Chapter 12
Just as Calista started walking toward Theodore, Noah yanked her back
“Calista, what the hell are you doing?” he snapped. “Can’t you pick a better place for your drama?
His tone was sharp, and his expression hardened.
It was obvious the stranger carried power and status. His presence alone suggested he came from one of the most elite families in
Everton
Noah might have built a fortune in the hundreds of millions, but in a city like Everton, he was nowhere near the top. He knew better than to cross someone like that carelessly.
To him, Calista was just trying to stir up trouble. If she said the wrong thing to the wrong man, they could both pay the price.
They had grown up together, and Calista could read him like an open book. She knew exactly what he was worried about.
But she didn’t flinch.
“That man is my fiance. Why wouldn’t I go to him?” Her voice was calm, cold even
Noah scoffed. “Your fiance? When did you even meet someone like that? Don’t kid yourself, Calista
“You’re just an assistant at Skeldon Group. A man like him would never look twice at you. If you’re going to fake it, at least pick someone more believable.”
That man had arrived in a Rolls–Royce, escorted by a full motorcade, each license plate bearing a rare matching number. It was the kind that only the most elite circles in Everton could pull strings to secure.
And the watch on his wrist, an exclusive custom Vacheron Constantin, was one–of–a-
kind
That was the kind of wealth and power Noah could only dream of. Even with all his arrogance, he had to admit to himself, he didn’t
measure up.
A big shot like that could have any woman he wanted. There was no way he would be interested in someone like Calista.
The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became. The so–called fiance didn’t exist. It was nothing but a stunt–Calista’s desperate attempt to force his hand.
She had loved him for so many years, and in his mind, there was no one else she could possibly marry.
Watching Theodore from the sidelines, Patricia suddenly came up with a way to humiliate Calista. “Well then, Calista. If that big shot really is your fiance, why don’t you go bring him over?”
Noah was about to say something, but Patricia stopped him. “She already said she’s marrying someone else, Noah. Don’t get in her
The people around them laughed mockingly.
One of Noah’s friends said, “Didn’t Calista say that big shot was her flance? Let her prove it, then.”
“Yeah, right. She probably won’t even make it past his bodyguards before they toss her out.”
“God, this might be the funniest joke I’ve heard all year, Calista chased after Noah for years and couldn’t win him over. Now, she wants us to believe a big shot like that is her fiance?”
Calista knew they were all laughing at her. Every single one of them wanted to see her embarrassed.
But unfortunately for them, they were about to be disappointed.
Because she was Theodore’s fiancee.
As Calista walked toward Theodore, the crowd watched with amused smirks, clearly expecting a scene.
When she held out her hand to him, they were certain he would shove her away and call her shameless in front of everyone.
But then, to their shock, the striking, impossibly refined man reached out and took her hand. Not only that, he pulled her in and wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her close.
A few minutes later, Theodore walked toward them with Calista by his side, her hand still holding his
His voice was calm and composed as he said, “Calista told me some of you wanted to meet me. Let me introduce myself. I’m Theodore Ferwick, her fiance.”
Chapter 12
He didn’t bother extending a polite handshake. The air of detached arrogance clung to him, the kind that came naturally to a man used to standing at the top.
But no one took offense. After all, Theodore had every reason to carry himself that way.
The group that had been waiting for a spectacle stood frozen, their expressions stiff.
None of them had expected that the woman Noah had dismissed so easily had secured a flance who was not only better but untouchably elite.
The easy smile on Noah’s face froze at the corners of his mouth. A wave of unease settled in his chest, sharp and suffocating.
Calista had been hopelessly devoted to him for years. She had loved him so much, so blindly and stubbornly, with a kind of loyalty he took for granted.
It didn’t make sense to him that she could let go so cleanly, turn her back on everything, and actually walk toward a future with
another man
He wondered when she had met a man like that, Someone so powerful, so untouchable.
The thrill Noah had felt just moments ago at the thought of marrying the woman he loved vanished in an instant. All that was left was a tight, choking discomfort in his chest he couldn’t shake.
To Noah, Calista had always been like a shadow at his back–quiet, constant, never leaving. He never once imagined she would someone else.
marry
Even when Calista had said she was getting married, Noah never truly believed it. He thought it was just another bluff, a desperate attempt to provoke him.
Standing beside Theodore, Patricia didn’t share Noah’s spiraling thoughts. Her focus was entirely on Theodore himself.
She couldn’t believe it. Theodore wasn’t just ridiculously handsome, but he was loaded. And somehow, Calista had actually managed to land a man like that as her fiance.
An uncomfortable envy twisted in Patricia’s stomach as she stepped forward with a bright smile. She held out her hand and said, “Hi, I’m Patricia Marrow. It’s such a pleasure to meet you. Finally, we get to see Calista’s legendary fiance in person.”
Up close, Theodore was even more breathtaking. He wasn’t just powerful, but he was young, rich, and devastatingly attractive.
His eyes were sharp and slightly upturned, his nose straight, and his lips thin and precisely shaped. Every feature looked as though it had been carved by hand.
With pale skin, sculpted cheekbones, and a cool, refined expression, he radiated a kind of distant perfection. He was like someone far too untouchable to belong to the same world as everyone else.
Even Noah, who had always been praised for his good looks, suddenly seemed dull by comparison.
