I Slapped My Fiancé—Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis
Chapter 187 - 188 Photo

Chapter 187: Chapter 188 Photo

I couldn’t stop the grin. It felt too wide. ‘I’m telling him. That I want us to be official. About my... feelings.’

She shot upright so fast the stool skidded. ‘You’re finally doing it! Good. Say it, serve the cake, drag him to bed—boom. Perfect night.’

‘Keep your voice down,’ I hissed, yanking her sleeve. ‘There’s literally a child two feet away.’

She cackled and dropped back onto the stool. ‘Sorry. I’m just happy for you. Leave the cake to me.’

‘Something simple’s fine,’ I said, then paused. ‘Oh, by the way. That boyfriend of yours. Cade Lawson? I saw his face on a promo banner. He’s doing some kind of reality show?’

‘Yeah.’ Yvaine nodded. ‘He passed the audition. No clue when filming starts, though. Probably after the holidays.’

‘You sure about this? He’s already got a fanbase. I’ve seen them fight people online like it’s blood sport. And don’t those shows ban contestants from dating?’

I’d seen a clip of Cade a few nights ago.

If he actually had talent to match that face, the show would blow him up in minutes.

If the fans or the show’s organisers found out he had a girlfriend, they’d eat him alive.

Yvaine patted my arm. ‘Relax. I’m not that deep in. It’s fun, that’s all. If he gets picked for the show, we might be done by then anyway.’

Her mouth said one thing, but her voice softened every time she mentioned his name.

She couldn’t stop smiling.

I folded my arms. ‘Did he use your connections? I remember your family owns a media company.’

‘No. He didn’t ask for anything. Told me about the audition after he made it through. I swear, Mira, if he even tried to scam me for money or resources, I’d kneecap him. He sings at Club Roxy. He got in because he’s good.’

‘Fine. Just don’t let him screw you over.’

‘He won’t. He’s decent. When you and Ashton finally lock it down, I’ll bring Cade and we’ll double date.’

I gave her a nod. ‘As long as you’re not going in blind. I’ve gotta get back.’

‘Got it. I’ll text when the cake’s ready.’

I left Sugar & Whim and crossed the street to the studio.

Everything inside buzzed.

Priya was hunched over a prototype at her desk, muttering about bezels.

Daniel sat cross-legged on the floor with his laptop, cursing at the dev server.

The final version of my competition pieces had just been cast.

If the numbers held, we’d sell out within a week.

But the backend was a mess.

Every time the site got a spike in traffic, it choked like it was built in 2004.

Daniel needed to rip it apart and rebuild something that wouldn’t crash if someone so much as sneezed on it.

The design contest had stirred up a hell of a lot more attention than we’d expected.

My follower count tripled in four days.

A few celebrities who’d ghosted me last month suddenly crawled back with polite emails and fake apologies.

One of them had already signed the paperwork this morning.

I didn’t bother pretending I wasn’t enjoying the turnaround.

By three, we were all running on fumes.

I ordered a stack of pastries and iced drinks from Yvaine’s shop and told Priya and Daniel to stop working for ten minutes or I’d start unplugging things.

We sat upstairs on the narrow mezzanine.

Daniel picked the frosting off a lemon cupcake and popped it into his mouth.

He let out a shout with his mouth still half-full.

‘Holy shit. Rowan Hale’s in Skyline City!’

Priya looked up from her drink. ‘Who?’

‘You don’t know Rowan Hale?’ Daniel gaped at her like she’d just asked if the sky was blue. ‘She’s a singer. She was based overseas for ages, barely known here. But I used to blast her album on repeat in college. I even went to her concert in Amsterdam. Her voice? Unreal. If she starts releasing stuff here, the whole industry’s screwed. No one’s ready.’

‘I saw her in Riverbend,’ I said. ‘She was one of the judges.’

‘Right, that’s what I mean!’ Daniel pointed a fork at me. ‘She didn’t promote it at all. If I’d known she was there, I’d have found a way in. I would’ve begged for an autograph, I swear. Now she’s in Skyline, I might actually get a chance to run into her. Not that I’d be able to speak like a human if I did.’

‘How do you know she’s here?’

He shoved his phone in front of my face. ‘Look, someone posted this last night. It’s blurry as hell and she’s basically a silhouette, but I’d know her anywhere.’

I leaned closer to Daniel’s phone.

The photo was grainy, all shadow and glare, but Rowan Hale was unmistakable—sharp jawline, platinum hair tied in a low knot, dark glasses.

Her posture gave her away more than her face.

She was pressed up against the man beside her, almost hanging onto his arm.

Only half his body was in frame.

The rest disappeared into the black.

I couldn’t see his face, but I could see movement—he was mid-step, one arm just ahead of his torso.

I could also see the watch on his left wrist.

It should have been impossible to make out the details from such a photo, but I’d know that watch anywhere.

I’d designed it.

There was only one like it.

I stared at the photo.

My chest went tight.

My mouth stayed shut.

I checked the arm, the shape of the hand, the angle of the fingers.

It was Ashton.

Daniel let out a groan. ‘They were seen heading into a hotel. My heart’s shattered. Can’t believe she just came back and already started dating someone. But I mean—she’s almost thirty. She’s allowed.’

I didn’t look up. ‘A hotel?’

‘Well, not confirmed. But the building in the background looks like one. Zoom in. That’s a hotel lobby, right?’

I didn’t answer.

I leaned back in my chair.

My spine hit the edge hard, but I didn’t shift.

Ashton hadn’t come home till past midnight.