He Thought I Used Him—But I’m The CEO Novel by Astra Marlowe _ Novel





He Thought I Used Him—But I’m The CEO Chapter 01

Inside the Parisian haute couture bridal boutique.
The custom wedding dress I had waited six months for was now on the body of another woman—the famous actress, Alisa Sterling.
The store manager looked tremblingly at Anthony Vance sitting on the sofa, breaking out in a cold sweat.
Anthony stood up and fixed the hem of Alisa’s dress. He didn't even look at me.
"She needs a show-stopping dress for the red carpet next week. What's the big deal if she borrows yours?"
"Just grab something off the rack for now. Stop acting like a child."
Under the flashing lights, Alisa smiled happily at the mirror.
I looked at myself in the mirror wearing casual clothes, completely out of place here, and suddenly felt that this wedding I had spent a year preparing for was utterly ridiculous.
I didn't lose my temper; I just calmly took off the diamond engagement ring from my ring finger and placed it on the coffee table.
"Mr. Vance is right, ready-to-wear is indeed not bad."
"I'll just find a groom who actually respects me, even if I’m wearing a cheap dress off the rack."
The air in the bridal boutique became suffocatingly heavy in that second.
Anthony's hand, which was adjusting Alisa's skirt, froze.
He slowly turned around, his eyes narrowing slightly behind his gold-rimmed glasses, carrying a cold, detached scrutiny.
"Vivian Hayes, what did you just say?"
His voice carried a heavy sense of oppression.
Looking at his handsome face, my stomach churned with discomfort.
"I said, I'm not getting married anymore."
My voice was perfectly calm.
"Pfft—"
Alisa, standing in front of the mirror, suddenly covered her mouth and laughed.
Holding up the diamond-encrusted main wedding dress that originally belonged to me, she walked over to me.
"Vivian, don't be so dramatic."
Alisa blinked, her voice sickeningly sweet.
"Tony just felt bad that I didn't have a show-stopping gown for next week's film festival."
"This wedding dress can only maximize its commercial value when worn by me."
"You’re usually so sweet and quiet. Why are you being so difficult now?"
She kept calling him "Tony" left and right, sounding completely natural.
I looked at her coldly: "Take it off."
Alisa shrank back behind Anthony in fright, her eyes turning red.
"Tony, Vivian is so mean, I'm scared."
Anthony pulled Alisa behind him protectively, his brows knitting together.
He strode over to me, impatience filling his eyes.
"Vivian, are you done throwing a tantrum?"
He used that very particular tone of his to say such hurtful words.
"Alisa is our top star. Helping her career is an investment for our future."
"You’re just a stay-at-home wife. It’s not like you have an audience. Why do you even need a three-million-dollar dress?"
His matter-of-fact tone made me feel sick to my stomach.
Five years of dedication, in his eyes, only amounted to a "why do you even need."
I took a deep breath, my hands clenched tight.
"Anthony, this is the custom-made dress I've waited half a year for."
"You just lend it out like that, did you even ask for my opinion?"
Anthony sneered, completely unbothered.
"Ask for your opinion?"
He stepped closer, his presence enveloping me.
"This wedding dress cost three million, and I paid for it!"
"The clothes on your back, the things you use every day, which of them wasn't given to you by me!"
"And now you want to talk to me about opinions?"
He reached out a finger and poked my shoulder hard.
"Vivian, you need to learn how to be grateful."
"Don't think that just because I’m nice to you, you can start acting like a brat."
Looking at this arrogant man in front of me, I suddenly felt he was a stranger.
He didn't think there was anything wrong with snatching away his fiancée's wedding dress at all.
In his eyes, I was just an object that depended on him to survive.
I couldn't be bothered to waste any more breath on him, turning around to walk out of the store.
"Stop right there!"
Anthony shouted.
He took a step forward, his hand gripped my wrist like a vice.
"Anthony, let go!"
I gasped in pain.
Not only did he not let go, but he yanked me toward him with even more force.
He lowered his head to my ear, whispering in a warning tone.
"Vivian, don't be ungrateful."
"Be a good girl and pick out a ready-to-wear dress, the wedding next week will proceed as planned."
"As long as you're obedient, after Alisa walks the red carpet, I'll rent out an entire island to throw you an even bigger one."
"But if you dare step out of this door today..."
He paused, his eyes turning ruthless.
"I’ll make sure you never show your face in high society again. You'll have nothing."
"You will have no place."

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