My Husband's Affair My Anniversary Gift (Lily and David) novel Chapter 23

The moment Claire’s words fell, the hall seemed to tilt against Marina. A faint, collective murmur rippled through the surrounding guests, like the soft crash of distant waves. Some concealed their amusement behind polite smiles, others didn’t bother to hide it eyebrows lifted, lips curling, eyes darting from Marina to David and back again. The sting of humiliation was sharp, metallic, and she could feel it searing her skin.

Her manicured fingers tightened around her clutch until her knuckles paled. She’d been in the game long enough to endure polite rejection, but public embarrassment—this was different. Claire’s refusal wasn’t merely a “no.” It was a rejection with an audience, and an implication that her worth was tainted.

Marina’s gaze flicked to David for rescue, but his face was unreadable, lips pressed in a thin line, hands resting loosely in his pockets as if the ridicule floating in the air had nothing to do with him. That stung even more.

By the time the laughter had fully ebbed, Marina had made her decision—she needed to get out before someone decided to pity her. And she hated pity more than she hated failure.

She moved toward the exit with a tight smile that fooled no one. Inside, however, her mind was spinning, grasping for someone to blame. And like a moth to flame, her anger latched onto the name that had been haunting her for months—Lily.

It all fit too perfectly in her mind. Lily had been with Claire earlier in the evening. Claire had spoken so fiercely in Aurora’s defense. Claire had known about her and David’s… entanglements. It was obvious. Lily must have whispered something in Claire’s ear, poisoning her opinion before Marina even had the chance to make her pitch.

She could almost hear Lily’s voice in her imagination—sweet and innocent to outsiders, but dripping with venom when aimed at her.

By the time she reached the glass doors of the venue, Marina’s jaw was tight, her lips barely moving as she muttered under her breath, “This is all her fault.”

The night air outside was crisp, scented faintly with exhaust from the cars idling nearby. The valet stand bustled, headlights flashing as expensive cars were pulled forward one by one. Marina spotted David’s car not far from the entrance, his driver leaning casually against the door.

David emerged from the building not long after, one hand adjusting his cufflinks as he scanned the area. His sharp gaze was steady, cold enough to slice through the lingering warmth of the gala.

Marina stepped toward him quickly, her heels clicking against the pavement. “We need to talk,” she said lowly, tugging at his sleeve.

David arched an eyebrow but allowed her to lead him a few paces away from the crowd. “About what?” His voice was cool, detached dangerously so.

“About the reason everything went wrong tonight.” Her tone was quiet, but laced with malice. “Do you know why Claire turned me down in front of everyone? Why she dared to use words like ‘risk’ as if I’m some scandal waiting to happen?”

David’s gaze narrowed.

“It’s Lily,” Marina continued, each word deliberate. “She was with Claire earlier, wasn’t she? Always finding her way into the right conversations at the wrong time. I wouldn’t be surprised if she told Claire about us about you and me. How else would Claire have known to attack me like that?”

David didn’t respond immediately, but something in his expression hardened.

Marina pressed on, sensing his attention. “Think about it. She has every reason to make me look bad. Every reason to make you look bad, too. She wants to hurt us, David. And she’s succeeding.”

David’s silence was telling. He didn’t protest, didn’t defend Lily, and didn’t bother to question Marina’s assumption. Instead, his gaze shifted to the parking lot, scanning the rows of cars as if expecting Lily to materialize out of the shadows.

And as if on cue she did.

Lily walked toward the lot, having changed into her casual clothes. The elegant gown she had worn earlier was gone, replaced by jeans and a light sweater, her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. She looked every bit the ordinary young woman heading home after a long night except for the faint glimmer in her eyes, the kind that made it impossible for David to look away.

She didn’t notice him at first, her focus entirely on fishing her phone from her bag. When she finally lifted her head, their gazes locked for a fraction of a second. And then she looked away again deliberately, as if he were nothing more than another man standing in the lot.

David’s fists clenched at his sides. She had the audacity to ignore him again and again?

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