A chorus of jeers rose around us.
“Ethan, you really are ruthless.”
“To say something like that—did you forget she’s the real daughter of the Brooks family?”
Ethan calmly pulled out his phone and tapped the screen. His lock screen was clearly a photo of a beautiful woman.
“See this?”
He held the phone up for everyone to see.
“My girlfriend is the Brooks family’s heiress. Robert and Margaret Brooks fully approve—unlike some people who are like stray cats, unwanted by anyone.”
The moment I saw the wallpaper, I recognized her—it was Sophia Brooks.
I had no intention of responding and was just about to stand up.
Every gaze in the room immediately shifted toward me, as if expecting me to finally lose my composure and confront Ethan.
After all, that’s how it had always been between us.
When we were kids, he once poured ink into my meat pie.
I put laxatives in his oatmeal porridge.
Neither of us ever let the other off easily—
And I never allowed him the last word.
But now? Now Ethan was as light as a feather in my heart.
I picked up my bag and headed toward the exit.
“Lily Anderson!”
His voice, tinged with irritation, rang out behind me.
I paused mid-step.
Ethan rose from his seat, anger flashing in his eyes.
“Five years without seeing me, and you don’t have a single thing to say?”
For a split second, I thought maybe it was love turned to hate.
But no—that was just an illusion.
I turned back slowly, suddenly understanding his real intention for humiliating me in front of all these people.
He wanted to provoke me.
Five years later, he was still just as childish.
I shook my head honestly. “No.”
His stare bored into me like he wanted to pierce holes through my skin.
He didn’t love me—yet he still refused to let me go.
Since I had broken off the engagement and walked away five years ago, there had been nothing left to say between us.
“Mr. Carter, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be taking my leave.”
I pulled my hand from his grasp and turned to go—
When a soft, syrupy voice drifted from the doorway.
“Sis, why are you leaving so soon?”
Wearing a white gown that highlighted her graceful figure, Sophia Brooks glided in.
“Ethan, it’s been five years since you’ve seen my sister. Be gentle with her—don’t be so harsh.”
She sat naturally beside him, leaning in without a hint of restraint.
Of course—by now they were widely known as the model couple.
After tonight’s gala, their proposal ceremony was set to take place.
Watching them side by side, the people around us looked at me with gleeful malice, certain I must be seething with jealousy.
But my gaze stayed calm and flat as I watched their little display.
Ethan shot me a cold glance, then turned back and wrapped an arm around Sophia’s waist.
“Gentle? Does Lily deserve that?”
“A country girl who wandered outside since childhood isn’t fit to be your sister.”
He idly toyed with her hair, a mocking glint in his eyes.
“Sophia, remember—I’m only gentle with you.”
The two of them leaned in, clearly about to kiss in front of everyone.
If not for the people nearby stopping them, I was certain they would’ve ended up stripping right there.
I let a small smile curl my lips and lowered my head in quiet amusement—
And I couldn’t help but recall five years ago, when we were preparing to get engaged, and I had tried to build some kind of connection with him by inviting him to a candlelight dinner.
