Ophelia's POV,
The murmurs swelled, a low, eager hum, but Dante didn't flinch. If anything, his posture sharpened, like a man stepping into a role he suddenly understood the weight of. He looked down at me only once, brief and unreadable, then faced the room as though this was exactly how the night was meant to unfold.
Collins was the first to approach.
He smiled like we shared something tender. Private.
"Lia," he said, using the name I had buried with my past. "I've missed you."
My spine didn't move. His voice kept going anyway, droning on with a confidence that came from never having learned when to stop.
He laughed softly, like this was all a harmless joke.
"You remember how you were back then, right?" he said, glancing around as if inviting the room to agree with him. "Always so quiet. Never had much to say. I used to wonder if you even had opinions, or if you were just… there."
A few people shifted uncomfortably. He pretended not to notice.
"And God, communicating with you was impossible," he continued, shaking his head in mock nostalgia. "You'd just nod, smile, keep everything inside. Boring, if I'm being honest. I always thought you needed someone louder to speak for you."
He chuckled again, then added, almost kindly, "I used to tell myself it was cute."
His eyes flicked to her, lingering too long. "I mean, no offense, but I never once thought you were clever enough to land someone like him." He gestured vaguely at Dante who stiffened. I could almost feel the icy rage emanating from him. But, then, who was he to defend me?
"A billionaire? You? I figured you'd end up comfortable at best. Safe. Ordinary."
He leaned back, satisfied, as if he'd said something insightful rather than cruel.
"Guess life surprises you," he said with a shrug. "Though I still don't quite see what changed."
The silence that followed was sharp enough to cut. He laughed, awkward and loud, then turned to Dante with a sheepish shrug.
"Sorry," he said. "History. I'm sure you didn't know."
The silence that followed was vicious. I could feel eyes on my skin, hear the whispers forming before they were brave enough to speak. Slut. Gold-digger. Upgrade.
I smiled.
My hand slid onto Dante's arm, light but deliberate. Claiming. He responded instantly, his palm settling at my waist like it belonged there, his voice calm and lethal.
"This," he asked without looking at me, "is the man you mentioned?"
To say I was shocked would be an understatement but I guarded my feelings and nodded once.
Then I stepped forward.
"Thank you," I said brightly to Collins. "For teaching me what boredom actually looks like."
A ripple went through the room.
"I finally understand why you needed my sister," I added, tilting my head. "You suit each other perfectly."
Liora rushed in before he could speak.
Tears were already shimmering in her eyes, perfectly timed, her voice trembling just enough to sound sincere to anyone who didn't know her too well. She clasped her hands to her chest like the weight of the moment might crush her.
"Please," she said softly, glancing around the room. "You're making this sound so cruel."
She turned to me then, sorrow painted carefully across her face. "After your father died… we tried. Do you know how much we sacrificed for you?" Her voice cracked, and a few people visibly softened. "My mother took you in as her own. We became a family when you had nothing left."
Family.
The word burned.
"We gave up so much," Liora continued, shaking her head as if the memory pained her.
"Stability. Peace. Even happiness at times. And you just…" she let out a fragile laugh, wet with accusation, "...you ran away. No goodbye. No gratitude. You abandoned us."
My hands clenched at my sides. Murmurs grew around us.
She stepped closer, lowering her voice, as if this was a private confession meant only for me. "Do you know how much that hurt?" she whispered. "How betrayed I felt? I defended you. I lied for you. I protected you."
Protected me?
This from the woman who had crawled into my bed when I was gone and into my fiancé's arms while I still loved him.
The anger rose fast and violent, a heat crawling up my spine. I remembered the way I found out. Way before seeing him propose to her. The messages I wasn't meant to see. The quiet, smiling apologies that followed. The way she cried then too, saying it just happened, saying she never meant to hurt me, saying I should understand because we were sisters.
Stepsisters.
She straightened now, eyes shining brighter. "I know you think we wronged you," she said gently and sanctimoniously. "But you never stayed long enough to see how hard we tried. How much we loved you."
I scoffed. "Loved me enough to take everything that was mine?"
My jaw tightened, the room blurring at the edges as fury drowned out the noise and something in me snapped loose. But I wasn't the type to release fury through physical ways.
I laughed.
I turned to Dante, smiling like this was all terribly planned. "I told you she'd do this."
Then I faced the room again.
"I walked in on them," I said casually, like I was discussing traffic. "In our house. In our bed."
Gasps.
I pulled out my phone. "I have the video evidence."
Liora went white. I wasn't lying. Earlier, I had told Eden to help me retrieve the video from my old phone. I had recorded them one day hoping to use it as leverage to break the engagement but the next day, he proposed to her.
"Deny it," I said pleasantly. "Go on."
She didn't and I crossed the distance between us while the room held its breath, then wrapped my arms around her in a soft, sisterly hug.
Her body shook.
I leaned in and whispered, sweet enough to sting, "I disappeared for a while. Now I'm here, more powerful than ever. You might want to be more careful with what's at your back."