Chapter 58 I'm here to expose Celeste's vile secrets!

"Uh... Mr. Ford, stop!"

Celeste blurted out, scrambling to hold him back.

Their eyes met briefly, hers filled with a flash of panic.

Celeste couldn't read Nathaniel's mind. She quickly lowered her gaze, speaking with a hint of embarrassment, "We just did it in the car, not too long ago."

"I'm still up for it. Are you saying you're not?" Nathaniel's face was calm, shadowed by the light, his emotions unreadable.

As he spoke, he confidently began to remove her clothes, his hands assertively caressing her chest, shaping it boldly.

His fingers exposed her skin, his expression cool and steady, seemingly not driven by lust but rather examining something...

Examining?

A realization hit Celeste!

Nathaniel had always been suspicious. Even with Sophia's help, he wouldn't let go of his suspicions until "Scarlett" was completely caught.

This forceful behavior wasn't out of desire; it was a test—

Yes.

Just ten minutes ago, she had hastily claimed she might be pregnant!

"Mr. Ford, this isn't good. My period is late, and if there really is a baby, this could harm it," Celeste quickly intervened, trying to remedy the situation.

Hearing this, Nathaniel stopped.

He looked down at her, a smile finally breaking through, and after a long pause, he said slowly, "Alright, I'll get a doctor to check tomorrow."

"Uh, it might not be... you know, my periods have always been irregular..." Celeste was tentative, afraid of being exposed.

"It's okay, it'll happen sooner or later." Nathaniel's voice was husky as he buried his face in her neck.

But looking at her now, Celeste didn't seem much like Scarlett.

Yet that birthmark, which appeared just then, and her figure... everything pointed to her.

Tomorrow, he'd dig deeper. If Celeste was deceiving him, he wouldn't stand for it.

Celeste finally exhaled in relief.

That was close.

Just a bit more, and if she had forgotten about her earlier mention of pregnancy, he would have immediately caught on.

After all, if she were "Scarlett," then mentioning pregnancy would have been a hastily concocted excuse, and she wouldn't worry about the potential impact of sexual activity on the baby.

Thinking about it sent a chill down her spine; Nathaniel was too sharp, too tough to fool.

To be absolutely safe, she needed to find a way to meet Zoe tomorrow.

If possible, after completing her mission, she wanted "Scarlett" to vanish from the world completely.

Then, she could truly retire and live as Celeste, just an ordinary person.

…

Early in the morning, Nathaniel's doctor arrived at the villa, which had been transformed into a makeshift medical facility.

They were there to confirm Celeste's suspected pregnancy.

However, the results came back negative sooner than expected.

"Mrs. Ford, don't worry. You're in good health. Pregnancy will come with time," the doctor reassured her.

"Okay, thank you. " Celeste replied, a hint of disappointment flickering in her eyes.

She had genuinely hoped for a child with Nathaniel.

After a moment of contemplation, she decided to call Nathaniel.

"Mr. Ford, the results are in... it appears I'm not pregnant," she said, bracing herself for his reaction.

To her surprise, Nathaniel's response was gentle, tinged with unspoken emotions.

"Are you alright?"

"Just a delayed period, nothing else, according to the doctor."

"That's good to hear."

Celeste was puzzled by Nathaniel's unusually calm demeanor.

His lack of concern now that her pregnancy ruse had failed was baffling.

"Mr. Ford, aren't you disappointed?" she probed, her fingers tapping on her water glass, a subtle sign of her building frustration. "We've been married for a while now."

Nathaniel chuckled softly.

"Is Mrs. Ford getting impatient? Eager to have my child, or do you think I haven't been putting in enough effort?"

"Please, I'm serious," Celeste replied her tone a mix of annoyance and urgency. She wasn't usually this forward. "By the way, there's an invitation to a party tonight. It seems like it could be interesting."

"Do you want to go?"

Nathaniel asked, eyeing the unfamiliar woman seated before him. He flashed an inscrutable smile upon hearing Celeste's words over the phone.

He was aware of the recent troubles and found it curious that Celeste now showed interest in an event she normally wouldn't care for.

Celeste didn't have many friends in Sea City, and her usual excuse for visiting the orphanage was wearing thin. The party, at the prestigious Castor Hotel downtown, coincided with Zoe's press conference.

"Of course, my dear. I'll arrange for some security to accompany you," Nathaniel offered immediately.

"No..." Celeste started to refuse instinctively.

But considering the recent threat at the yacht, refusing security seemed imprudent.

"Alright then, thank you," she agreed reluctantly.

After hanging up, the smile vanished from Nathaniel's eyes, replaced by a cold, calculating gaze.

He turned his attention to the blonde woman sitting across from him in his office, the air thick with tension.

"Hallie Stewart?"

"Yes, Mr. Ford, I'm Celeste's former classmate. I was the one who sent you that information," she confessed.

She had come forward after overhearing Ava investigate Celeste's past, motivated by a personal vendetta against her!

Hallie hadn't expected Nathaniel—Sea City's most eligible bachelor—to be Celeste's husband.

Seeing an opportunity, she embraced the chance to potentially replace Celeste.

Feeling a rush of excitement, Hallie leaned forward, her red lips parting seductively. "Mr. Ford, I'm here to expose Celeste's vile secrets!"