My Husband's Affair My Anniversary Gift (Lily and David) novel Chapter 98

Lily froze, staring at it. Every instinct screamed at her to keep her distance. But the thought of stumbling out alone, cameras waiting to capture any trace of weakness… she hated it. With a reluctant exhale, she placed her hand in his.

His grip was steady. Firm, but not forceful.

“Ready?” he asked softly, his eyes catching hers for a brief moment.

She didn’t answer. But when her heels hit the red carpet, her spine straightened on instinct.

The reaction was immediate.

The first murmur started from the reporters standing near the barricade. Then the clicking grew louder, faster, like a rainstorm of shutters. Voices rose, calling out:

“Mr. Grey! Over here!”

“Who’s the lady with you, Mr. Grey?”

“Is this your fiancée?!”

Lily’s face heated under the flashing lights. She lowered her gaze slightly, trying to maintain composure, but her heart hammered in her chest.

She whispered through the corner of her lips, her voice edged with frustration. “This is exactly what I didn’t want.”

Jabco didn’t flinch. He didn’t even slow down. His hand stayed on hers, guiding her forward with a kind of practiced ease. “Ignore them. Walk like they’re not even there.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” she muttered under her breath, her jaw tight.

“Then lean on me if you can’t,” he murmured back, his tone calm, infuriatingly calm.

They reached the top of the steps, and another wave of flashes exploded, almost blinding. Lily’s free hand curled into a fist at her side, nails biting into her palm.

She could hear the whispers already:

“Isn’t she the one who works with Mr. David Hardison? Mr. Hardison's secretary?"

“She’s not Mr. Grey's fiancée… right?”

“God, she’s beautiful though.”

At that name, Lily’s breath caught for the briefest second. She forced herself to keep walking, chin lifted, but inside her stomach churned.

She didn’t realize her fingers had tightened in Jabco’s hand until he gave the smallest squeeze in return.

Lily’s breath caught. The air seemed to thicken around her, every sound muffled, distant.

Jabco noticed her sudden stillness. His gaze followed hers, and when he spotted David, his lips pressed into a tight line.

He leaned close enough for only her to hear. “Don’t flinch. If he wants a show, give him one.”

Lily snapped her head toward him, eyes blazing. “I’m not here to play games.”

“No,” Jabco said quietly, his gaze steady on her face. “But you’re already in one.”

The gala was already in full swing when David’s car pulled into the brightly lit driveway. Flashing cameras sparked against the night sky like fireworks, reporters clustering near the velvet ropes, shouting questions over one another. It was a high-profile event, one where every step, every look, every whispered word mattered.

David stepped out first, tall and commanding in his black suit, his expression set in that familiar calm mask he always wore in public. Marina followed right after, dressed in a stunning silver gown that shimmered under the spotlights. Her hand instantly slid through David’s arm, clinging with practiced ease.

“Mr. Hardison, over here!” one of the reporters shouted, and in seconds, cameras turned, lights flashed, and microphones were pushed forward.

David didn’t flinch. He had grown up in this world, business elites, media pressure, eyes that never blinked. He knew how to move through it like it was nothing. But tonight, there was a tightness in his jaw.

Marina smiled widely, her lips painted crimson, eyes glowing with satisfaction as if she had already won something no one else could touch. She tilted her head slightly, leaning against David’s arm, making sure every camera captured the closeness between them.