(08
“Why should I need to play along now just because of Stephanie? Kayla thought. She opened her mouth to respond, but the words lingered unspoken as she decided against it
Two days later, at the party, Stephanie was in her element. She wore the limited–edition dress Lionel had gifted her, glowing under the lights as guests showered her with attention.
Her laugh was bright, her smile magnetic, she looked every bit the centerpiece. Even Lionel, in his perfectly
tailored suit, stood beside her like a proud accessory.
Kayla stayed in the background, sipping her wine in quiet observation. She wasn’t in the mood for theatrics, but Stephanie had other plans
Spotting Kayla from across the room, she strutted over, her eyes locking on the sleek black dress Kayla wore. For a moment, Stephanie’s expression faltered when she noticed the phoenix tattoo on Kayla’s collarbone, the symbol bold and unapologetic.
9:47 AM ch
Gadway My Dearly–Husband
Then her gaze flicked back to the dress and a sneer replaced her hesitation. “Oh, my God,” Stephanie said, loud enough to draw a few curious glances. “You’re seriously wearing that here? A fake, no less.”
Kayla’s brow lifted as she swirled her glass, unfazed by Stephanie’s theatrics. But Stephanie wasn’t done.
“You do realize this crowd will see through it in a second, right? Don’t humiliate yourself. Lionel went through so much to get that dress for me and failed, yet you think you can waltz in wearing a knockoff?”
The whispers started–small, sharp and traveling fast. Kayla stayed quiet, watching Stephanie soak in the
attention.
“I mean, come on, Kayla,” Stephanie continued, her voice dripping with mockery. “Where would you even get the money? Didn’t you just get out of prison?”
Kayla finally looked up, meeting Stephanie’s smug gaze with an unbothered calm. Her lips curved slightly as she raised her glass.
“Fake?” she said lightly. “Just because you couldn’t get it doesn’t make it fake.”
The room went still for a beat, Stephanie’s face flushing with anger. Her triumph flickered, replaced by
uncertainty as Kayla’s cool confidence silenced the murmurs around them.
Kayla swirled the wine in her glass, her lips brushing the edge as she took a small sip.
She glanced at Stephanie, her voice steady but laced with sharpness. “Where did I get the money? Funny, you’re
spending my money, aren’t you?”
Stephanie’s confident smirk wavered.
Kayla leaned back slightly, her tone casual but cutting. “Let’s not rewrite history here. The Sutton Family, the company, it was all built on what I handled. After Mom passed, I ran everything. Dad may have played his part, but every major deal? That was me
She let her words sink in before adding, “And in the five years I’ve been gone? Sutton Group hasn’t moved forward at all. It’s still coasting on the work I left behind. Without me, it would’ve folded by now.”
Stephanie’s cheeks flushed with anger and embarrassment, but she stomped her foot, raising her voice to
drown out the growing whispers “What’s that supposed to mean? Do you think Dad and I didn’t do anything for this
family?”
Kayla didn’t blink. “You want the truth? You didn’L‘
Stephanie’s eyes widened in shock. She clenched her fists, clearly struggling to maintain her composure. “Kayla, don’t act so high and mighty. You were the one who went to jail! Dad and I kept the company running while you were gone. Everyone knows that!”
Kayla raised an eyebrow, her calm demeanor unshaken. “Everyone knows, huh?” She placed her glass down slowly, her voice lowering but no less lethal. “Do they also know about you cozying up to the head of our rival company at that café last week?”
The color drained from Stephanie’s face. She stumbled a step back, her confident facade shattering. “You–you don’t know what you’re talking about!” she stammered, her voice pitched with panic.
Kayla tilted her head slightly, her eyes locking onto Stephanie’s with a calm, knowing gaze. “Don’t I?”
The crowd around them erupted in hushed murmurs and Stephanie’s frantic glances at the onlookers only made her guilt more obvious.
