Chapter 31: Chapter 31

Liam stopped the car in front of a five star hotel and unbuckled his seatbelt while looking at Celeste. Feeling his eyes on her Celeste sighed. She also unbuckled her seatbelt and grabbed her things from the backseat. Meanwhile Liam had already gotten out of the car and came to her side before he opened the car door for her. Celeste got out of the car and fixed her hair while thanking Liam for opening the car door for her.

"Thank you." She said in her usual soft voice. Liam nodded.

"Let's go." He said and then grabbed Celeste's hand in his before pulling her with him. Celeste looked at their entwined hands and sighed. Liam handed his car keys to the gateman and then they both made their way inside the hotel.

Celeste looked around the lavishly decorated five star hotel and the people going and coming inside. They were all dressed sophistically unlike her who had a pair of plain top and pencil skirts on. She was glad she chose to dress better that day otherwise she would have looked like a country Bumpkin among all the rich people.

"A table under Mr Lloyd." Celeste got out of her thoughts when she heard Liam talking to the receptionist. She looked at the young female receptionist whose eyes were filled with admiration for Liam. She felt pity for the receptionist.

Such a heartbreaker! She thought with a scoff. Why must he be so freaking handsome and break so many hearts? It was so unfair!

And what's with making her cling onto him the whole time? For God's sake! She was his ex wife not his wife or girlfriend. What's gotten into him?

Why couldn’t he just leave her alone like he did a year ago?

Thinking of those painful memories, Celeste tried to pull her hands out of Liam's clutch. Liam, who was talking to the receptionist turned around and looked at her with narrow eyes before making his grip tighter on her. Celeste scoffed and glared at him but he didn’t notice that.

After talking to the receptionist, a middle aged helper came forward and led their way towards their table. Celeste silently followed Liam with an annoyed expression on her face.

It would have been so much easier if they just ate at the cafe outside of their office. She was so hungry! Celeste mentally sighed. All was his fault. She thought.

The hotel manager led them towards a VIP area where 3 more people were already waiting. One was a man in his late fifties, another man who looked much more younger, probably in his early thirties and last but not the least a beautiful young woman in her late twenties. Both the men were in business suits while the beautiful woman wore a navy blue colour dress with a signature red lipstick. She was so pretty that Celeste couldn’t help but stare at her for a while. When they reached them, Celeste averted her eyes and looked away as she could already feel their eyes on her.

"Mr Rodriguez! It's a pleasure to finally meet you." The older man came forward with a kind smile on his face while extending his hand for a handshake. Liam let go of Celeste's hand which he was holding before forwarding his hands also for a handshake.

"The pleasure is all mine. I hope I didn’t make you guys wait much." Liam replied with a curt nod. The old man shook his hands before giving a cheeky smile.

"Not at all. We just came a while ago. And this is my son Benham and my daughter Brittney." Mr Lloyd said while introducing his son and daughter. Benham came forward and shook his hands with Liam with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you Mr Rodriguez." Benham said with a smile. Liam nodded.

"Likewise." Liam said with a small smile. Meanwhile Celeste stood there like a lost puppy while shifting awkwardly on her other feet.

"It's nice to meet you Mr Rodriguez, finally. Hope you didn’t have much trouble getting here." Brittney said with an overly friendly tone while shaking her hands with Liam's. Celeste rolled her eyes and let out a small scoff. She already started to regret coming with him. She already got the nasty look from the woman called Brittney when she noticed Liam holding her hands.

Celeste only hoped to eat her food fast and get the hell out of this sugar coated place and sugar coated people.

"And who might this beautiful young lady be?" Mr Lloyd asked while looking at Celeste with a smile. Celeste, who was busy in her own lala land looked towards him and gave him a small smile. She was about to answer him when she paused?

Who was she to Liam Rodriguez?

His ex wife?

An employee?

An old friend?

She didn’t understand what to reply to him, she could feel everyone's eyes on her. Celeste turned around and looked at Liam, fortunately or unfortunately he was already looking at her with unknown emotions in his eyes which she couldn’t read. She slowly swallowed the lump that had formed into her throat and buried the old memories which were trying to awaken forcefully. She averted her eyes from Liam and looked at Mr Lloyd with a soft smile before opening her mouth to answer.

"Hello. I'm Celeste Rivera. One of Mr Rodriguez's employees. It's nice to meet you all." Celeste said in her controlled voice keeping her face straight yet soft. She could feel Liam's eyes boring holes into her but she didn’t dare to turn around and look at him.

"Oh. It's nice to meet you too. Please have a seat everyone. It's past lunch time." Mr Lloyd said while gesturing to everyone to sit. Everyone nodded. Celeste was about to pull a chair for herself when Liam came forward and pulled a chair for her. Celeste looked at him and mumbled a small thank you to which Liam nodded and took a seat beside her. Soon the waiter came and filled the table with food while the men started to talk about business which Celeste didn’t bother to listen to. Celeste was about to fill her plates with food when Liam himself started to fill her plates with various foods. Celeste looked at him and raised her eye-brows to which Liam just shook his eyes and gestured to her to eat with a smile. Celeste couldn’t help but look at him suspiciously.

What has gotten into him?

Why was he being so caring and loving towards her?

He wasn’t like this before?

Why now?

Why has he changed so much in just one year?

Celeste had so many questions running through her head but no answer. Celeste shrugged her thoughts off and concentrated on her food. But that didn’t last long as she could feel Brittney glaring at her from time to time whenever Liam was being caring towards her while her brother Benham was stealing glances at her from the moment she entered the VIP room. She sighed.

It was all Liam Rodriguez's fault. Because of him she was stuck in this annoying mess.