Angelo kept his arm wrapped tightly around Elba's shoulders as they descended the curved staircase. They walked back into the main ballroom, instantly drawing every eye in the room.
In the center of the crowd stood Georgina. She wore a pure white lace haute couture gown. When she saw Angelo holding Elba, a flash of pure venom crossed her eyes.
She blinked rapidly. The venom vanished, replaced instantly by a pathetic, fragile expression. She walked toward the bottom of the stairs.
As they reached the final step, Georgina raised her voice just enough for the surrounding guests to hear. Her voice trembled with fake tears. "Angelo... you finally made it."
Elba felt a full-body shudder of disgust.
Here we go, Elba thought. The white lotus is starting her performance!
Angelo stopped. His face was a mask of cold stone. He stared at Georgina without saying a word.
Georgina acted as if she didn't notice his freezing glare. She took a step forward and reached out, trying to loop her arm through his free one.
Angelo shifted his weight. He smoothly stepped sideways, leaving her hand hanging awkwardly in the empty air.
Georgina's eyes instantly welled up with real tears of embarrassment. She quickly pivoted to Elba, her voice dropping to a pitiful whisper. "Elba... are you feeling better? I wanted to visit you at the hospital so badly, but..."
She let the sentence hang, looking down at the floor, letting the guests assume Elba had banned her from visiting.
Elba rolled her eyes so hard they hurt.
But my ass! she yelled in her head. Angelo grounded you, you manipulative snake! Stop playing the victim!
A flicker of dark amusement crossed Angelo's eyes. He stayed perfectly still, waiting to see what the liar would do next.
Seeing that neither of them was reacting, Georgina went for the kill. She let out a sudden, sharp gasp. Her ankle buckled inward, and she threw her body weight directly toward Elba.
Here it comes! The classic fake fall! Elba's mind raced. In the script I saw during my coma, this is where I instinctively push her, she falls, and I become the vicious bully in front of everyone. I absolutely cannot touch her!
Elba threw her hands up in the air, palms facing out, and jumped backward a full yard.
Georgina hadn't expected Elba to move so fast. With nothing to catch her, her center of gravity completely failed. She plummeted toward the hard marble floor.
In that split second, Angelo didn't reach out to catch his "sister." Instead, he grabbed Elba's waist and pulled her another step back, completely clearing the drop zone.
Smack.
Georgina hit the marble floor hard. Her champagne glass shattered, splashing sticky yellow liquid all over her pristine white lace dress.
The ballroom went dead silent. The music seemed to stop. Everyone stared in absolute shock. Angelo Potter had just watched his sister fall and actively moved away.
Georgina pushed herself up onto her elbows. Her knees throbbed with real pain. She looked up at Angelo, tears streaming down her face. "Brother... why didn't you..."
Angelo looked down at her. His voice was cold enough to freeze blood. "If you can't even stand on your own two feet, don't come out and embarrass the Potter family."
The words hit Georgina like a physical slap across the face. Her carefully crafted image of elegance shattered into pieces.
Elba bit her lip so hard she tasted copper, desperately trying not to laugh out loud.
Yes! she cheered internally. Her face is literally green right now!
Angelo heard her laughter in his mind. The ice in his eyes melted slightly.
He reached down and grabbed Elba's hand, lacing his fingers through hers. He turned his body to face the crowd of staring socialites and businessmen.
His voice boomed through the silent room. "Elba is, and always will be, the eldest daughter of the Potter family. She is the only sister I protect. Anyone who disrespects her, makes an enemy of me."
The crowd gasped. The social hierarchy of New York just flipped upside down.
Georgina sat on the floor, digging her manicured nails so hard into her palms that they bled. She ground her teeth together in pure hatred.
Angelo didn't spare her a second glance. He pulled Elba forward, walking out of the ballroom under the terrified, respectful gaze of the entire city.
