Lirian’s jaw clenched, and I could see the dark storm brewing in his eyes.
But before he could respond, I stepped forward, anger igniting in my chest.
Without thinking, I raised my hand and struck Ryan’s face, the sound echoing in the chill air.
The force of the slap caught him off guard, and he staggered back, his eyes wide with shock.
“That’s enough,” I said, my voice shaking, yet firm. “You have no right to talk to him that way. If it weren’t for my family’s help, you wouldn’t even be standing here. We covered your hospital bills, paid off Clara’s gambling debts, and never asked for a penny back. So don’t you dare stand here, acting entitled and dragging Lirian’s name through the mud.”
Ryan stared at me, his eyes dark with a mix of anger and disbelief, as if realizing for the first time just how much had changed between us.
There was a painful silence, each of us caught in the raw emotions of the moment, until a faint murmur from nearby drew our attention.
A sleek, expensive car pulled up beside us, and all eyes turned to the passengers stepping out.
A tall, impeccably dressed man exited first, his sharp suit and the gleaming watch on his wrist marking him as someone of significant wealth.
He extended a hand to a woman in a glittering evening gown, her makeup flawless and her hair styled as if she’d just come from a high-class gala.
Whispers quickly spread through the crowd that had gathered to watch our exchange.
“Isn’t that Linda?” someone murmured. “But isn’t she… a student here? What’s she doing with a man like that?”
“Isn’t he Arman, from the Moon Shadow Pack?” another voice whispered. “Looks like Linda’s landed herself a wealthy boyfriend.”
Ryan’s face turned pale as he watched Linda, who now clung to Arman’s arm with a flirtatious smile.
The confidence he’d wielded just moments ago seemed to crumble, his expression a mixture of shock and confusion.
I let out a quiet, scornful laugh as I took in the scene, trying not to let Ryan’s pitiful expression sway me.
Linda’s smirk was as dazzling as the diamonds on her necklace.
Once, in our past lives, she had risen to fame on the wings of a successful art school career, discovered during a mere campus performance by an admissions scout.
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