THE BILLIONAIRE'S CRYBABY
Chapter 175: BEFORE THE ROOSTERS

Chapter 175: BEFORE THE ROOSTERS

The morning of the annual Atticus fundraising-dinner event, Celine Atticus rose earlier than the roosters, tied her robe, and grabbed her phone from the bedside table.

She walked to the balcony, and placed the items on the table she had suggested be placed there.

Taking a seat, she dialed Reign Kings.

Reign, who had barely had any sleep because of her anxiousness of the event, picked up in a heartbeat.

"Why are you only just calling?" She asked in an accusatory tone.

Celine rolled her eyes. Opening the small box she also carried with her, she picked a cigarette, and a lighter.

"Why didn’t you call if you wanted to talk?" She asked, and took a puff.

She loved the hour before dawn so much. It was quiet, and not filled with unnecessary noise.

Soon, the maids would get up, and work would ensue.

It was going to be a long day, and if her threat had any impact, an eventful one.

"Because Ace has been very moody, and I have to be careful around him, since I’m trying my best to comfort him."

"Speaking about Ace, you threw me under the boss the day he walked into the matriarch’s home office."

"I had to. He knows you neither like him or his mother. It would look like I was your accomplice if I hadn’t done that." She quickly rationalized.

Celine took two successive puffs before she spoke again.

"How’s your relationship with him? Is it any better?"

"There’s hope. He seems to be very concerned about my health. It could be because of the baby, but he’s concerned."

"Hmmm," she said, noticing how chirpy her voice sounded. "So you think he really is going to hurt Fay, today?"

"I know so. I’m very confident. I can’t even wait, because I’m definitely going to have a front seat to her meltdown."

Thin lines that hardened Celine’s features relaxed, and her lips even curved with an attempt to smile.

"The matriarch understood my threat then. You have to play your part when Fay is gone. Have him whipped, and desperate for you. Then you can do whatever you want with his love, whilst I get Spades," she said in a dreamy voice.

She could already picture herself seated on the chair that Ace currently filled.

President Celine Atticus sounded like one hell of a good time.

"My father’s company is more than enough for Ace. You can have Spades all you want. But you can’t hurt him. If you ever do, our deal is off."

"Are you threatening me, Reign?" She sat right up, her eyes curving dangerously.

"I’m not. I’m just telling you not to betray me. Today, we’re going to have a good time. But there will be tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that. I hope we continue to be on good terms."

She relaxed into her seat, but her guard remained up.

"Well for the sake of our alliance, I hope you’re right. I hope today, Ace destroys Fay."

She ended the call, and drew her gaze to the gate.

From where she sat, she could see a good chunk of the Atticus mansion.

It was the quiet, before the storm. She loved fundraisers, and generally, Atticus events.

There was always a scandal or two. Something interesting always happened.

However, she couldn’t shake off the nervous feeling that tightened her stomach.

The cigarette wasn’t enough to calm her. She sighed, wishing she had also picked up her precious bottle of whiskey.

Ever since Ace told her about her children visiting, she had been on edge.

She called, but none responded to her call. They knew if they did, she would tell them to remain abroad for a little more time.

Spades was going to be hers soon. She wanted that to happen before they returned.

That way, she would introduce them as the Atticus heirs, and everyone would envy her.

There was one person that had to be behind her children’s sudden urge to return home.

Grabbing her phone from the table, she dialed her husband.

As the phone rang, she held her breath in anticipation. He was dating a model in her mid thirties these days.

She not only thought of the woman as shameful for still modeling at that age, she also considered her a fool, for being involved with a man that was still married.

If everyone could be as modest as she was, the world had a shot of being a better place.

But no, the world was too filled with lust to be able to hold in their desires.

The ringing stopped, and she rolled her eyes hard. She wasn’t expecting him to pick up his phone at this time, anyway.

He would have seen she was calling. Was there anything he loved to do more than to spite her? Hence, his refusal to answer.

"Well two can play that game, sucker," she muttered under her breath, as she called him again.

It rang through, but he still didn’t pick. She tried the third time, and on the first ring, he picked up.

"Is this the way you plan on leading a City? Don’t you know that as governor, mayor or whatever it is you say you’re contesting for, you’d be required to be alert at all times?"

"Hello?" A feminine voice replied.

Her hand holding the cigarettes almost squashed it to nothing.

It was her. It was the model answering her husband’s phone.

"Why are you picking up David’s phone? Is he dead?" She asked, unable to filter out the bitterness in her voice.

"No, he’s alive. Unfortunately, he’s sleeping. He was up until about an hour ago. He really needs the rest because of a meeting later in the day. Who do I tell him called, when he wakes up?"

Celine scoffed in disbelief. She could not believe the audacity of the bitch not to know her voice.

Even though her stupid husband did not save her number in his phone, she was even angrier that his whore could not recognize her voice.

"It’s his wife. Celine Atticus." She laid emphasis on every syllable.

The end of the line went silent for a few seconds, causing a smug smile to appear on her face.

"You better be silent," she thought. "You know you’re no match for me."

"I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was you. I wonder why David doesn’t have your number saved."

"Are you sure you didn’t delete it from his phone? I know opportunistic women like you. Aren’t you even ashamed of yourself for being involved with a married man?"

"With all due respect, Ms Celine, your husband said you both are separated, and headed towards divorce. I don’t see anything wrong with being with him."

"Of course you won’t. You’re a pathetic whore after all. Tell David to call me the second he’s up. It’s either that, or I go to the venue where he has this so-called important meeting. I’m sure he wouldn’t want that." She ended the call, and threw her phone on the table.

It landed just at the edge, almost falling to the ground.

"What did the poor girl do to you, Celine? If you have a problem with your husband, why take it up with her?"

She turned on hearing the matriarch’s voice. How the old hawk had sneaked up on her, despite using that cane which always announced her presence even before she was visible, worried her.

"Why are you up so early, and eavesdropping on my call?" she asked, irate.

"Because I knew you would be up. You do this every time there’s an event in the house."

"So you monitor me?"

The matriarch laughed, and fully walked into the balcony. She took the chair facing Celine, and sat down.

Before she spoke again, she observed Celine.

Every time she did, it was to catch even a glimpse of redemption.

It was in hopes that she really didn’t have a direct hand in the death of her twin brother.

That when it was all said and done, her wickedness was just surface level, and not crime worthy.

"Why are you looking at me as if I stole something from you?" She shifted uncomfortably when the matriarch wouldn’t speak, but just kept on staring at her.

"I was thinking about you as a child. You were full of life. Do you know what you wanted to be when you were two?"

She shook her head to stop herself from telling her mother how she didn’t care to know. Because she was sure the conversation would circle back to her desire for Spades.

"A runner. You loved to just sprint away. At first we thought it was just a toddlers initiative, but then you started school, and joined the track team."

"What’s the point of going down this memory lane, mother?" She asked in a bored tone.

"I’m just reminiscing, because it’s been so long since I’ve seen you as happy as you were when you still ran."

"You want to know when I’ll be happy again?" She rose to her feet defiantly.

"Sure baby. Tell me what I can do to see you genuinely smile again."

"Give me spades."

She tossed the cigarette to the ground, and grabbed her devices.

"See you at the event, mother," she said behind her shoulder, as she walked away.