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On the phone, Patrick’s voice urged, “Mr. Skeldon, everyone’s already arrived. When will you and Mrs. Skeldon be arriving?”
Noah gave a short, impatient hum. “I know. I’ll bring Tricia over now.”
By the time they left the courthouse and arrived at the reception hall, nearly an hour had passed.
It wasn’t until Patricia showed up at the wedding reception that people finally realized. Noah was marrying the company’s receptionist, the one most had dismissed as just a pretty face.
“No way. That’s the woman Mr. Skeldon’s marrying? The mysterious fiancee he was going to marry is actually Patricia, the receptionist at Skeldon Group?
“Makes sense now why she was flaunting a diamond ring and property deed a few days ago. So those really were gifts from Mr. Skeldon?”
“She really hit the jackpot. From eye candy at the front desk to Mrs. Skeldon. Who would’ve thought?”
Hearing the whispers around her, Patricia could barely hide her smug satisfaction. She had waited so long to stand beside Noth openly, and now, she finally had her moment.
But standing beside her, Noah didn’t share the excitement. Even if Patricia couldn’t hear the mockery laced through the guests” words, he could. And it gnawed at him.
m to toast the guests.
Shoving down his discomfort, he forced a smile and led Patricia around the room
Many of the guests were longtime business partners. They were people who had played a key role in the company’s growth and success.
Noah led Patricia over to a business partner, Byron Hampton. He was an impeccably dressed man in a custom–tailored suit, likely in his mid–Los
Noah still remembered how, back then, Calista had worked around the clock to secure that project for him.
She revised proposals day and night, attended every meeting without complaint, and even drank herself sick to win over the client. She had pushed herself so hard that she ended up in the hospital with gastric bleeding
Calista’s dedication and professionalism had once impressed Byron, earning the Skeldon Group its very first round of funding
That investment had been a turning point for the company, and it left the notoriously particular Byron with a deep respect for her,
Now, watching Noah walk over hand–in–hand with the overly delicate and performative Patricia, Byron gave a small, ironic smile. Mr. Skeldon, I always thought you’d end up marrying Ms. Dorne.”
He took a sip of his drink and added slowly, “She was sharp, hardworking, and relentless. Back when your company was just getting off the ground, she practically ran herself into the ground for the company. Her contributions weren’t minor.
“What stood out the most, though, was how deeply loyal she was to you. I still remember that day we met to discuss the project. She was so exhausted her eyes were bloodshot, but she kept pushing through.
“At the time, I couldn’t figure it out. Why would a fresh graduate push herself so hard for a company no one had even heard of? Later, I realized that she wasn’t doing it for the company. She stayed because of someone. Everything she poured into the job was for him.”
Byron couldn’t help but feel it was a shame for Calista. “In the end, it was all for nothing. She gave everything, waited and hoped and what she never got ended up going to someone else.”
Hearing Byron’s words, Noah’s face flushed with embarrassment. He stood there in awkward silence for several seconds before finally managing, “Actually… she got married today. To someone else.”
Byron raised an eyebrow. “Then you must have really broken her. She gave you the best years of her life. When a woman reaches that point–loving to the extreme and still walking away–it means she finally realized there was no future left to hope for.”
Noah froze. There was nothing he could say to defend himself.
Beside him, Patricia finally picked up on the conversation and realized she was being overshadowed. Her pride snapped. All pretense
sweetness and charm vanished as she lashed out.
She snapped, her voice rising with fury as she turned on Byron. “Oh, I get it. Calista sent you here, didn’t she? That disgusting woman. Even now, when we’re celebrating our marriage, she’s still trying to ruin our happiness. I always knew she had no shame.”
Her tone sharpened as she jabbed a finger toward him. “And who the hell do you think you are, trying to guilt–trip us with your moral high ground? You old bastard! Noah already told me. Calista was just chasing him one–sidedly.
“He never wanted a woman like her. If you’re here to stir up trouble, then get the hell out. You’re not welcome at our wedding!”
“Shot up!” Noah snapped at Patricia, his voice sharp with fury as Byron’s expression darkened further.
He quickly stepped forward and forced a tight smile. “I’m sorry, Mr. Hampton. She didn’t mean that Please don’t take it personally.”
Noah hadn’t even finished when Patricia suddenly shrieked and began hitting his chest with her fists.
“Why can’t I say something? That old bastard brought up Calista first! He’s been mocking me the entire time, and I’m just supposed to take it? I can’t even defend myself?
“Noah, have you forgotten what you said before you proposed? You promised you’d treat me like a princess for the rest of my life. You said you’d spoil me.
“But now you’ve changed! Admit it–you still want to marry Calista, don’t you?”
Patricia’s words came one after another like grenades. They were loud, explosive, and utterly shameless.
Right in front of everyone at the wedding reception, she began tearing down Noah’s reputation without a second thought.
Byron, the executive she had just insulted, let out a cold, amused laugh and waved her off. “Ms. Marrow, your intentions are crystal clear to me. I might be old, but I’m not blind or deaf. After today, I’ll be reevaluating any future partnerships with Skeldon Group.”
With that, he ignored Noah’s attempts to smooth things over and walked out of the reception hall without another word.
The rest of the executives who had close ties with Byron exchanged brief, knowing glances. A silent communication passed between them. Without a word, they each followed his lead and quietly left the venue.
What was meant to be a wedding celebration had unraveled completely into a public disaster.
Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Noth watched Patricia, loud and entitled, with no sense of decorum Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion.
He used to find her honesty refreshing and her naivety almost endearing. Back then, he just wanted to protect her. She was an Innocent girl fresh out of college, still untouched by the world.
Patricia wasn’t competent. She never cared to learn the work and often made careless mistakes. She couldn’t even handle basic tasks, like printing a document or getting the right signature on a file.
But Noah hadn’t minded. He never let anyone criticize her. If she wasn’t capable, he would simply shield her himself.
And he did exactly that. He reassigned her to a receptionist role just to keep her away from stress, giving her an easy routine. He even handed her the so called title of the Lady of the Skeldon Group.
Noth used to think Calista was too composed, too polished. She was never as soft or delicate as Patricia
He never took her seriously, brushing off her love like it was disposable. Every promise he made turned out to be nothing more than empty words.
But now, standing in the half–empty reception hall that should have celebrated his wedding, he couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like if be had married Calista instead. She would never have caused a scene like this or embarrassed him in front of so many
Patricia asked him if he regretted it, if he wished he were marrying Calista instead.
Noah didn’t know the answer. All he knew was that, in this moment, he no longer felt so certain about marrying Patricia.
He looked around at the reception hall. Half the guests were gone, and the place felt empty. The celebration was ruined His head throbbed, and he pressed his fingers to his temples
Patricia’s outburst had thoroughly humiliated Byron. Noah still remembered the look on his face. It was tight with anger, jaw clenched. He had stormed out of the reception hall, fury still etched in every line of his expression.
The other seasoned business partners, all veterans in navigating business politics, would have already figured out that the so–called lady of the Skeldon Group was emotionally unstable and lacked composure.
That kind of impression was bound to damage the company’s reputation and hinder its long–term growth.
Patricia had still been sulking, expecting Noah to comfort her like he always did. But when she saw the cold, unreadable look still on his face, panke flickered through her.
Among all the men she had ever flimed with, Noch was by far the best catch. He was rich, handsome, and easy to manipolare. More importantly, he adored her and believed every word she said.
slip through her
She was one step away from stepping into high society and living the life of a wealthy socialite. There was no way she would let that si fingers now.
She quickly softened, tears brimming in her eyes as she tried to win Noah over with a delicate, wounded act.
“I’m sorry, Noah, I acted like that because I care about you too much. I was just scared Calista might take you away from me. You two grew up together, and then that man kept bringing her up… I just felt so insecure.
“You’re my first love. The first man I’ve ever loved like this. If I did something wrong, please forgive me. You’re all I have. I really can’t lose you, Noah.”
Nuch had been overwhelmed with frustration, but as he listened to her voice and saw the tears streaking down her cheeks, his heart softened again.
Patricia was still just a young girl. She was naive, Inexperienced, swept up in her first real relationship.
She hadn’t meant to make mistakes. She just loved him too much to think clearly.
That was what he told himself, trying to make sense of it.
He let out a long sigh and forgave her.
Patricia immediately lit up through her tears and threw herself into his arms. I knew it. You always treat me the best,” she murmurel, her voice sugary
But just over his shoulder, out of Noah’s line of sight, her lips curved into a smug, victorious smile. She knew exactly how to play this game, especially with someone as blatantly chauvinistle as Noah,
Just a few well–lined tears, a look that sald she couldn’t live without him, and that helpless, delicate act he always fell for, and he would come running back every time.
That was how she had won him over in the first place. From the moment they met, Patricia had been crafting the role he wanted. She was innocent, fragile, and hopelessly devoted. She slipped into it with ease and used it to push Calista aside, the woman who had stood by him for over a decade.
The rest of the ceremony went off without a lulich.
Patricia wore a triumphant smile. She had finally done it. She had married into money, into status, Into the life she had always wanted.
No one would ever know she used to be a high–end escort. From this day on, she would be known only as “Mrs. Sheldon“. She was wealthy, glamorous,
and untouchable.
Chapter
Chapter 15
Late that night, after everything had finally ended, Noah returned to his apartment, exhausted.
The space felt cold and hollow, stripped of any trace of Calista
He stood by the door for along moment, letting the silence sink in. A strange disorientation twisted in his chest.
Not long ago, he had noticed several of Calista’s belongings slowly disappearing. When he asked about it, she had casually said the items were old and she had thrown them out.
But now he realized they hadn’t been discarded at all. She had been quietly packing herself out of his life, bit by bit. She must have known he would never marry her, so she had already begun preparing to walk away.
What he couldn’t figure out was when she had realized it.
His gaze landed on a wedding invitation lying on the coffee table. The gold lettering caught the light, blinding and final, like a slap he didn’t see coming Before he could react, Patricia strode over, snatched it up with a sneer, and tore it to shreds in one swift motion. Without a second thought, she tossed them into the trash
She scoffed, her voice sharp with irritation and jealousy. “Why the hell is Calista’s stuff still here? A wedding invitation, seriously? That’s disgusting. can’t believe Mr. Fenwick’s into someone like her. He must be blind ”
A flicker of annoyance sparked in Noah’s chest, but he didn’t say anything. Before he could make sense of it, Patricia threw her arms around him and pressed her body against his.
She was nothing like the sweet, innocent girl she appeared to be on the surface. Her movements were bold, aggressive–even provocative as she whispered teasing words meant to set him on fire.
Her hands roamed freely, igniting every nerve in his body until he couldn’t take it anymore. He swept her up in his arms, ready to carry her to the bedroom.
But just as he moved, Patricia leaned in, her breath warm against his ear, “Noah, why don’t we try it right here in the living room? Facing the floor–to- ceiling windows? That feels a little more exciting, doesn’t it?” she whispered, her eyes hazy.
They were married now. She didn’t see the point in holding anything back.
She had tried this before with other men, and the thrill of doing it against the glass always hit harder than the bed.
Noah’s throat bobbed with a hard swallow as desire surged through him like wildfire. His mind was already flooded with vivid, reckless insages.
His last thread of restraint snapped. He pinned her down against the glass, giving in completely, holding nothing back. He was rough, hungry, and unrestrained
After the passion faded, a strange discomfort settled over Noah,
Patricia had been too practiced, too confident in every move. Nothing about her felt like a woman experiencing intimacy for the first time. There was a smooth, calculated rhythm to her touch, the land that only came with experience
She might have still had the expected barrier, but Noah couldn’t ignore what his body told him. There had been barely any resistance Patricia serrand to sense the shift in him. She quickly curled up beside him, pouting and clinging, doing her best to deflect his suspicion But it wasn’t enough to erase the suspicion brewing in Noah’s mind.
Noah told himself he would have someone reliable look into Patricia’s past
After being intimate, something about her didn’t sit right. She wasn’t nearly as sweet or innocent as she pretended to be
Just as he was lost in thought, his phone rang.
He picked up, and Karen’s panicked volce came through the line. “Mr. Skeldon, we’ve got a problem. The bidding conference is tomorrow, but the client just called. They say we still haven’t submitted our bid proposal.”
Noch shot up, his voice sharp with disbelief. “What? That’s impossible. Wasn’t Calista in charge of that? Are you saying she didn’t submit it?”
Karen sounded even more confused. “But.. Calista already resigned weeks ago, didn’t she?
Noah’s voice exploded through the phone. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“I tried, Mr. Sheldon. I really did. But Ms. Marrow came to see you around that time.. she was finalizing the wedding plans, and-
“That’s enough!” Noah cut her off sharply. “None of that matters now. I want you to contact whoever’s in charge of the project and get a new bid proposal drafted immediately!”
Karen stammered, “There’s not enough time. We can’t possibly finish it by morning. Callista was the only one who ever handled the bid proposals.” Noah snapped, “So what, without Calista, the company just falls apart? Can’t function? I don’t care how you do it. But if that bid proposal isn’t on my desk tonight, you can all park your things and get the hell out!”
He hung up and slammed his phone down, h temples pounding with pain.
thit him all at once. What he had assumed was just a routine agreement Calista had given him to sign might have actually been her resignation.
Chapter 15
All this time, whenever he followed up on the bid proposal and she said nothing, it wasn’t defiance. She had no intention of doing it at all.
She had already decided to leave.
She didn’t want him. And she didn’t want anything to do with Skeldon Group anymore.
