My Wife Never Knew Who I Really Was

Before Celeste could see that figure clearly, the passenger door had already opened.

Vivian stepped out of the car with a bright smile on her face.

She quickly walked to Celeste and took both her hands.

"Celeste, did I make you wait long?"

Vivian blocked Celeste's line of sight. Celeste instinctively tilted her head, wanting to look past Vivian and continue staring at the man getting out from the driver's seat.

"No. Not really."

Her mouth answered casually, but her eyes were still trying to glance behind Vivian.

"I only just arrived."

Vivian noticed her movement immediately and teased her with a smile. "What is it? Celeste, are you that curious about my boyfriend?"

Celeste did not panic after being exposed.

She withdrew her gaze and looked at Vivian, saying confidently, "Of course. You're my best friend, and this is the first boyfriend you've ever dated. How could I not be curious?"

She paused, her tone carrying a little playfulness.

"I want to see what kind of man could charm our great President West like this."

Vivian was amused by her words.

She leaned closer to Celeste and lowered her voice, her face carrying a bit of small pride.

"Then prepare yourself."

She deliberately kept her in suspense. "He's a little too handsome. Like a television star."

In all the years Celeste had known Vivian, this was the first time she had seen Vivian show such an expression.

That joy from the heart could not be hidden.

Celeste understood that Vivian had truly fallen for him.

No one knew better than Celeste how Vivian had treated other men in the past.

Keeping people a thousand miles away. Cold as frost. Giving no false hope.

But now, for one man, Vivian was actually showing this softer, almost girlish side.

That made Celeste even more curious about the mysterious Mr. Cole.

At that moment, a voice came from behind Vivian.

"Vivian, who's this?"

Celeste's body stiffened slightly.

That voice...

Why did it sound familiar?

Hearing the voice, Vivian turned and walked to Ethan. She took his hand and pulled him in front of Celeste.

Smiling, she said, "Let me introduce you. This is Celeste Shaw, the billionaire president of Shaw Group, and my best friend."

Then she looked at Celeste.

"Celeste, this is my boyfriend, Ethan Cole."

Vivian paused, still smiling, not yet realizing the storm beneath the surface. "Funny thing is, he even has the same name as your ex-husband. I used to barely look at that man, so I never connected it until now."

Ethan Cole.

Those two words struck Celeste's heart like a ten-thousand-ton hammer.

Her pupils contracted sharply, and her entire body froze in place.

She stared at the Ethan in front of her.

Even if this face were burned to ash, Celeste would recognize it.

It was Ethan.

Absolutely Ethan.

The man who had been her live-in husband for three years. The ex-husband she had divorced not long ago and sent away with nothing.

Celeste's mind buzzed, going completely blank.

Ethan looked at her stunned expression, and the smile at the corner of his mouth deepened.

He politely extended a hand.

"I've heard so much about you."

His voice was calm, as if he were greeting a stranger. "A pleasure to finally meet you."

His hand remained in the air.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds passed.

Celeste stood there without moving, giving no reaction at all.

She stared hard at Ethan. Her gaze was complicated, like a pool so deep the bottom could not be seen.

Shock. Confusion. Anger.

And a trace of something even she could not explain.

Vivian clearly had not realized the severity of the situation.

Seeing Celeste staring blankly, she even joked, "Celeste, I know my boyfriend is good-looking, but you don't have to look that seriously."

She laughed and shook Celeste's arm.

Only then did Celeste come back to herself.

Her gaze moved back and forth between Ethan and Vivian.

The two stood together, hand in hand, close and intimate. Vivian's face carried a happy smile.

The picture was painfully glaring.

Celeste could see that Vivian seemed completely unaware that the man in front of her was Celeste's ex-husband.

What exactly is he trying to do?

Countless thoughts flashed through Celeste's mind.

He really got together with my best friend?

Very quickly, Celeste realized another, even more terrifying fact.

Ethan was that Mr. Cole?

The hidden big shot who controlled the four major families?

The man who could subdue armed robbers with his bare hands, possessed medical skill capable of pulling someone back from death, and saved Malcolm Montgomery's life?

Celeste stared at that familiar yet unfamiliar face, and violent waves surged in her heart.

She did not understand.

How could one person change so much in just a few days?

A few days ago, he had still been wearing faded shirts and an apron, moving around the kitchen, quietly serving her three meals a day without complaint.

A few days later, he had become the most powerful man in Northbridge.

Celeste could not figure out whether she had gone insane or the world had.

"Miss Shaw?"

Ethan's hand was still suspended in the air as he reminded her again.

His voice was still calm, but deep in his eyes was a glimmer only Celeste could understand.

Provocation.

The moment Celeste met his gaze, she understood.

He was doing this on purpose.

He had appeared in front of her this way on purpose.

Absolutely on purpose.

Celeste clenched her back teeth so hard they almost ground together.

She wanted to question him. Wanted to lose her temper. Wanted to throw every ugly word in her mind at Ethan's face.

But...

She glanced beside her.

Vivian was looking at her with expectation, her eyes full of happiness.

If Celeste exposed everything now, where would that leave Vivian?

Celeste took a deep breath.

She swallowed every word that had reached her mouth.

Then she forced a smile onto her face and reached out, taking Ethan's hand.

"Hello. Nice to meet you."

Her mouth said nice, but her teeth were nearly cracking.

She secretly tightened her grip, wanting to give Ethan a warning and remind him to stay away from Vivian.

But Ethan seemed to have expected it.

He only clasped her hand lightly, then let go, giving Celeste no chance to make use of the moment.

Then he stepped to Vivian's side and put an arm around her shoulders.

"Miss Shaw, don't mind me."

He looked at Celeste with a harmless smile. "My girlfriend gets jealous rather easily. If I touch another woman for more than three seconds, the vinegar jar explodes."

Vivian's face flushed slightly.

She raised her fist and lightly bumped Ethan's chest, complaining, "What nonsense are you talking about? I'm not that dramatic."

She did not deny that she could get jealous.

But she would not get jealous over her best friend.

Ethan smiled, held her hand, and brought it to his lips for a kiss.

Their interaction was intimate and natural, as if no one else was present.

Celeste stood to the side and watched them laugh and act close.

Her fist clenched hard.

Her nails sank into her palm, sending a faint pain through her skin. Even so, her face maintained an appropriate smile.

Ethan seemed to sense her gaze and looked over.

Their eyes met in the air.

Celeste issued a silent warning with her eyes.

That gaze seemed to question him.

Ethan, what exactly are you trying to do?

Ethan acted as if he had not seen it and looked away.

His eyes landed on Marcus, who was still kneeling on the floor. His brows lifted slightly.

"Why are you here?"

Hearing this, Marcus trembled.

He hurriedly knelt lower, not daring to raise his head.

"Mr. Cole! I've reflected on myself. I truly know I was wrong. Please don't misunderstand. I didn't come here to cause trouble for you."

He explained urgently, "The other three families and I booked Drunken Immortal House to apologize to you. I happened to meet Miss Shaw and only then found out you were also dining here tonight."

Then he knocked his forehead to the floor three times.

"Mr. Cole, please be magnanimous and spare me this once."

"At least you still have some sense."

Those few words made Marcus feel as if he had been granted a pardon.

He thanked Ethan repeatedly.

"Thank you, Mr. Cole. Thank you, Mr. Cole."

Ethan was too lazy to bother with him further.

He rubbed his stomach and turned to Vivian.

"Honey, I'm hungry. Let's go in and eat."

Vivian nodded.

Then she turned back to Celeste. "Celeste, let's go."

Celeste came back to herself and smiled.

"All right."

She followed them.

But the instant Vivian's gaze left her, the smile on Celeste's face vanished at terrifying speed.

What replaced it was a bone-deep chill.

Marcus, still kneeling on the floor, happened to look up and saw it all.

Author's Note:

This story will continue updating here.

If you want to read more, you can unlock it here:

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Thank you for reading.