I Chose Me Over My Marriage novel Chapter 219

She honestly hadn't expected a powerhouse like the Gardners to produce such an absolute disaster of an heir.

Marcus's lips twitched as he sighed in defeat. "You really haven't changed one bit."

Lyra shrugged nonchalantly. "If you don't need anything else, I'll be leaving now."

"Fine. Your legs, your rules. I won't stop you."

With that, Lyra turned and walked away.

She reclaimed her spot from earlier and flagged down a waiter, but this time she swapped her orange juice for a glass of champagne.

As she took her first sip, she noticed Miles staring at her from across the room.

Catching his eye, she raised her glass in his direction, gave it a subtle swirl, and offered a faint smile.

It was her quiet way of saying hello.

When she glanced slightly to the side, she realized Ezekiel's eyes were also pinned on her.

His gaze was razor-sharp, radiating an overwhelming, oppressive authority.

For some reason, Ezekiel seemed extremely displeased by her very existence.

This actually caught Lyra off guard.

Tonight was their first time ever being in the same room. She had no idea what she could have possibly done to offend the man.

A short distance away, Ezekiel finally tore his gaze away from Lyra and shot a look at Miles.

"You like her."

It wasn't a question; it was a stone-cold statement of fact.

Miles tightened his jaw and said nothing.

Dropping that sentence, Miles turned his back on Ezekiel and walked off.

Ezekiel's face darkened, but before he could even fire back, Miles was already gone.

A crowd instantly swarmed Ezekiel, making it impossible for him to chase after Miles or micromanage his next move.

For the rest of the evening, Lyra was left in absolute peace. No one paid her any unnecessary attention, giving her a much-needed break.

Lately, she had been drowning in high-stakes work.

Even though she constantly reassured Courtney not to stress over the design competition, being the one actually competing was an entirely different beast.

The pressure resting on her shoulders wasn't just about winning a trophy; it was about proving she was ready to step up and claim a seat on the board of directors.

She couldn't vent any of this to anyone. All she could do was quietly push through it, adapt, and force herself to level up.

Looking out at the glittering crowd, she knew almost everyone here was playing the game. They hadn't come just to say congratulations.