"Serves her right," Diana said with a laugh as she elegantly sipped her latte. Seated across from her at Pâtisserie de Luxe...the most exclusive and expensive luxury pastry shop in the city...she watched her best friend with amusement.
"So, is it true?" she continued, eyes glinting with curiosity. "Three different wedding coordinators have already turned them down? Not a single one accepted?"
Across the pristine white marble table, Ceres smirked over the rim of her coffee cup.
Of course, it was true.
It had been a week since Grandiose Event Planning Services had pulled out of the wedding.
And since then, Ciena had been scrambling.
Ceres knew for a fact that her half-sister hadn't told their mother the real reason why they had lost their wedding planner.
If she had, Cielo would have already come running to Ceres, begging her to lift Zeus's blacklist.
But Ciena was too proud for that.
And Ceres?
She was enjoying every second of it.
If Grandiose...the most powerful event planning service in the country...had walked away from the wedding, then no other agency would dare take on the event.
Not unless they had a death wish.
Because the moment Zeus blacklisted them, it was over.
No one in the industry would be willing to risk bankruptcy by going against him.
Unless Ciena was willing to DIY her own wedding, her only option was to come crawling to Ceres.
Even the Clarks, with all their wealth and influence, could do nothing.
Their power was not enough to override Zeus's authority.
And Ceres knew it.
She knew exactly how much Zeus desired her.
And she had never hesitated to use him.
Not once.
Not that she had ever led him on.
The first time he pursued her, she had made herself clear.
"Don't expect anything from me. I will never love you. If you continue, know that I will only use you."
And yet, he still stayed.
Willing.
Obsessed.
Devoted to her no matter how cruel she was.
And she was more than happy to take advantage of it.
Diana smirked.
"Honestly, did Ciena really think she had a say in her own wedding?" she said, twirling her spoon in her cappuccino.
Ceres exhaled slowly, utterly unbothered, sipping her coffee like a goddess perched upon her throne.
"By now, she should have realized that the only reason she's marrying Ryzel is because I allow it."
Diana raised a brow, intrigued.
"Do you still want him back?"
Ceres let out a low, mocking laugh.
She placed her coffee down, crossing one long leg over the other, her expression bordering on insulted.
"Of course not," she said smoothly.
Her lips curled into a smirk, but her eyes were ice-cold.
"Even if he begged me to take him back, I never would. That man was beneath me."
Diana watched as Ceres casually reached for a delicate macaron, taking a small, elegant bite.
Her tone remained as flawless as ever...calm, indifferent, powerful.
"I just want him to understand," she continued, "that he made the worst mistake of his life leaving me for that pauper. He should have been grateful that I was willing to settle for him."
Diana chuckled, shaking her head.
Of course.
She had always known that Ceres never truly loved Ryzel.
Because there was only one person Ceres Evadne Monteverde had ever loved.
Herself.
And that was precisely why they were friends.
No pretenses. No illusions.
She could mock Ceres, insult her, or even curse at her...without ever worrying about hurting her feelings.
Because Ceres didn't care.
She never did.
And that was why they clicked.
Ceres and Diana continued their conversation, laughter spilling effortlessly between them as they indulged in the misfortune of Ciena and her so-called dream wedding.
It was delightful.
Until their amusement was interrupted.
Ryzel Clark entered the Pâtisserie de Luxe, accompanied by Ciena and Ryza.
Ceres didn't miss the way their gazes immediately locked onto her table.
She sighed internally.
Predictable.
It was obvious they were here for her.
And sure enough, the moment Ryzel spotted her, he made a beeline toward their table, his expression tight with barely contained anger.
Diana arched a brow but said nothing, simply leaning back and watching the unfolding drama like a front-row spectator.
As they approached, Ryzel's eyes never left Ceres.
And Ceres met his gaze head-on, her brows lifting slightly in amusement as if silently asking...
"What? Are you here to grovel?"
Now, Ryzel was an attractive man.
That much was undeniable.
With his chiseled jawline, tall frame, and sharp features, he had been one of the most sought-after bachelors in their social circle.
But next to Zeus?
He looked like a knockoff version of a luxury brand...passable, but not the real thing.
Which was why Ceres had never regretted losing him.
If anything, she found it hilarious that he had the audacity to break their engagement months after their families had publicly announced it.
And now?
He had the nerve to stand in front of her, furious, as if he had any right to be.
"Ceres," Ryzel's voice was sharp, the anger in his tone unmistakable.
Ceres took her time.
She didn't even bother looking up right away, instead delicately sipping her coffee, savoring it, as if he wasn't worth interrupting her moment of leisure.
Only when she was good and ready did she finally glance at him, utterly unbothered.
Ryza, standing just behind her brother, wore a smug expression, while Ciena looked visibly tense, shifting awkwardly on her feet.
But Ceres could see through her sister's act.
Ciena was playing the innocent victim again.
How predictable.
If that was the role she wanted, then fine.
Ceres would play the villainess.
And she would make sure to play it well.
"Have you had your fun already?" Ryzel demanded, irritation lacing every word.
Ceres tilted her head slightly, feigning innocence.
"Fun?" she repeated, her tone mocking.
"What kind of fun?"
Ryzel's jaw tightened.
"You threatened to blacklist every event planner that tried to handle our wedding," he accused.
At that, Ceres finally smiled.
A slow, sweet, breathtaking smile...one that could make any man weak at the knees.
"I'm sorry, but I don't remember doing that," she replied smoothly, voice dripping with politeness.
"The only thing I said was that I wouldn't attend the wedding if the dress I was wearing was pink."
Her smile widened, the picture of charm and elegance.
Ryzel's expression faltered for a second.
And Ceres saw it.
The flicker of hesitation.
The desire in his eyes.
Men were so easy.
Sensing his wavering resolve, she tilted her chin slightly, letting the soft glow of the café's warm lights highlight her flawless features.
And just like that...
He was reminded of what he lost.
The truth was, Ryzel had never wanted to break their engagement.
But Ceres had always been too much.
Too independent.
Too powerful.
Too much of a force of nature.
And that intimidated him.
He needed a woman who would yield to him, who would let him take control.
So he chose Ciena...timid, fragile Ciena, who never argued, who agreed to everything he said, who let him have his way.
He thought Ceres would fight for him.
That she would beg him to stay.
That she would plead for him not to break their engagement.
And that when she did...
He would finally have control over her.
But instead…
She had simply arched a brow and asked why.
When he gave his excuse...that he had fallen for Ciena...she had simply nodded, muttered "How dull," and walked away.
And for the first time in his life...
Ryzel had felt insignificant.
"Can we stop pretending?" Ryzel's voice was laced with frustration as he crossed his arms. "We all know you ran straight to Zeus, playing the victim again."
Diana let out a low whistle, amusement flickering in her eyes.
Ceres? A victim?
Now that was a joke.
Ceres's grip on her coffee cup tightened slightly, but her expression remained calm and composed...except for the flicker of anger that darkened her golden eyes.
"I'm going to warn you, Ryzel," she said, her voice slow, deliberate, dangerous. "Think very carefully about every word that comes out of your mouth… before I run out of patience."
Ryzel hesitated for half a second.
A small crack in his confidence.
But before he could respond, his ever-loyal sister, Ryza, jumped in.
"You're such a bitch!" she snapped, stepping forward. "Because of you, everything is a mess! Now we're running out of time to fix the wedding! Why can't you just admit you're jealous?"
Ceres blinked once.
"Jealous?"
Ryza smirked, thinking she had won. "That's right! Because my brother chose Ciena over you, not the other way around!"
A slow, sharp silence stretched across the air.
Then...
Laughter.
Loud, unapologetic, mocking laughter.
Ceres and Diana both erupted into laughter, their voices ringing through the luxurious café, drawing even more attention from the surrounding customers.
Diana wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, shaking her head.
"My God, Ryza," she said between chuckles, "where do you get your delusions?"
Ceres, still smirking, placed a delicate hand on her chest, as if the mere thought of being jealous was laughable.
"Me?" she said, mocking disbelief. "Jealous?"
Her smirk deepened.
"Tell me, Ryz," she continued smoothly, turning her golden gaze to Ryzel. "Did I ever ask you to choose between me and my sister?"
Ryzel clenched his jaw.
Ceres tilted her head. "No? Then tell me, when you broke up with me, did I even ask you to reconsider?"
Silence.
She already knew the answer.
Her golden eyes flickered coldly as she turned her gaze back to Ryza as if looking down at something insignificant.
"I don't give a damn if your brother marries ten women," she said, her voice as smooth as silk. "He is not a loss to me."
Ryza's face turned red with rage.
"You arrogant bitch! Who the hell do you think you are?!"
Her sudden scream drew the attention of everyone in the café. Conversations halted. All eyes turned toward them.
Ceres simply smirked, resting her chin on her palm.
"Is that really the best you can say?" she mocked. "That's pathetic."
That was it.
Ryza snapped.
Before anyone could react, her hand shot out, delivering a sharp slap across Ceres's cheek.
A collective gasp filled the café.
Even Ceres herself was caught off guard.
For a brief second, everything froze.
Even Ryzel and Ciena looked shocked...as if they hadn't expected Ryza to actually go that far.
Ryza, on the other hand, grinned smugly, savoring the moment as she looked down at Ceres.
"You deserved that," she sneered, satisfied.
But that satisfaction didn't last long.
Diana leaned forward slightly, concern flashing in her eyes.
"Ceres?" she called cautiously.
Ceres didn't move at first.
She slowly placed her coffee down, her fingers unclenching one by one, her breathing eerily calm.
Then, she stood up.
Graceful. Unrushed.
And the moment she did, Ryza's cocky grin vanished.
Because Ceres's golden eyes were burning...not with anger, but with something far worse.
Rage.
Without a second of hesitation...
Ceres grabbed a fistful of Ryza's hair and yanked her forward, ignoring the latter's startled scream.
And then...
Slap.
A hard, clean hit across Ryza's cheek.
Then another.
Twice as hard as the one Ryza had given her.
By the time she stopped, Ryza's face was red, stunned, completely speechless.
The café was silent, people frozen in place, watching in disbelief.
Ryzel instinctively stepped forward, intending to stop her...
But Ceres turned her glare on him, and he immediately froze.
"Don't you dare," she hissed, her grip on Ryza's hair tightening.
Her voice was low, dangerous, and lethal.
"If you even try to stop me, Ryzel…"
She leaned in, her lips curling into a smirk that sent chills down his spine.
"That stupid little wedding will be the least of your worries."