Plot Twist, I Was Just Her Wallet - Chapter 4: Chapter 4

The next morning, I woke up to an empty bed. Celine had already left for work.
After dragging myself up and going through my morning routine, I headed straight to her office.
The receptionist perked up the moment I walked in. "Here to see Ms. Liu? She's in a meeting - let me check with her assistant first."
That word hit me like a gut punch. "Assistant?" I froze. "Which one?"
My sudden intensity made her flinch. "J-Jack."
Jack. Of course. I'd been so checked out from company affairs that I hadn't even realized he'd joined Celine's team.
The receptionist hesitated at my dark expression. "Should I... notify Jack you're here, Mr. Lin?"
"Don't bother." I waved her off. "I know my way."
As the elevator doors closed behind me, I caught snippets of hushed gossip:
"Is that really Ms. Liu's fiancé? They seem so... mismatched."
"Shut up! He holds company shares!"
"But have you seen how close she is with Jack?"
"Keep your voice down! He might hear!"
I clenched my jaw, letting the elevator swallow their whispers whole.
In Celine's office, I planted myself on the couch to wait. About thirty minutes later, familiar voices drifted through the door.
Celine's soft murmur: "Jack, Alex has been acting off. Maybe check on him after work?"
Jack's scoff cut through the air. "Thought you were dumping him? Why bother?"
A pause. Then Celine's calculated response: "We need the Lin family's backing right now. Trust me, you're the one I want. Alex was never really my type."
The wet sound of their kiss made my stomach churn. Hot tears splashed onto my phone screen - betrayed by both of them at once.
Jack's voice turned tender: "Celine... will you marry me?"
The door swung open mid-proposal, Celine's answer dying in her throat when she saw me.
Jack strutted in like he owned the place - until he spotted me and nearly tripped over his own feet.
Celine's mask of composure slipped for just a second. "Alex," she said too calmly, "what are you doing here?"
I lounged back in the chair, feigning nonchalance. "Heard you're casting a new spokesperson. Thought I'd sit in."
Jack immediately defaulted to his nervous tell - hands clasped behind his back, eyes glued to the floor.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I kept my voice steady. "Jack, since when do you work here?"
He recovered quickly, flashing that smarmy grin as he approached me. "Didn't I mention? After quitting my job, I saw Celine's posting. Just temping while I get settled."
My gaze flicked between them. Still playing dumb. Still treating me like some clueless chump.
"Is that so?" I asked flatly.
Celine jumped in a beat too fast. "Exactly right."
I nodded slowly. "Oh."
The charade continued. And they still thought I was buying it.