THE DIVORCE GAMBIT From Dumped Wife to CEO's Forever novel Chapter 793

But Celeste could tell that Caitlin's mind was elsewhere the entire time.

After dinner, they said their goodbyes to Zelda's family. Caitlin took the box of leftover shortbread with her. It was just a small container of pastries, but to her, it felt as heavy as a mountain. Ever since she'd taken that first bite, a strange, oppressive feeling had settled in her chest, and she couldn't shake it.

"Catie," Celeste said gently once they were in the car. "Is something on your mind?"

"Yeah," Caitlin admitted with a slight nod. "I think that Mrs. Cartwright might be connected to my mother."

Celeste's eyes widened as she finally put it all together. "That's right! You said only your grandma could make shortbread like that! Oh my god, you don't think Mrs. Cartwright is actually your mom, do you?"

"I don't know," Caitlin said, her brow furrowed in thought.

"But the odds of that seem pretty slim," Celeste reasoned. "If Mrs. Cartwright really is your mother, why would she suddenly change her name and not contact you for all these years? I think it's more likely that she was a friend of your mother's, and your mom taught her the recipe."

Otherwise, there was no logical explanation for why Carey would stay silent for so long.

Caitlin's expression was resolute. "March, I've decided not to go back tomorrow. Whether Mrs. Cartwright is my mother or not, I'm staying in Valerium to get to the bottom of this." This was a clue, a thread connected to her mother, and she couldn't let it go, even if it led to nothing.

"Okay, Catie," Celeste said without hesitation. "I'll stay with you. I don't have anything important to get back to anyway."

"Thanks."

The car moved swiftly through the city, pulling up to the hotel entrance twenty minutes later. As soon as it stopped, a uniformed attendant stepped forward to respectfully open the door.

Caitlin and Celeste stepped out.

The crowd erupted in a symphony of envious gasps.

"Oh my god! That girl is so lucky! That's Lord Will!"

"Lord Will is so handsome!"

"Why can't I have that kind of luck?"

"She must have saved the galaxy in a past life to have Lord Will declare his love for her in public!"

Hearing the whispers, a faint smile touched Will's lips. Caitlin must be completely overwhelmed with emotion by now.