Behind me, the laughter grew louder.
“Lily Anderson, you think you can just walk away after offending our Ethan? Not a chance.”
I tried the door, but it had been locked from the outside. The gala beyond was still in full swing, and the organizers hadn’t even noticed anything unusual in here.
My expression turned cold.
With my current status, I had no need to personally attend an event of this level.
I was here today only because the host had once done my adoptive mother a favor, so I showed up out of courtesy.
I never expected to run into such a pack of lowlifes.
“What’s the meaning of this?”
I turned toward Ethan, my voice like ice.
“Tell your people to open the door.”
He gave a mocking laugh, his expression smug—exactly like five years ago.
“Lily, it’s not every day we get to see each other. How can you leave after just a few words?”
“And you haven’t even settled the score for what you just said to my girlfriend.”
“You’d just walk away? Wouldn’t Sophia’s little pearl necklace have been lost for nothing?”
Sophia nestled pitifully into his arms, and Ethan clearly played the part of defending her honor.
“Since you’re here, don’t think about leaving so easily.”
Around us, the room buzzed with taunting voices.
“Sophia Brooks is the face of the Brooks family—the true heiress. Even with a boyfriend, she’s cherished, born to a life of privilege. Not like some barnyard stray, destined to be thrown out of her home.”
“And as for a certain illegitimate woman—so what if she’s got Brooks blood? She was kicked out five years ago, wasn’t she?”
“In three days, it’s Miss Brooks’ engagement party. And Lily? She probably won’t even have a man to show up with.”
“With her circumstances—no family power, no parental support—how could she possibly make it onto the social stage?”
“Exactly. She’s not even fit to carry Miss Brooks’ shoes.”
“And she had the nerve to call Miss Brooks a sparrow earlier. Well, now she’s in trouble—offending Mr. Carter. I bet she’s scared now.”
They were dressed like gentlemen, but every one of them was the type to fawn over the strong and trample the weak.
I ignored them, fixing my gaze coldly on Ethan.
“Cut to the chase—what do you really want?”
We hadn’t crossed paths in years, and I couldn’t fathom why he was so intent on making things difficult for me.
Ethan stood and stared straight at me.
“I want you to apologize to Sophia for what you said.”
Then, with deliberate slowness, he added, “On your knees.”
I gave a short, sharp laugh. “In your dreams.”
His eyes darkened with anger. “Say that again?”
“If it weren’t for an accident back then, I would be the real Sophia Brooks.
“I’ve already been more than generous by not demanding she pay me back. And you want me to apologize to a thief? Keep dreaming.”
Everyone thought Ethan would explode with rage.
They were ready to watch me make a fool of myself.
Instead, he gave a cold smile.
“Don’t want to kneel? Fine. There’s another option.”
He stepped right up to me.
“How about we make a bet? Loser strips naked and stands at the door for fifteen minutes.”
Gasps rippled through the crowd, followed by murmurs.
“Damn—it’s true. Ethan really does hate Lily Anderson.”
“If it hadn’t been for her back then, Ethan and Sophia would’ve been together already—maybe even with kids by now. Of course he hates her.”
“Still, making her strip if she loses—that’s brutal.”
“What’s the problem? She brought this on herself. Of all people to provoke, she chose Miss Brooks. Serves her right.”
