Chapter 4

I barely touched my breakfast, and now my stomach churned violently on the way to the shoot.

By the time we arrived, nausea clawed at my throat. I stumbled out of the car, leaning against it, gulping in fresh air in an attempt to settle the sickness.

Meanwhile, Atlas was carefully lifting the hem of Ivy’s gown, his head slightly bowed as he guided her into the

studio with the utmost care.

I watched in silence.

The man who once promised to cherish me–who used to hold my hand so protectively–was now treating another woman as though she were the most precious thing in the world.

I pressed a hand to my stomach, swallowing back the bitter taste in my mouth.

“Celeste,” Atlas called out to me, his voice laced with frustration. “The shoot is about to start. Be nice–just do your job. This is important for both Ivy and Whitmore Industries.”

Without warning, he grabbed my wrist and yanked me forward. I stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.

Pain flared up my arm, but Atlas had already turned away, his attention elsewhere, as if I were nothing more than a reluctant participant in his carefully orchestrated world.

It had been five years since I last held a camera. Now, as I raised it, my hands trembled.

Fear gripped me, a cold and suffocating weight pressing down on my chest. But I forced myself to push through it.

Click

With each shutter press, I fought against the flood of emotions threatening to drown me.

Grief.

Rage.

Betrayal.

kept going, each snap of the camera a desperate attempt to

She scrolled through the shots, a slow smirk curling on her

turned to me, her voice light,

really are just like your father, Celeste,” she said, her words laced with venom. “Pathetic. A

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Love, Seven Minutes of ruth

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Chapter 4

hard you try, you’ll never be good enough”

into my

my body trembling as white hot rage

And then-

*Slap.*

my cheek, leaving a burning trail

before looking

expected you get married with Atlas after you were discarded by your fiancé. Do you

voice dropping

my ear. “Atlas belongs to me. Just like your ex–fiancé. You don’t

stood frozen, my cheek throbbing, my ears ringing with her

Ivy suddenly grabbed my wrist–and in one swift motion, she slammed my hand across

her own face.

backward, letting herself crumple onto the floor in a perfect display of helplessness.

eyes as she cradled her cheek, looking

her voice shaking with false innocence. “I just wanted to ask if you could try a different angle for me. If you don’t want to, that’s fine… there’s

door creaked open. A ceramic cup slipped from Atlas’s fingers, shattering

twisted with shock, quickly darkening into fury. In two long strides, he reached Ivy’s side, shoving

knelt beside her.

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