Chapter 6 Chapter 6: The Third Party

Celeste clenched her fists tightly, shooting Dorian a resentful, hateful glare.

How dare he look at her with such disdain?

"Speak up, what are your conditions? I'll meet any demand within my ability, but on the condition that we forget what happened last night!" Dorian took out a cigarette case from his suit pocket, placing a cigarette between his lips before the click of a lighter ignited it.

He took a deep drag, the gray smoke obscuring his face, hiding his expression.

This was the first time Celeste had seen Dorian smoke. Even the way he held the cigarette exuded an air of refined roguishness.

Celeste had always despised secondhand smoke. Without a word, she snatched the cigarette from his mouth and dropped it to the floor.

"It was my mistake for barging in last night. I should pay compensation." Celeste coolly arched a brow, retrieving a $100 bill from her purse and placing it on the table. "Mr. Finch, your skills left much to be desired. Since I slept with you, take this hundred. Hopefully, we have another opportunity to collaborate!"

With that flippant toss of her head, Celeste turned to leave.

But after just one step, a powerful grip seized her arm, roughly pulling her back.

Celeste stumbled, crashing right into Dorian's embrace.

Rage radiated off him in icy waves, his obsidian eyes blazing with murderous intent.

"Celeste, have you been cheating on me throughout our marriage?"

Celeste scoffed derisively.

She could barely contain her outrage as she bit out, "Why so angry? Don't tell me this was your first time."

She casually took out another $100 bill. "If so, two hundred really should cover it."

"Celeste!"

Dorian enunciated each syllable, clearly furious as his grip on her arm tightened painfully.

Celeste trembled but refused to make a sound. She just tossed her hair defiantly as she met his glare.

"Mr. Finch, if you feel that's insufficient, I truly don't have any more cas - mmmph!"

Her words were abruptly muffled by his demanding kiss.

Celeste's eyes widened in shock. Her heartbeat faltered as her mind went blank.

When she recovered enough to push him away, Dorian seemed to have lost all reason, biting her lips until the metallic tang of blood filled her mouth.

Ignoring Celeste's resistance, Dorian flung her onto the bed with brute force, his powerful frame quickly pinning her down.

Three hours later.

Celeste huddled against the headboard, hair disheveled, eyes misty with accusation as she glowered at Dorian smoking on the couch across from her.

"Ms. Atwood, I trust the service was satisfactory?"

Gray smoke obscured Dorian's face as he wondered what had come over him. When Celeste insulted him, all he could think of was ripping her apart.

That last encounter had been even more savage than the previous night as if punishing her with intent.

Last night's incident was due to being drugged in the dark club where neither could see clearly. But today in broad daylight, for him to so lose control with his ex-wife...

Dorian's mood soured as he chain-smoked.

The air was thick with the acrid smell that not even the heavy smoke could mask.

"You're insane, Dorian!" Celeste raged, grabbing a pillow to hurl at him.

He was unwilling to touch her during their marriage but now leaving her bedridden after their divorce. He was a madman!

Dorian easily caught the pillow and tossed it aside.

Having finished his pack, he went to light another only to find it empty, irritably tossing the case into the trash.

"Believe it or not, I never cheated on you this past year!" He didn't know why he felt the need to explain, but the words came out.

Celeste let out a hollow laugh. "Emotional infidelity is far worse than physical. Or do you mean to deny having another woman in your heart?"

Of course, Celeste knew that woman's name.

Violet Morland.

Once when Dorian came home drunk, he had repeatedly called out that name.

Celeste looked into this Violet, an innocent, wholesome beauty.

Sadly, her ordinary background was unacceptable for the elite Finch family.

Dorian's grandfather staunchly opposed the match, insisting on a suitable equal for his heir.

Celeste couldn't fathom what Dorian saw in such an unremarkable woman.

Apart from her pretty face, Violet paled in comparison to Celeste's refinement.

Celeste also knew Dorian's reasons for divorcing her stemmed from Violet.

The old Dorian had bowed to his grandfather's authority.

Now, as the preeminent business tycoon in Valeria, he finally had the power to defy his family and choose Violet over her.

"Before we got married, Violet was already by my side. If not for my grandpa, she would be the one with me now."

Dorian spoke blandly as if merely stating a fact.

Celeste gave a cold laugh. "So I'm the third party in this picture?"

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Dorian changed the subject. "Since we're divorced, we'll go our separate ways. As for these last two incidents, I'll compensate you accordingly."

Last night was involuntary, while this morning was simply him lashing out in rage.

As a businessman, Dorian always weighed the cost-benefit. If he had wronged someone, compensation would be provided.

"I know money isn't an issue for you, and you won't be returning to the Atwood Mansion. So once the divorce is finalized, our villa becomes yours."

Celeste gave a hollow smile. "How generous of you, Mr. Finch. If that's all, I'll take my leave."

Though outwardly nonchalant, she couldn't stop the swell of sorrow glistening in her eyes as she turned away.

"Wait," Dorian called out. "You're going out like that?"

Celeste looked down at her disheveled state.

The bed sheet precariously clung after their clash.

"I've called for a change of clothes from housekeeping. Tidy up before leaving."

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

Dorian stood from the couch and went to open it, only to find it barricaded shut with a sofa.

Glancing back at Celeste, he asked dryly, "Your doing?"

"Last night after being drugged, I escaped to your room. Worried my attacker might follow, I blocked the door like that."

A slight smirk curved Dorian's lips as he recalled her provocative dance from the previous night. She likely had no idea how irresistibly tempting she had appeared to every man present.

A woman like Celeste certainly had no shortage of admirers.

Dorian didn't doubt entire streets could be lined with men vying for her attention.

He acknowledged Celeste's qualities, just as Gideon had once remarked...