CHAPTER 3: The Wife Who Should Not Exist
Celeste Blackwood had spent two years building a perfect life out of stolen pieces.
She stole Adrian’s trust with forged emails. She stole Naomi’s letters before they reached his legal team. She stole a marriage certificate from a county archive and buried it under sealed motions, paid clerks, and threats disguised as favors.
By the time Adrian returned to New York, Celeste had already introduced herself to society as Mrs. Blackwood.
Naomi became the mistake Celeste could not erase.
The first time Naomi appeared at the estate gate, Celeste recognized her immediately from the file locked in Adrian’s old study. Young. Beautiful. Quiet. Dangerous because she carried the only document that could destroy everything.
Celeste should have had her removed that day.
Instead, she made a colder choice.
She hired Naomi.
There was pleasure in watching the true wife carry laundry through the halls where her own wedding portrait hung. There was satisfaction in correcting Naomi’s posture, criticizing her speech, making her serve dinner to people who called Celeste elegant and untouchable.
But pregnancy changed the rules.
A pregnant Naomi meant a child. A child meant inheritance. A child meant bloodline, lawyers, board seats, and a Blackwood heir Celeste could never control.
That was why the confession mattered.
If Naomi signed, Celeste could make her disappear as a disgraced employee before anyone connected her to Adrian. If Naomi refused, Celeste would escalate.
Naomi understood that now.
She looked at the pen on the floor, then at Celeste.
“You’re not his wife,” Naomi said.
The room went silent.
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Celeste stood slowly, her eyes wide with rage.
Then she leaned down and whispered, “By tomorrow morning, no one will believe you were ever anything at all.”
