Chapter 23

Olivia’s POV

I hit the floor hard.

The gasps around me didn’t bother me. It was Chole’s words that echoed like a thunderclap across the ballroom. She wasn’t just attacking me-she was trying to poison everyone’s image of me, make Ethan hate me beyond repair.

But she had made one mistake,

She knew too much.

I lay there for only a second before I pushed myself up, ignoring the sharp pain in my elbow. The murmurs were al- ready spreading like wildfire.

I met Chole’s wild eyes and gave her a cold smile. “Interesting,” I said, brushing imaginary dust from my dress. “You seem awfully well-informed for someone who wasn’t there.”

Her lips parted. “I-someone told me!”

“Who?” I stepped forward slowly. “Who told you what happened to me last night, Chole? You said I wasgang raped by rogues-words only someone on the inside would use. Were you there?”

Chole paled, but her pride refused to let her back down. “Everyone knows you—”

I didn’t let her finish. “Everyone knows what? Because until you shouted it here in a ballroom full of people, no one knewanything.” I turned to the guests. “Chole exposed herself before I could even press charges. That’s not just cruel -that’s stupid.”

The crowd murmured louder. Shock was now folding into suspicion. I looked at Amelia next, who stood frozen be- side Madeline Windsor.

“This,” I said, gesturing to the hysterical girl in white, “is your ideal Luna? This is your carefully chosen Alpha’s daughter?” My voice was thick with sarcasm. “She’s slandering her fiancé’s wife in public, after orchestrating a trap to destroy her.”

Amelia trembled. Her lips parted, but no sound came out.

928

Ethan’s face was thunder. His fists clenched at his sides, I saw something shift in him. Rage, shame, and something darker. He didn’t ask Chole to deny it. He didn’t even look at her.

Instead, he stepped forward and seized her by the throat.

“What the hell did you do to her?” he growled, his voice like steel breaking.

0.0 %

13:30

flailed, panicking, trying to pry his fingers from her

‘Answer me!” he shouted.

said with a strained calm. “Maybe Chole’s just upset and didn’t mean it. She might’ve just… said something out

But

the Windsor Pack and always too eager to prove her diplomacy, walked

Bella said, smoothing her silk sleeve with calculated calm. “Even

pointed look. “Perhaps someone saw Olivia with rogues and reported it to Chole. That would explain how

guests exchanged glances. The

then maybe you feared the

almost laughed when I

course she’d come rushing in to play peacemaker, being the sister of Chole. Her subtle words coated in sweetness, but sharpened to cut. I could already

her throat, her expression shifting from hysterical rage to

cence.

said tearfully, clinging to Ethan’s arm, “I would never do something like that. Ethan, you know

react. His jaw was clenched so tight I thought he might shatter his own

friend told me she saw Olivia go into a hotel room last night. And before that, she

raised my eyebrows, amused. “Your friend? How

came barging in tonight, stirring up drama… I just thought, maybe I had to

might be married on paper, but they don’t love each other. She’s the third party here! I’ m the one who should be by his side. She should’ve

was. The narrative she wanted the

28.0 %

13:30

when he spoke, was

“If I’m lying, I’ll

what you offer,” I

She flinched.

a desperate woman. You’ve trying to be manipulative tonight, Olivia. That’s how you must have se- duced Ethan in the first place. Now you’re acting like a martyr just because he

blink. Her words couldn’t reach

on the other

That’s when I moved.

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255