The look on Lucas’ face would have frightened most people. It was almost as if he had gone mad. Yet instead of fear, an overwhelming sense of calm washed over me.

I had only taken the first step when a hand wrapped around my wrist, and I felt a tug on my arm.

"Evelyn..." Rhys’ desperate plea drifted to my ears. His voice was low, but the concern lying beneath his tone made me halt my steps.

Whipping my head back around, I came face to face with him. My gaze immediately caught the worry that was swirling in the depths of his eyes.

I didn’t say a word, only nodded as I gave him a knowing look, and he understood what was running through my mind almost immediately.

His jaw tightened, reluctance clear in his features. Clearly, he didn’t like this. Not one bit. But he knew me well enough to understand that once I made up my mind, nobody could stop me.

Not even him.

After a long pause, his fingers slowly loosened around my wrist. "Be careful."

"I will," I assured, letting a small smile touch my lips.

Then I turned and headed straight to where Lucas was still standing with his mother beside him.

The crowd immediately parted for me. Hundreds of eyes followed my every movement, darting between the three of us as I slowly made my way over. I kept my head held high, my eyes never once leaving theirs. Everyone seemed to hold their breath.

I stopped a few feet away. "Well," I said lightly, crossing my arms. "Good afternoon to you too," I greeted wryly, my voice remained calm despite the racing heart in my chest.

Lucas looked ready to explode. His features twisted with anger. "Do you think this is a joke? You think this is funny?" He snapped, his fists were clenched tightly beside him, bleaching his knuckles.

"Should I?"

His nostrils flared at my comment.

"My investors are pulling out."

I blinked.

"My board is demanding answers."

I remained silent.

"The company’s stock has been falling for three straight days."

Still nothing, I simply stared at him. The more indifferent I looked, the angrier he became.

"And this is all your fault!" His voice thundered, disdain written all over his face. "You have gone too far this time."

"You ruined my son’s future! You should be ashamed of yourself. You need to apologise to him," Cathy demanded beside him.

I nearly rolled my eyes. Here we go again.

A loud scoff left my lips. "Ashamed? Apologise?" I echoed her words. "Why should I?"

"The Smith Enterprise is under investigation. The media won’t leave our family alone. Investors are pulling out left and right. Our family is becoming a laughing stock!"

Tension was at an all-time high, but only a few words left the tip of my tongue.

"And that’s my problem because...?" I asked, feigning innocence as I smiled sweetly at both of them.

Both Lucas and Cathy looked outraged, I could practically see the steam coming out the side of their ears.

"Is that all you have to say?" Lucas roared. "Of course, it is your problem. You are the reason I’m in this mess in the first place!"

"Oh?" I hummed thoughtfully. A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips, satisfaction blooming in my chest as it only drove him to be angrier. "Please enlighten me as to how it is my fault you got into this mess."

My retort seemed to stun the mother-son duo for a while as they were rendered speechless. I watched as his mouth opened, then closed.

I took a step towards them, and they instinctively moved back to maintain the distance between us. "Did I hold you at gunpoint and force you to sleep with my stepsister?"

Their expression cracked. "You..."

Another step.

"Or did I ever beg you to get my stepsister pregnant because it’s the biggest dream of my life?"

"I—I—" he stuttered, struggling to find words as he glared at me with wide eyes. His own mother mirroring his expression.

"Did I?" I questioned again, tilting my head to the side.

His lips parted. No sound came out. Good.

Let him feel it. Let him stand there and experience even a fraction of the humiliation he put me through.

"You barged into TechHub’s annual gala." I continued calmly. "You tried to expose what you thought was my fake relationship with Rhys in front of everyone."

A cold smile spread across my lips. "Unfortunately for you, the tables have turned, and the only thing that got exposed was your affair with my stepsister. And now you are upset about it?" A cold chuckle left my parted lips as I held my gaze steady. "How funny. Is that what you wanted to hear me say? Is that enough for you?"

His finger pointed directly at me, his eyes set ablaze. "That’s enough!" His voice boomed. "Haven’t you done enough already?"

The smirk that was etched into my lips widened. "I have just barely started."

Lucas looked ready to murder someone.

"You bitch—"

"Careful."

The deep voice came from behind me.

Rhys.

Just one word. That was all it took. The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. Lucas’s eyes flickered toward him. For the first time all afternoon, uncertainty appeared on his face.

I seized the opportunity immediately.

"You want an apology, didn’t you?"

I laughed softly. The sound was devoid of warmth.

"Fine."

The crowd instantly fell silent. Even Lucas looked stunned. I slowly clasped my hands together. Then I smiled.

"I’m sorry."

His eyes widened. Cathy froze. The entire lobby held its breath.

"I’m sorry that your affair became public."

I paused.

"I’m sorry that investors discovered the kind of man running their company."

Another pause.

"I’m sorry that your actions finally had consequences."

The colour drained from Lucas’s face. A few people in the crowd struggled to hide their laughter. I stepped even closer, close enough that only he could see the ice in my eyes.

"Most of all, I’m sorry for myself for not leaving your sorry ass sooner."

His chest rose and fell heavily as he glared at me. "You think you’ve won?" His voice came out strained. "You think standing here humiliating me is going to change anything?"

I shrugged, a look of indifference plastered across my face. "It certainly seems to be bothering you."

A ripple of laughter spread through the crowd, and I watched with satisfaction as Lucas’s face darkened.

"How dare you? You little cu—"

"If I were you, I would be careful how I finish that sentence," Rhys’ voice pierced through the tension that was thick in the air, his tone laced with threat. He stepped forward towards Lucas this time, his eyes a storm. "You don’t get to stand there and insult my girlfriend in front of my face."

"I will do what I want," he snapped. "She’s still my wife, remember? She will never stop loving me."

Loving him? I almost gagged.

"Oh? So you remember that you are actually married?"

A frown appeared between Lucas’ brows. "You can stand there pretending to be some hero all you want," he continued. "But at the end of the day, she’s still my wife."

The emphasis he placed on the word my made my stomach churn.

Possessive.

Entitled.

As if I were some object he owned. As if I belonged to him.

The smile vanished from Rhys’s face completely. He took a slow step forward. Then another. Each step seemed to make Lucas visibly more uneasy.

"You seem very proud of that fact." Rhys’s voice was calm. Too calm.

Lucas furrowed his brows. "What?" The word tumbled out of his lips.

Rhys stopped directly in front of him. "You keep calling her your wife." His dark eyes narrowed. "But the funny thing is..."

A humourless laugh escaped him this time. "You only started remembering that after another man wanted her." But Rhys wasn’t finished. "You certainly didn’t remember she was your wife when you were sleeping with her stepsister."

Lucas’s face turned scarlet as Rhys turned the tables against him instead, calling out his affair once again, just like I did. It seemed like Lucas could never truly escape from the affair and rumours.

"You—"

"You didn’t remember she was your wife when you got another woman pregnant."

Lucas visibly staggered. For the first time since arriving, he looked cornered.

Rhys tilted his head slightly. "So don’t stand here pretending to be some devoted husband." His voice turned cold, ice cold. "Because everyone here knows the only reason you’re claiming her now..."

His gaze flickered briefly toward me before returning to Lucas.

"...is because you can’t stand the fact that she chose herself over you."

Lucas’ chest rose and fell violently. Then suddenly, he pointed directly at Rhys. "You think you’ve won?" His voice cracked. "You think she actually wants you? You are merely her second choice at best. I will always be the first in her heart."

I couldn’t hold back the scoff this time. How delusional can he get?

Rhys met Lucas’ glare, a smile etched onto his lips as he wrapped an arm around my waist to pull me close. "I already won."

Then, in front of everyone here, he pulled me in for a kiss, his lips crashing into mine.