Three Toasts

I had to tag along to my brother’s business dinner. I never expected the man sitting across from us to be the city’s most ruthless billionaire heir. When I hesitantly raised my glass to toast him, he scoffed. Not once, not twice, but three times. Then, halfway through the night, someone brought up his mysterious, mute fiancée from the wrong side of the tracks. Gideon lazily raised his eyelids, his cold gaze sliding down the curve of my tight, custom designer dress. He let out another dark chuckle. “Why don’t you answer them? Is two years of playing mute still not enough for you?” 1 I was at a high-stakes business dinner. Sitting directly across from us was the massive client our family company was desperate to land. Dressed in a flawlessly tailored charcoal suit, his expression was colder than ice. This was Gideon, the legendary heir whose name dominated every financial headline. In our social circles, he was notorious for his mercurial temper and absolute ruthlessness in negotiations. Right now, his piercing gaze was locked onto me. The polite smile on his lips didn’t reach his eyes. His sheer presence suffocated the room. My brother, Christian, was still busy pitching me. “This is my little sister, Nicollette. I’m bringing her around to learn the ropes so she can eventually take over the family business.” The man across the table raised an eyebrow, slowly testing the weight of my name on his tongue. “Nicollette.” “The heiress of the Su empire?” He paused, letting out a dark, mocking laugh. “Fascinating.” I silently adjusted my hair, pulling the loose curls forward to shield my face as much as possible. Seeing me shrink back, Christian gave my shoulder a gentle nudge, his voice a low whisper. “Don’t just sit there with your head down. What are you hiding for? It’s your turn to toast him.” My stomach did a violent flip. I slowly forced myself to stand. When I raised my glass toward Gideon, my hand froze mid-air. The silence in the private dining room was deafening. Christian waited for me to speak, but when I remained frozen, he lost his patience and hissed under his breath, “What are you doing just holding your glass? Did you suddenly go mute? Say something!” He didn’t know the half of it. For two years, Gideon had genuinely believed I was mute. Even during our most passionate nights, when his hands would pin mine to the sheets, he would whisper with wicked amusement: Sweetheart, if it’s too much, just say the word and I’ll stop. Even when I was completely out of my mind with sensation, I had bitten my lip until it bled, refusing to make a single sound. Was it because I didn’t know how to speak? No. It was because I was absolutely terrified of what would happen if I did. My lips parted, and with agonizing effort, I managed to squeeze out a few quiet words. “Um, Mr. Gideon…” The moment the words left my mouth, the man across the table let out a sharp, frigid laugh. My heart sank into my chest. My cover was blown. “Mr. Gideon, it is a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to our future partnership.” “A pleasure to meet you?” Gideon repeated, his lips curling into a frigid, mocking smirk. “Right.” 2 I sank back into my seat, my fingers trembling as I unlocked my phone and immediately started searching for the earliest flight out of the state. I needed to run. Fast. Before I could even select a departure time, my brother’s voice drifted back into my ears, casually launching into another topic. “By the way, Gideon, rumor has it you’re getting married soon. When do we get to meet the lucky lady?” My eyelids twitched. Christian was literally digging his own sister’s grave. Gideon didn’t answer immediately. He slowly swirled the amber liquid in his glass. After a long, agonizing silence, he finally looked up. His icy gaze dragged slowly over the tight, provocative lines of my designer dress. He let out another cold laugh. “Why don’t you answer him? Is two years of playing mute still not enough for you?” The entire room went dead silent. Christian froze, his jaw practically hitting the table. He had absolutely no idea. According to the rumor mill, Gideon’s fiancée was a destitute, pitiful girl. Her brother was a degenerate gambler, her father was abusive, and her mother was terminally ill. She was a quiet, fragile mute whom the billionaire heir sheltered from the world out of sheer pity. He never could have guessed that his own pampered, billionaire sister was that very same girl. You have reached the end of the free preview. To unlock the next chapters and see Nicollette’s ultimate fate, please complete your payment to continue reading. 3 Although I had been pampered and spoiled by my family since childhood, Christian had warned me several times before I started dating. He gave me a strict list of men in our social circle whom I should never, under any circumstances, touch. Gideon was at the very top of that list. Not only did he have a notoriously volatile temper, but he was also rumored to be deeply obsessed with a tragic first love, a woman who had broken his heart and left the country. He was a walking red flag. But when I saw him at a high-society party two years ago, I was completely captivated. I was starstruck by the sheer, devastating beauty of him. Another woman had tried to throw herself at him, accidentally splashing red wine all over his chest. As the dark liquid dripped from the tips of his hair, sliding down his collarbone and over his sharply defined abs, Gideon had merely looked up with absolute indifference. His profile was as sharp as a carved statue. He slowly took a napkin to wipe his face, casually shedding his incredibly expensive jacket and tossing it into the trash. Every movement was slow, dripping with the effortless arrogance of a man born to rule. I had practically salivated on the spot. I couldn’t help but whisper to my best friend, “What do you think would happen if I took a little part-time job as his distraction?” My best friend, a classy, high-maintenance heiress, rolled her eyes with practiced grace. “Don’t tell me you want to humiliate yourself by acting as a substitute for his lost love. See that girl who spilled the wine? She fell in love, demanded a title instead of just cash, and got discarded in two months. That will be your fate.” I nodded thoughtfully. “Two months is a bit short. Two months isn’t enough time to really get a taste of him.” My friend stared at me, speechless. Before I set my sights on Gideon, I did try to spare my brother’s reputation. I went to great lengths to hide my identity. I used a fake name and created a completely fabricated background. Because my voice was somewhat distinctive and I was terrified of being recognized, I chose not to speak at all. I bought a VIP membership at the luxury hotel he frequented and spent two months pretending to be tipsy, waiting for the perfect moment. Finally, I staged a perfect, delicate collapse right into his arms as he walked through the door. He paused, his gaze lingering on my bare, makeup-free face. He caught me by the waist, a low chuckle escaping him as if he saw right through my little act. “You look a bit like her. Want to come with me?” I lowered my head with mock shyness, pulled out my phone, and typed on the screen: [Sure. My name is Felicity.] For two years, Gideon genuinely believed I was a mute girl named Felicity. And for two years, I assumed we were both just playing a mutually beneficial, temporary game. Until last month, when Gideon suddenly proposed. I was utterly blindsided. 4 I suspected Gideon might have suffered some sort of amnesia that made him forget his tragic first love. On the night he proposed, he was out drinking with his inner circle. I was sitting beside him, completely lost in thought as I stared at his jawline. Someone at the table casually mentioned a name. The atmosphere in the room immediately dropped. Someone muttered, “I heard she got engaged last month.” Gideon’s hand paused on his glass. He gave a quiet, indifferent shrug, then suddenly turned to look at me. He pinched my cheek with lazy amusement, waiting for me to snap out of my daze. “Let’s get married,” he said. My heart nearly stopped. Who? Married to who? This wasn’t part of the deal. I was supposed to be a temporary substitute, a pretty distraction. How did we get to marriage? I was terrified. That night in bed, I was trembling so violently that he noticed. He let out a low growl, murmuring, “Sweetheart, why are you so sensitive tonight? You’re soaking the sheets.” The moment the storm cleared and my body finally stopped shaking, I quietly gathered the scraps of my torn stockings from the floor, desperate to slip away before sunrise. “Damn it,” a low curse came from the shadows behind me. Gideon rarely swore, but before I could take a step, a heavy arm wrapped around my waist, dragging me back into the mattress. My freshly donned stockings were torn to shreds once again. Gideon never let women stay the night at his villa, but that night, he held me tightly against his chest until morning. I didn’t sleep a wink. I watched the sky slowly turn from gray to gold, my heart growing colder with every passing second. When he woke up, he gently ruffled my hair. “Pack your things and move in here. From now on, you live with me.” “And remember to bring your ID.” Gideon propped his chin on his hand, looking down at me with a rare, soft warmth in his eyes. “Felicity, I’ve had someone pick out a date. We’re getting married next month.” Hearing him call me by the fake name I’d used for two years made my stomach violently churn. I finally realized this wasn’t a game to him. Gideon was serious. 5 Gossip travels faster than light in our circle. My best friend messaged me the second she heard rumors of Gideon’s impending wedding. Are you out of your mind? I heard his first love got engaged last month. He’s obviously using you to spite her. If you actually marry him, you’re going to end up looking like a clown. I knew she was right, but my concern was far more practical. I was afraid of getting sued or worse. Gideon absolutely loathed being lied to. The second we stood in front of the clerk and he saw my real ID, I would be completely ruined. So, under the pretense of going back to my shack to retrieve my ID, I ran. I booked the earliest flight out of the state. As I boarded the plane, my heart was hammering against my ribs. Fortunately, I made it out. I figured that to a man of Gideon’s immense power, I was just a disposable toy. He didn’t even bother to verify my background during our two years together. Why would he waste his energy chasing me down when he could easily find another quiet girl to marry out of spite? Gideon’s family was based on the East Coast. My family was based on the West Coast. My name was fake, my identity was a lie. If I stayed away, we would never cross paths again. Even though I hadn’t quite had my fill of the gorgeous billionaire, I had enjoyed the ride. It was time to grow up, accept the business match my family had arranged, and learn to run the empire. 6 I just never expected we would meet again so soon, let alone in a corporate setting. Gideon’s company was based thousands of miles away, yet somehow, our family business had landed them as our primary client. “Why don’t you answer him? Is two years of playing mute still not enough for you?” Gideon’s voice snapped me back to reality. By the time he finished speaking, I had already made it to the door of the private dining suite. I turned around to face the stunned stares of the entire room, including my brother’s pale face. I cleared my throat, trying to sound casual. “Excuse me for a moment. I need to use the restroom.” I tried to make a run for it. But the moment I stepped into the hallway, two of Gideon’s massive bodyguards blocked my path. We stared at each other in a tense standoff. Finally, one of them cleared his throat politely. “Miss, there is a private restroom inside the suite.” I slowly marched back inside and took my seat. A second later, Christian let out a harsh, freezing laugh. Across the table, Gideon echoed him with an equally chilling chuckle. I sat there, frozen. Were they trying to harmonize their anger? After a few minutes of agonizing tension, Christian stood up. “I have an urgent matter to attend to. I must excuse myself.” Gideon rose smoothly. “I also have some business to take care of. I’ll head out as well.” I quickly chimed in, “Oh, I’m fine. I’ll just sit here for a bit longer.” Christian grabbed my arm, practically hauling me out of my chair. “Ow, ow! Lighten up on the grip, Christian!” “Oh, now you know what pain feels like?” Christian sneered, dragging me out of the suite and shoving me right in front of Gideon, who was waiting by his sleek sedan. “My sister has been spoiled rotten since she was a kid. For the sake of our families’ business relationship, deal with this quietly. I’ll be back to pick her up in an hour.” 7 The second Christian’s car pulled away, Gideon pinned me against the door of his sedan and kissed me. The kiss was fierce, desperate, and possessive, stealing the breath straight from my lungs. I thought he was overreacting. Sure, I was beautiful, but did he really have to be this intense the moment we reunited? When he finally let me go, there was no explosive anger, no furious demands about my lies. He gently pressed his thumb against my swollen lower lip, his eyes dark and swirling with unspoken emotion. “You lied to me. But why did you run?” “Um,” I muttered, looking anywhere but at him. “I heard your family already arranged a fiancé for you last year,” he whispered, his voice dangerously low. “Don’t tell me you never actually planned on marrying me.” “Well,” I squeaked. “Finding you was exhausting. Next time you decide to run, at least don’t block my number, okay?” “Oh,” I said. He tilted my chin up, a warning edge to his smile. “If you keep giving me these lazy, one-word answers, I won’t hesitate to show you exactly what we can do in the back of this car.” I shut my mouth immediately. We were out in public, for heaven’s sake. But looking up at him, under the silver glow of the streetlights, I felt a familiar, dangerous flutter in my chest. He had chased me down. He hated being deceived, yet he had forgiven my massive web of lies without a second thought. Over the past two years, his tenderness and absolute devotion had been real. I had tried so hard to keep my guard up, but looking at his face now, I felt myself slipping. It wasn’t just a physical craving anymore. I was genuinely falling for him.

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