"That bitch!"
Ceres stormed into her bedroom, fury boiling in her veins. The moment the heavy door slammed shut behind her, she seized the nearest vase...an exquisite, hand-painted porcelain antique worth a small fortune...and hurled it across the room. The deafening crash as it shattered against the marble floor did little to soothe the fire raging inside her.
"You really think flaunting your victory in my face will make me accept it?" she seethed, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "You want me to acknowledge that Ryzel chose you over me?" A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "Then I will show you what happens to people who take what is mine."
The words dripped with venom.
She wasn't done.
Her rage demanded more.
One after another, she grabbed whatever she could get her hands on...perfume bottles, crystal figurines, picture frames, even an entire jewelry box...hurling them with unrestrained fury. Each crash, each shattering sound, sent a twisted sense of satisfaction rippling through her.
But deep inside, she knew the truth.
It was never about Ryzel.
She no longer loved him. The moment he had turned his back on her and chosen Ciena, whatever foolish affection she had felt had shriveled and died.
This wasn't about love.
This was about pride.
Everyone chose her.
It had always been that way.
That was how the world worked.
She was Ceres Evadne Monteverde.
Her name alone demanded reverence. It was her destiny to stand above all others...to be the first choice, the only choice.
How dare Ryzel pick someone else?
How dare Ciena waltz into her life and disrupt her perfect world?
She would never forgive them.
A slow, wicked smile curled on her lips as an idea took root in her mind...twisting, growing, blooming into something darkly exquisite.
Ceres reached for her phone and dialed a familiar number.
The call barely rang before a voice, warm and honeyed, greeted her on the other end.
"My love," came the deep, velvety voice of Zeus Falcon.
Ceres rolled her eyes, not in the mood for sweet talk. "Zeus." Her voice was laced with irritation. "Remember the wedding gown you had made for me?"
A pause. Then, his tone turned indulgent. "Of course. Why do you ask?"
Zeus Falcon.
Ryzel's elder cousin.
The Falcons were wealthier than the Clarks by a mile, their family's influence reaching beyond the country, stretching into the highest echelons of power. And Zeus?
Zeus had been obsessed with Ceres since the moment he laid eyes on her.
There was nothing he wouldn't do for her.
Even when she had been with Ryzel, Zeus had shamelessly pursued her, showering her with extravagant gifts, whispering promises of a life far grander than what Ryzel could ever offer.
It hadn't mattered that she had scorned him, humiliated him, used him.
Zeus remained devoted.
He had once begged her...begged...to make him her lover, even if it meant sharing her with Ryzel.
And when wedding plans for her and Ryzel had been underway, Zeus had insisted on commissioning the design for her dream wedding gown. A gift, he had called it.
Now, that gown belonged to him.
A symbol of what could have been.
"Is it finished?" Ceres asked coolly.
"Yes," Zeus answered, his voice dripping with affection. "I had it stored in a private vault in Sweden. Do you want to wear it? Say the word, my love, and by tomorrow, it will be on its way to you. If you want, I can even be your groom," he added, a teasing chuckle in his voice. "I'll give you the most extravagant wedding this world has ever seen...one that will make everyone envious."
Ceres smirked, her fingers tracing the golden embroidery on the bedpost absentmindedly.
"I'm going to wear it," she said.
Zeus inhaled sharply, anticipation thick in his silence.
"To my sister's wedding."
Dead silence.
For the first time in years, Zeus Falcon was at a loss for words.
"My love… you're going to wear it to someone else's wedding?" His voice held disbelief, barely concealing his disappointment. "To Ryzel's wedding?"
Ceres could hear the conflict in his tone. He was no fool. He knew exactly what she was planning.
She would never allow that wedding to go smoothly.
And now that Ryzel and Ciena were finally getting married, Zeus had hoped...assumed...that Ceres would finally see him, truly see him, now that her rival was gone.
Instead, she was fixated on ruining everything.
"Yes," she answered, her tone sharp. "Do I have to repeat myself?"
Zeus exhaled heavily.
He was hopelessly in love with a woman who would never love him back.
And yet, despite knowing that, despite the chaos she was about to unleash, he still found himself smiling.
How could he ever say no to her?
"…I'll make the arrangements," he murmured.
Ceres's smirk widened.
"Okay," Ceres replied, her voice calm, almost indifferent. "But keep it with you. I don't want anyone to know what I'm planning. It's going to be a surprise."
Zeus Falcon pressed his lips together, exhaling slowly.
"I will," he murmured, but before he could say more, the call ended abruptly.
Ceres had never been one for pleasantries.
With a sigh, Zeus leaned back against the leather seat of his chair, staring blankly at the phone in his hand.
She was really going to do it.
The gown...her dream wedding dress...was an absolute masterpiece. It had taken nearly a year to complete, crafted from the finest silk and adorned with fifteen different kinds of rare gemstones, each piece handpicked to complement the moonlight.
It was worth over ten million dollars.
A gown designed to make her shine like the celestial goddess she was.
At night, under the right lighting, she would look like she was wearing the stars themselves.
And yet…
She was going to wear it to sabotage someone else's wedding.
Zeus closed his eyes, feeling frustration coil in his gut.
Ceres had never been his.
But damn if she didn't own him.
A sharp moan broke through his thoughts, and he snapped his eyes open, irritation flickering across his face.
"Can't you do it properly?" he snapped.
The woman kneeling before him flinched, her lips trembling.
"I-I'm sorry," she stammered, looking close to tears.
Zeus barely even remembered her name. He didn't care to.
Women threw themselves at him like desperate beggars, eager to please, willing to do anything for a night in his bed, for the chance to say they had been with a Falcon.
And yet, not one of them could ever hold his interest for long.
None of them were Ceres.
With an irritated scoff, he pushed the woman away, standing up and brushing off his suit as if disgusted by the whole encounter.
"I'm done."
The woman's eyes widened in shock. "B-But..."
He reached for his wallet, pulled out a check, and slapped it onto the bedside table.
"Ten thousand dollars," he said flatly. "Consider it payment for your time."
And just like that, he left.
By the time he stepped out of the hotel, the cool night air did little to ease his mood. He slid into the sleek black Lamborghini waiting for him outside, the engine purring to life as he pulled out his phone.
With a single press, the line connected.
"Hello, Mr. Falcon," a nervous voice greeted him on the other end.
"Have the wedding dress delivered to my mansion immediately," Zeus ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument.
"Y-Yes, sir! Right away!"
Without another word, he hung up.
Zeus tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his mind drifting to Ceres once again.
At twenty-eight, he had built an empire.
People feared him. Respected him. He could intimidate anyone with just a look, bend them to his will with just a few words.
Anyone… except for her.
If he wanted, he could take Ceres by force.
It would be easy.
But Zeus Falcon was not a man who forced women to be with him.
He had never done it before, and he sure as hell wasn't going to start with her.
He didn't need to.
Because if she ever willed it...if she so much as whispered his name with even the slightest invitation...he would burn the world down for her.
And if she asked…
If she truly wanted it…
He could even give her Ryzel.
After all, he knew exactly how to break his cousin.
That was how much he loved her.
Zeus smirked darkly.
And Ceres?
She had no idea just how much power she had over him.