightly, deliberately provoking Celeste with her amused detachment.

"Oh, I do have many choices," Evelyn purred. "And Ethan happens to be one of them. But tell me - did you ever consider the consequences when you stole from him?"

"I had no choice!" Celeste spat through clenched teeth.

Evelyn's laughter was sharp as broken glass. "No choice but to fund your affairs with your boyfriend's money? How... creative."

Celeste's face burned with humiliation at having her dirty laundry aired. She'd simply chosen the wrong man - why should she be punished forever for one mistake? "Even if I messed up, I deserve a chance to make things right with Ethan! He'll forgive me if I just-"

"Forgive you?" A deep male voice cut through the tension like a knife.

Two figures descended the spiral staircase - Ethan Caldwell and Nathan Blackwood. Ethan's expression was thunderous, his piercing gaze locking onto Celeste with undisguised contempt.

"I'm being generous by not pressing charges," Ethan growled. "You still owe me over $300,000, yet you dare ask for forgiveness?"

Celeste visibly paled at Ethan's sudden appearance. She turned pleading eyes toward Evelyn. "Ms. Sterling, why are you laughing? I'm not trying to come between you two. I just want to apologize properly. Please don't let this affect your relationship."

Evelyn's internal monologue was scathing: What a two-faced snake. Outwardly, she exchanged an amused glance with Ethan, whose murderous expression could have frozen lava.

With a playful wink at Ethan, Evelyn turned back to Celeste. "You couldn't possibly affect our relationship," she said sweetly. "But you have ruined my evening."

She leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping to a dangerous purr. "Today was supposed to be special. And yet here you are, making a scene." Evelyn's smile turned razor-sharp. "Consider this your only warning. Say one more word, and I'll have you tossed into the ocean."

The casual threat landed with the weight of an anchor. This was no idle warning - Evelyn Sinclair absolutely meant every word. The dark water lapped hungrily at the yacht's hull, its surface rippling ominously in the cold night breeze.

Celeste's eyes darted nervously between Evelyn and Ethan, searching for any sign of mercy. She found none - only Ethan's mocking, condescending stare that made her feel smaller than plankton.

Biting her lip hard enough to draw blood, Celeste finally understood how severely she'd overestimated her own importance. Her shoulders slumped in defeat as she cast one last, desperate glance at Ethan.