This was getting boring. I glanced at my watch—my husband and daughter would be arriving soon to take me out for hot pot.
I stood, picked up my bag, and headed for the door. Then, remembering something, I turned back.
“Correction—five years ago, I didn’t agree to marry you to secure any position.”
“Don’t flatter yourself.”
I gave Sophia a cool glance.
“A phoenix is a phoenix. No matter how many feathers you glue onto a sparrow, it will never be a phoenix.”
With that, I turned to leave—only for the door to slam shut with a loud bang.
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.”