Chapter 64 What a seductive little vixen!

The next morning, Nathaniel was off to the office first thing.

On the ride there, Felix filled him in on the latest updates.

"Miss Stewart hasn't backed down yet; she's still set on meeting you. Want me to handle it?"

"No need," Nathaniel replied, his attention shifting from the window with a sudden spark of interest, "Let her come, and actually... let's give her a spokesperson role."

"What?"

"She's a celebrity, right? Not exactly A-list, but her image works."

Felix was taken aback, catching Nathaniel's serious expression in the rearview mirror, obviously taken aback, "But wouldn't this upset Mrs. Ford..."

"If it upsets her, that's perfect." A slow smile spread across Nathaniel's face as he closed his eyes, savoring the thought.

Last night, Celeste, though initially reluctant, had impressed him greatly.

By the end of it, under him, she was begging and clinging tightly to him. When he took his time, she showed her true colors, turning to take control and ride him, determined to take the lead.

Usually, she's all sweetness and compliance, but in the heat of passion, her true, daring nature occasionally breaks through.

"Mr. Ford, what are you implying?"

Nathaniel opened his eyes, his voice rough with curiosity, "I'm intrigued. The 'villainess' Hallie talked about, and the Celeste by my side—how can they be the same person?"

He knew Celeste was hiding something, yet he could not reconcile her with the person Hallie described, who would resort to bullying and violence at school.

...

The following day, Celeste picked up Sophia on time and headed to the hotel. They settled in a chic café.

Sophia looked every bit the charming young girl, while Celeste was the epitome of elegance in high heels and a tailored vintage cheongsam, her hair swept up with just a lock brushing her ear, radiating poise and wealth.

"Look at you, all confident," Sophia remarked, enjoying her coffee, "But true, though we haven't found the boss's body, after his plunge into the sea, he's probably gone for good."

"That's true, but we still need to tie up loose ends. We've lost track of that shipment." Celeste played absentmindedly with a ring.

It was a sophisticated, antique-looking ring Nathaniel had given her last night, which complemented her attire perfectly.

"Wait, is that Hallie?" Sophia, bored, was scrolling on her phone when she suddenly spotted a notification.

She quickly handed it to Celeste, "What's going on with her and Nathaniel? Why are there rumors about them now?"

"From a third-rate celeb to the Ford Group’s spokesperson," the headline declared.

The photo showed Nathaniel and Hallie entering a building together, with details of Hallie landing a spokesperson deal for one of Nathaniel's brands.

Celeste's calm gaze sharpened, her delicate fingers tapping on her coffee cup. She smiled slyly, her look cryptic.

"Looks like someone tried to throw you off."

"I know." Celeste took a leisurely sip of her coffee, playing with the artful foam, then glanced at a message on her phone, "I've got a dinner tonight, won't be home."

Nathaniel had sent it.

Not coming home, then?

She allowed a small, knowing smile to form.

Seems like... he might be planning to spend a night with Hallie.

"So Nathaniel looks like he's going to cheat? And he's not even trying to hide it from you?" Sophia had barely finished speaking when Celeste slammed her coffee cup down on the table with a loud clack.

She looked up, her face glowing with a dazzling smile, but her lips parted to release a chilly challenge.

"Let him try."

…

"Mr. Ford, care to try this drink I mixed especially for you?" Hallie, clad in a form-fitting black dress that revealed more cleavage than it covered, pulled at her neckline for even more effect.

She swayed towards Nathaniel, pressing up against him with a coy tilt of her body.

"Why not give it a taste, Mr. Ford?"

Nathaniel shot her a frosty glance and his brow furrowed in displeasure.

The strong scent was off-putting, and he particularly disliked any woman other than Celeste getting too close.

Then, suddenly, Celeste burst through the door, striding directly up to them, snatched the custom-mixed drink from Hallie, and downed it in one gulp.

"You—Celeste, what are you doing?"

"Not bad at all. Seems like being a minor celebrity is selling yourself short, Hallie. Maybe you should consider being a star bartender instead!"

Hallie's face turned sour. Celeste's sarcasm hit home, reminding her of her notorious bar-hopping days during her college years.

Yet, she managed a forced smile and responded, "If you like it, I can come mix drinks for you and Mr. Ford every day."

"That would be great!" Celeste beamed with a feigned innocence. "I'm sure Felix and everyone else at the company would love it too… it's just a few thousand people, right? You enjoy mixing drinks, how about one for each?"

"I'm here for the shoot, not to wait tables!" Hallie retorted. Could Celeste seriously expect her to serve drinks to thousands of employees?

And more to the point, were they even worth it?

"So you do remember you're here to shoot? I almost thought you were planning to use bartending as a pretext to strip down and hop into my husband's bed."

"I didn't!" Hallie's face flushed then paled as her secret thoughts were laid bare.

"Since you didn't, you can leave now." Nathaniel finally spoke up, his stern face signaling Hallie it was time to exit.

Unbeknownst to her, he had been thoroughly seduced by another.

As soon as Celeste came in, she had shed her coat to reveal a seductively bare waist and hips, and deliberately strutted around the desk in front of him.

With Hallie gone, Nathaniel quickly drew Celeste into his embrace.

His hands explored her body freely, not just touching but diving his face into her...

"What a seductive little vixen!"