Chapter 195
Zoey sighed, shaking her head. “Just be careful.”
With Lirian by my side, I entered the venue that evening, every step measured and deliberate.
I had dressed to make an impression–a sleek, midnight blue gown with a high slit and intricate beadwork that caught the light with every movement.
If Linda thought I’d arrive looking like prey, she was sorely mistaken.
The moment I stepped through the grand double doors, the chatter in the room came to a screeching
halt.
Conversations dropped off mid–sentence as every pair of eyes turned toward me.
The air was thick with whispers:
“That’s her–can you believe she had the nerve to show up?”
“I heard she bullied Linda relentlessly. What kind of person does that?”
I kept my expression neutral, my chin held high. The venue was a masterpiece of opulence, with crystal chandeliers casting a golden glow over the lavishly decorated space.
Gold–and–white floral arrangements adorned every table, and a towering champagne pyramid sparkled near the center of the room.
Jason Levier, standing near the edge of the crowd, caught my eye. His veiled female companion nodded subtly in my direction, a gesture I returned with equal subtlety.
He remained an enigma, but tonight, he was the least of my concerns.
Linda stood at the heart of it all, radiant in a white cocktail dress that hugged her petite frame.
Her golden curls framed a face painted with expertly crafted innocence.
As I settled into a chair near the back, she turned to the cameras, gracefully thanking her fans for their
support.
When the reporter approached her, microphone in hand, Linda’s expression darkened, and I knew what was coming.
The Alpha » Sodomitute Lanza & Heat Claimed. A Soul Reborn
1 grew up in an orphanage,” she began, her voice trembling just enough to tug at heartstrings.
The head of the orphanage was cruel. He starved us, beat us. When I finally got the chance to go to school, I thought things would get better.”
She paused, her eyes glistening with tears.
“But that’s where the bullying started. I remember one moment clearly–I’d saved for years to buy a piano for a school performance. Music was my only escape, my only dream. But then…”
Her voice broke.
“Sophia ruined it all. She smashed my piano, laughed at me, and told me I was wasting my time.”
Gasps echoed throughout the room. Fans in the crowd erupted in anger, their cries of outrage filling the space.
“She’s despicable!”
“How could anyone be so cruel?”
“Sophia doesn’t deserve to be here!”
The comments from the live stream chat, visible on a large screen, were no kinder.
Insults poured in, painting me as a villain.
Yet, amidst the vitriol, a few skeptical voices surfaced:
“Wait, didn’t she say she was starving in the orphanage? How did she afford ten years of piano lessons?”
“Something doesn’t add up.”
But those doubts were quickly drowned out.
The tide was against me, just as Linda had intended.
Linda dabbed her tears delicately with a handkerchief, then turned to me with a soft, almost angelic
smile.
“Sophia,” she said, her voice sweet enough to rot teeth, “I’ve forgiven you, Shall we hug and let bygones be bygones?”
I stared at her, my expression icy.
Her words pulled me back to a memory I’d rather forget–my birthday party, years ago.
Linda had pulled the same stunt, asking for a hug before dramatically “tripping” into the champagne
tower behind her.
The crash, the spilled champagne, the shattered glass–it had all been so perfectly orchestrated to make her look like the victim and me the villai
The “Emory “was brief but vivid, and it steeled my resolve.
I wouldn’t fall for her games again.
**Sophia?” Linda repeated, her tone sickly sweet. “Don’t you want to make amends?”
The room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for my response.
My eyes flicked to the champagne tower behind her–a strikingly similar setup to that fateful day.
I rose slowly, my movements deliberate, and stepped toward her.
The room buzzed with anticipation.
“I appreciate your…generous offer, Linda,” I said, my voice calm but carrying an edge that made her flinch slightly. “But forgiveness? It’s a two–way street.”
She blinked, clearly not expecting that response. “W–What do you mean?”
I tilted my head, letting a small smile play on my lips.
“You seem to have forgotten some key details about our past. Would you like me to remind you?”
Her face paled slightly, and for the first time that night, a flicker of unease crossed her features
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