The next morning after the gala, the world was already buzzing.
Roxanne was scrolling through her phone with a pounding heart, as article after article flashed across her phone screen.
"Mrs.Sebastien's Mysterious Past -Who Really is Roxanne Renwick?"
"Ciel Sebastien's Wife Exposed? The Night She Does not Want Anyone To Know About!"
"A Billionaire's Bride...or Just another Gold-Digger?"
Her palms became sweaty as she held her phone. Her breathed hitched at the words across the page when she opened one of the articles.
"An inside source had claimed that Roxanne Renwick had a secret lover before her sudden marriage to Ciel Sebastien, whose identity she had discreetly kept undsiclosed. But what could she be hiding? A wild one night stand, or something even more disgraceful? Source suggest that the night before her wedding, she was spotted leaving an hotel premises with a man whose identity could not be confirmed. Could it be that her marriage is nothing more than sham?
She was horrified as she read it.
She knew exactly how this got out.
It was Devian.
And the night the article was refering to was the one she had spent with Ciel. She was sure no one knew about it until Devian mentioned it at the wedding venue.
Now, its being used to paint her as an immoral lady.
A soft knock on the door jolted her out of her thoughts.
"Come in." she quickly said, trying to control the anger in her mind.
The door opened, and her husband walked in with a newspaper in his hands. He was calm, as he dropped the paper on the bed beside her.
"I assume you must have seen this."
She crossed her arms. "It's hard to miss when it's literally everywhere."
He casually leaned against the bedpost, as he watched her. "You do not seems pleased."
"Ofcourse, I am not pleased! This is Devian trying to humiliate me again. And the whole world is accepting it like that."
"It's a weak attempt if you ask me." Ciel shrugged as he replied.
"A weak attempt? This could ruin me and my reputation!"
"What reputation?" Ciel asked as he raised an eyebrow, smirking.
She was surprised at his blunt remark. But before she could retort, he continued.
"The media are not aware of who you were before you married me. And now, they will write and talk about you no matter what. There are two choices now. You either let it consume you, or You can own the narrative."
"And how do you propose I do that exactly when my past is being twisted to look like a scandal?" Roxanne asked through seethed teeth.
"By not reacting. People like a scandal, but they like a confession more. If you act like there is something you are hiding, they will go after it until they tear you apart, but if you act like it does not mean a thing…." He smirked. "Trust me, they will lose interest."
"That seems easy for you to say. You have been dealing with them for a long time." Roxanne said sharply.
He moved closer to her. "Mrs. Sebastien, you will have to learn."
She looked at him, trying to hold back the urge to snap at him. But in her heart, she knows he was right.
But that does not mean she would allow Devian to get away with this.
It did not take very long to find him.
He was where she had expected him to be.
Chilling in an exclusive hotel bar, enjoying the attention of a few people around him with a drink in hand.
She walked in, clicking her heels against the hard polished floor as she got nearer to his table.
He was looking around lazily when he saw her, and in mock surprise, he said. "Roxanne, what a pleasant surprise." A small smirk formed on his lips as he said that.
"You bastard," Roxanne said as she got to his table and slammed her hands on it.
His smile disappeared immediately, and a few people quietly looked at them, sensing that something is about to happen.
Devian leaned back in his seat, swirling his drink. "Careful, that's some strong words. You would not want to discredit the image you are trying to protect."
"You think this is funny?" Roxanne through gritted teeth.
"I think it's best fit. You walked away from me like you were better. And yet, here you are, being exposed for what you really are." He said with a smirk. "You are just a desperate little liar."
"You do not even know what happened that night." She said.
"You think so?" Devian chuckled, as he took a slow slip from his drink. "But does it matter what happened? What actually matters is what people believe."
At this point, Roxanne was furious.
This was the final straw.
She has been stretched enough.
She had allowed people to humiliate her, and made her think she was worthless.
But that's never happening again.
She looked straight into Devian's eyes coldly. "Let me make you understand something, Devian. I may have been weak before, I may have allowed you and Reina to walk all over me, but that stops now."
Her voice was usually calm.
And that unnerved Devian.
Leaning in slightly, she said again. "You think you have won because you spilled dirt on my name? Because you twisted a narrative you do not even understand? Let me make this clear, you can't even stand in the same league with the man I married. You were never enough for me, and you will never be."
The whole lounge fell into a complete silence.
Devian's face got hard as his fingers almost crushed the glass he was holding.
She took a step backwards, trying to smoothen her dress. "You should enjoy your little victory while it lasts."
"Because soon, nobody will remember you. But me? I will be here for awhile."
She smiled as she said those words slowly.
She then turned around and walked away, leaving Devian fuming with anger and embarrassment.
On getting home, she met her husband.
She had not expected him to be waiting for her.
But there he was, relaxing in the big sitting room, sipping whiskey.
"I am sure you enjoyed it, didn't you?" He said as she came in.
She paused in her steps as she narrowed her eyes. "You knew what I went to do?"
"Of course. You went to confront Devian." He smirked.
"I suppose you think that was foolish." She sighed.
He stood up. "No, I do not."
Roxanne looked at him and blinked.
He had an unreadable expression on.
"It was rather entertaining." He said.
There was something like admiration in his eyes as he spoke.
It made Roxanne speechless for some seconds.
"However, next time, if you want to deliver such blow, invite me to watch." He said as he leaned in to her.
Roxanne was surprised.
He smirked again.
And just like that, he walked away from her, leaving her there, confused.