[005] perfect couple

                                                                             Celia Roy was a true expert in faking it until she made it. She did it during the few times she and Roman slept together. And so, Celia found herself getting ready for the big gala going on tonight. Connor was hosting the gala and so, Celia had a feeling that Connor was going to be even more annoying than before.

                                                                           But if there was one reason that Celia was truly looking forward to, it was seeing Kendall again. Their time at the bar had went even better than Celia had planned. And Celia was happy to keep things going. Celia was dressed up from head to toe, truly appearing to be a vision in red. Roman merely decided to wear a suit, having Celia fix his tie for him when he grew too frustrated.

                                                                      "How is it that you don't even know how to do your own tie yet?" Celia scoffs after she backs away from Roman, allowing him to look at himself through the mirror.

                                                                      "I always had someone to do it for me," Roman reasons with a shrug, his usual wit missing from his tone. Celia couldn't help but notice that something was off about Roman and had been ever since he came back from work.

                                                                      "You big fucking baby," Celia remarks, only half teasing. "The fuck is your problem anyway? You've been acting weird all day."

                                                                       "Since when do you care?" Roman challenges, raising a brow as he waited for her response.

                                                                      "I don't. But you're acting like you just started your period and I'm curious as to why," Celia retorts, shaking her head.

                                                                       "Well, Daddy Dearest is back and pissing all over the office, fuckin' Frank is back, and he's going to be showing up to the RECNY ball tonight. Possibly to take over once again. So, uh, yeah, it's not looking too good right now," Roman admits.

                                                                      "Shit. What about Kendall?" Celia frowns, realizing that Kendall would definitely lose the CEO position if Logan came back.

                                                                       "Fuck Kendall, what about me?" Roman argued.

                                                                       "You'll be fine," Celia rolls her eyes before she turned to look at herself in the mirror, admiring her very own outfit. But she'd catch Roman looking at her too through the mirror. "What?"

                                                                      "I have an important question to ask you," Roman responded.

                                                                       Celia sighs, deciding to give in. "What is it?"

                                                                       "Would you still love me i I took a shit in our bedroom?" Roman inquired, causing Celia to scoff. She should've known that Roman's 'important question' would've been something stupid.

                                                                       "Absolutely not. That's disgusting," Celia immediately answered.

                                                                       "You're so heartless," Roman pouts.

                                                                       "Do me a favor. Try not to be too annoying when we go to the ball. Remember? We really need to act like the perfect couple," Celia adds, turning back around to face Roman properly.

                                                                       "Don't worry, honey. I can do just that," Roman replies with a tight-lipped smile, resting his hands on Celia's shoulders. Celia wasn't sure what Roman was doing until he turns her around, now beginning to push her out of the room. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd appreciate you getting the fuck out. I have to fart and your presence is just...  seriously blocking me from doing so."

                                                                       Celia rolls her eyes but she leaves nevertheless.

                                                                         And then they'd leave to go to the event, the drive relatively tense between them. Things hadn't been nearly as good between them ever since Celia had proposed a divorce and then Logan ended up getting sick and all. In fact, they were hardly talking but that was perfectly fine by Celia's standards. She was determined to get under Roman's skin as much as possible until Roman finally decided to give in to Celia's wishes. 

                                                                       On the red carpet, they'd begin their perfect act by taking pictures wih each other and such. Celia basked in all of the attention, smiling and posing underneath all of the flashing lights. But, of course, Roman had to take things to a sillier level and pose with her. Celia obliged, only for the mere sake of playing along, before they'd be ushered inside of the party. It wouldn't be long before the both of them would be separated to socialize and such, causing Celia to immediately drift over to the bar so she could get herself another drink... or two.

                                                                        But it wouldn't be long before she'd bump into another Roy sibling, even though it wasn't exactly the one sibling she had been eager to see. 

                                                                      "Celia, you look absolutely wonderful," Connor compliments Celia, pulling her into a brief hug.

                                                                      "Thanks. You look good too," Celia responds as she soon pulls away from Connor.

                                                                       He smiles at that, saying, "You think so? It did take me a little while to figure out the suit I wanted to wear."

                                                                      "Where's Kendall?" Celia asks with a shake of her head.

                                                                      "No idea. What do you think about the ball so far? Do you like it? Are the forks okay?" Connor responded.

                                                                      "The... the forks?" Celia repeats, her brows drawn together in confusion.

                                                                      "Yes. Do they look okay? Are they positioned just right?" Connor persisted.

                                                                      "Um... yeah. They're perfectly fine," Celia answers, her cherry colored lips pressed together in a small smile.

                                                                       "Perfect! well, if you excuse me, I have to get the ball rolling. You get it? Ball? Because this is a -," Connor begins to explain the joke, only for Celia to quickly cut him off before he could continue to ramble.

                                                                       "Y - yeah, I got it," Celia assures.

                                                                         Connor smiles before he rushes off, presumably to carry on with important business. And Celia finished the rest of her drink before she decided to order another one. She'd continue to play the role of the pretty little socialite, hanging out with Valenina and Renee for a bit as well as talking with some other people including old friends of her father.

                                                                         It was always difficult to run into them, seeing as they served as another reminder of her father. And in their eyes, they'd always see her as the sweet and innocent little girl they were used to seeing her as years ago rather than the rotten woman she actually was.

                                                                         But Celia got her chance to have some fun when an attractive waiter decided to stop by and offer her another glass of champagne. She could see Roman a distance away, presumably talking to his dad, and Celia decided to mess with him a little. If she couldn't quite reach Kendall just yet, she could settle for Jason. Or... Jack. Celia couldn't even be bothered to remember his name.

                                                                       "You are seriously the sweetest guy I've ever met," Celia giggles, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "And so funny too. Are you sure you don't want to consider a career in comedy?"

                                                                      "You know, I have been told that I should do some stand up comedy," Jason/Jack responded.

                                                                      "You really should! And you know, I'd be your number one fan, Jason," Celia encourages him with a smile.

                                                                     "It's Jack."

                                                                     "Right. Anyways, do you mind pouring me another drink?" 

                                                                     Jack nods before he does pour out more wine for Celia, the both of them completely unaware of Roman now standing off to the side and watching the entire scene play out with a frown on his face. Out of all the things Roman expected Celia to do tonight, he wasn't expecting her to blatantly flirt with another man in front of his face.

                                                                     He was already battling enough insecurities on his place but this was the shit cherry on top.

                                                                    "Thanks. You wouldn't happen to have a girlfriend back at home, do you?" Celia questioned. "Oh, you definitely do. Someone as handsome as you couldn't possibly be single."

                                                                    "I am actually. I just got out of a pretty shitty relationship. But, uh, aren't you married?" Jack responded.

                                                                     Celia shrugs as she glances down at the pretty diamond ring on her finger, soon glancing back up to meet Jack's gaze. "It's complicated. What I do is my business. And what he does is his."

                                                                     "You are absolute trouble," Jack says with a shake of his head.

                                                                     "So I've been told," Celia smirks as she moves in just a little bit closer, "How about you give me your number and I'll call you sometime?"

                                                                       Was she actually going to call him? Definitely not. But she had to keep the game going for as long as he could. Of course, he completely buys it. "Yeah, definitely. Hand me your phone."

                                                                       But just before Celia could even unlock her phone, it was then that she felt someone behind her. Celia turns around to find Roman, sending him a smug little smile. "Hello, stranger."

                                                                     "Oh, I should go," Jack replies as he begins to leave, only for Roman to block his path with his arm.

                                                                     "No, no, no, wait. Hold on a second," Roman immediately stops him, finishing off the rest of his glass before he holds it out for Jack to pour into. He and Celia share a look before he reluctantly does just that. "Thaaaaank you. Don't go anywhere. I'm not finished yet."

                                                                     "Don't be a dick, Rome," Celia chides him.

                                                                     "I'm sorry. Am I being mean to your new little friend here? What were you talking about anyway? I'm so curious. I wanna laugh and have fun like you two," Roman shrugged.

                                                                     "Jack here is thinking about becoming a comedian. I wanted to go to one of his shows sometime so I figured we could exchange numbers," Celia explained, although it was all a bold faced lie.

                                                                     "Really? Well, don't let me stop you. Do you want to give her your number?" Roman inquired, turning to look at Jack who falters for a moment before he nods.

                                                                     "Uh... sure, yeah," Jack answered.

                                                                     "Take his number, sweetheart. You still want it?" Roman challenged her once more with that shit eating grin on his face.

                                                                      "Absolutely," Celia agreed.

                                                                       Roman falters for a moment before he goes back to grinning, watching as Celia takes down his number. Roman wouldn't let Jack leave without pouring him one more glass and then he'd finally send him away.

                                                                      "Satisfied?" Roman remarked as he sat beside her, his gaze never leaving her for a second.

                                                                      "I'm only getting started," Celia responded as she rested her chin in her hand.

                                                                      "It's not gonna work. I know exactly what you're up to... and it's not gonna work," Roman scoffed.

                                                                       That was the problem with knowing someone for as long as Roman and Celia had known each other. Roman could obviously figure out that Celia was just trying to get under his skin like she had done many times before. And unfortunately, it had worked.

                                                                     "I think it's already working. You always were such a shitty liar, Rome," Celia replies, grinning.

                                                                      He scowls. "Don't call me Rome now. And besides, it's only a matter of time before he sees just how rotten you are on the inside. That gorgeous face of yours won't last forever."

                                                                    "If I'm so rotten, then why the hell are you still with me?" Celia retorted, making Roman smile.

                                                                    "Because you're just as rotten as me," Roman responded.

                                                                     Celia doesn't know how to respond to that and so, she doesn't.

                                                                     A show follows after that, forcing the couple to remain silent. The show was beautiful yet strange, the dancers dressed in all red as they performed for them all. Celia couldn't help but feel just like those performers, but she had to perform for everyone around her and at this point, she had reached the very end of her rope.

                                                                    After the show was finished, it'd be time for the big speech. And Celia was looking forward to seeing Kendall on the stage and taking charge. But as she'd quickly learn, it wasn't Kendall she'd see on stage.

                                                                 "Business mogul, philantrophist, and guy whose name is on my checks," the host of the ball declared, pausing for some laughter from the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my profound pleasure, to introduce to you, on this most auspicious of occasions, in a change to advertise detractions - the man, the legend... Logan Roy!"

                                                                   Celia was obviously shocked as she clapped with the others, looking around until she spotted Kendall at one of the tables. He looked upset, meeting Celia's gaze while Logan slowly made his way onto the stage with Marcia helping him out. Celia sends him a small, supportive smile, one he awkwardly reciprocates while his mind continued to race with thoughts.

                                                                  "Thank you.  Um... uh... Evening," he says with a chuckle, "Uh, oh, first, I'd, uh, I'd like to thank my wife, Marcia, for, uh... everything. Thank you. Uh, thanks, thanks to you all for coming, and thanks to those who have supported me during my recent... health... nonsense. Head cold."

                                                                   Of course, Celia and the rest of the family knew that it was a lot more than a head cold that had kept Logan down.

                                                                 "Yeah, uh, yeah, that's, uh, yeah. So... personal n - news. Someone... took... advantage of me being in hospital, to... to... propose... to my daughter," Logan adds.

                                                                  Celia takes a deep breath, naturally assuming that Logan was abbout to expose Kendall. Kendall had thought the same because he was equally as tense.

                                                                 "... So I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome her fiancé, Tom Wambsgans, to the family. Welcome to the family, Tom," Logan continued.

                                                                   More applause followed after that as Shiv and Tom kissed one another, showing off for the crowd.

                                                                  "And uh... everything I've done, I have done for my children," Logan remarked, making Shiv and Roman share a look, "And I'm proud of the way that they've pulled together during my issue. And, in particular, my son... Kendall. Well done, Ken."

                                                                  Kendall was frozen as Logan looked at him for a moment, the others around them clapping. Even Celia awkwardly joined in on it.

                                                                 "And now, uh, for one... last announcement of the night. I am officially announcing... I am back.," Logan declared, earning more applause. "You better believe, I'm back. Full time. Better than ever."

                                                                    Celia was absolutely shocked by the news. But she shouldn't have been. Logan wasn't going to give up his title of CEO that easily. Not until he finally took his dying breath and even then, Logan would hold onto it from beyond the grave. Celia couldn't help but feel awful for Kendall in that moment.

                                                                   All he had worked for had gone down the drain.

( 💵💄👗)

word count: 2462
notes: i decided to keep the whole waiter scene but switched it to celia instead of grace for obvious reasons 🤣🤣🤣