“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.”
I had no interest in engaging with them—much less in humoring Ethan Carter by playing some pathetic little game.
“Sorry, I don’t have time. My husband will be here to pick me up soon.”
A few people snorted in derision.
“Lily Anderson, if you can’t play, just admit it. Why bother lying?”
“Exactly. You’ve been gone for five years—how could you possibly be married? And now you claim you have a husband?”
“If you really were married, why wouldn’t you bring him to a gala like this?”
Sophia Brooks put on a mask of kindness.
“Sis, I know you’re upset and still blame me for taking Ethan, but even so, you shouldn’t lie.”
“I’m not lying.”
But I saw no need to explain myself.
In less than ten minutes, Daniel Hughes would be here anyway.
Still, my refusal to elaborate only made them press harder.