I offered him a polite smile, masking my frustration. "Thank you, Ethan. I appreciate your quick response."
He led me through the grand marble foyer into the banquet hall. The chandeliers above cast a warm, golden light, their brilliance reflecting off polished floors and glittering jewelry. The hum of conversation and soft strains of a live quartet filled the air.
As we reached the entrance, Ethan's phone buzzed. He answered quickly, his tone clipped and professional. After ending the call, he turned to me with an apologetic smile.
"Ms. Gray, I'll fetch your gown personally. It's already waiting in the second-floor lounge. Please feel free to head upstairs—I'll bring it to you shortly."
I nodded and stepped into the hall, intending to make my way to the lounge. But as soon as I passed through the doors, a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Well, if it isn't my oh-so-principled ex-wife. What's with your outfit? Did you go dumpster diving on the way here? Or have things been so hard for you since the divorce that you're scavenging trash to make ends meet?"
The voice, smooth yet dripping with mockery, sent an icy chill down my spine. I hadn't heard it in five years, but I recognized it instantly. Jonah.
I turned toward the sound, my gaze locking onto him. He stood near the bar, clad in a tailored suit that screamed wealth and arrogance, a glass of red wine in hand. His smug expression and the gleam in his eyes told me he was reveling in this moment.
Beside him stood Violet, her perfectly styled hair and designer dress complementing her air of superiority. Her arm rested on Jonah's, a show of possession that was as calculated as her words.
"Ms. Gray," she chimed in, her tone syrupy sweet but laced with derision. "What happened to you? How did you end up looking like this? But, more importantly, why are you here tonight? This is the chairman's banquet—surely you're not trying to sneak in and cause trouble, are you?"
Their laughter rang out, loud enough to draw attention. Heads turned in my direction, curious eyes appraising me from head to toe. The murmur of conversations shifted focus, whispers floating through the air like venom.
"Isn't that Rosa? Mr. Robert's ex-wife."
"Yes, they divorced years ago. What's she doing here?"
"Maybe she couldn't survive on her own after the divorce and is trying to win him back?"