A crack echoed through the air before I even processed what had happened. My head snapped to the side, my cheek burning. She had slapped me.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. I staggered back, my hand flying to my stinging cheek.
Trisha's eyes gleamed with pure malice. "You disgust me," she spat.
I barely had time to recover before a hand yanked my hair back, forcing my head up. Victoria Caldwell. Ethan’s mother.
Her nails dug into my scalp as she sneered down at me. "You lying whore," she hissed, her expensive perfume suffocating me. "How dare you come here and spew such nonsense?"
I gasped, struggling to free myself. "I’m not lying! Please, call Ethan! He’ll tell you—"
Smack! Victoria’s palm struck my other cheek, sending me reeling. My vision blurred from the impact.
Laughter erupted around me.
"You pathetic little thing," Trisha mocked, stepping forward. "Did you really think you could just walk in here, claim my brother, and we’d welcome you with open arms?"
I could barely catch my breath before she shoved me. My heels slipped against the polished floor, and I crashed onto my knees. Pain shot up my legs.
More laughter. More whispers.
"Look at her!"
"She actually thought she was one of us!"
"A desperate little gold digger."
Tears welled in my eyes. "Please," I whispered, my voice breaking. "I love Ethan. I’m not after his money, I just—I just wanted to meet his family."
Trisha sneered. "Family?" She knelt down, grabbing my face harshly. "You are nothing to us. Nothing to Ethan."
My stomach twisted. "That’s not true—"
Her nails dug into my skin as she leaned in. "Then explain this."
She snapped her fingers. A woman stepped forward. Tall. Elegant. Breathtaking.
My blood turned to ice. A world-famous supermodel and an actress. Olivia Bennett. The most beautiful woman I had ever seen.
And she was wearing a ring. A wedding ring.
I felt the air leave my lungs.
No. No, no, no—
Gregory Caldwell, Ethan’s father, smirked from the sidelines. "That’s Ethan’s real wife."
The room spun. My entire body shook. "T-that can’t be—"
Victoria laughed. "Oh, you poor thing. Did you really think my son would settle for you?"
My lips parted, but no words came out.
Trisha grabbed my left hand and yanked my wedding ring off.
I gasped. "No—!"