Tell the World, The Hidden Magnate is Back

CH 8

"I think there's been a misunderstanding."

Ethan's voice was calm—too calm for someone being accused of breaking and entering.

Diane's face cycled through confusion, then fury. "Misunderstanding? You broke into my apartment—"

"I didn't break in." Ethan gestured toward the elevator. "I have nothing else to do here. Excuse us."

He moved forward, and Lily followed, but Diane's arm shot out to block the elevator doors.

"Stop right there. Did I say you could go?"

The command rang through the hallway, and her friends shifted closer to form a wall of judgment and designer handbags. Lily felt their eyes cataloging every inadequacy written on her borrowed dress.

Ethan's jaw tightened. "Diane, I've already discussed the divorce with Vivian. Wherever I go from now on has nothing to do with your family."

"Oh, really?" Diane stepped closer, her voice dripping condescension. "So just because you're divorced, you think you can do whatever you want? Disregard your elders? I'm twice your age, boy. It's only natural for me to care about where the younger generation goes, what they do." Her gaze slid to Lily. "Who they do it with."

The friends tittered on cue.

"So this is your mistress?" Diane's smile was all teeth. "You really aren't picky about anything, are you?"

Ethan's face went cold in a way that made Lily's breath catch. "Show some respect."

Diane threw her head back and laughed—actually laughed—and the sound echoed off marble and glass. "Respect? A vampire who lived off my daughter for three years wants to lecture me about respect?" She turned to her friends. "Can you believe this?"

Mrs. Parker smirked. "The audacity."

"Some people have no shame," Mrs. Bennett added.

Mrs. Sullivan nodded. "Blood-sucking parasites never do."

They laughed together in a chorus of mockery that filled the hallway, and Lily felt her hands curl into fists. She'd tried to stay quiet, tried to stay invisible, but watching them tear into the man who'd rescued her and asked for nothing in return—

"That's enough." The words left her mouth before she could stop them.

Four faces turned to her with identical expressions of shock.

"Excuse me?" Diane's smile vanished.

"I said that's enough." Lily's heart pounded, but she held her ground. "Whether he's your son-in-law or not, you have no right to speak to him like that. He's a good man, worthy of respect, certainly more than you're showing him."

The hallway went silent.

Diane's face turned scarlet. "Shut up. Who the hell do you think you are, butting into family matters?"

"I'm not trying to—"

"You're nobody!" Diane's voice rose to a shriek that made Lily flinch. "A stranger! And you dare lecture me while I'm teaching this worthless junior a lesson?"

"Please." Lily softened her tone. "I think there's been some misunderstanding between you and your daughter, between you and him. Maybe if we all just calmed down—"

"Misunderstanding?" Diane's expression shifted, fury melting into cruel amusement that made Lily's stomach turn. "Oh, I understand perfectly."

She moved closer, invading Lily's space until she could smell expensive perfume.

"You two have slept together, haven't you?" Her voice dropped to a vicious purr. "And he gave you money. Quite a bit, I'd imagine. That's how these things work."

"That's not—"

"How much?" Diane grabbed Lily's wrist hard enough to leave marks. "How much did this pathetic loser pay you?"

"Let go—"

Diane shoved her hard enough that Lily stumbled backward, arms pinwheeling. She would've hit the floor if Ethan hadn't caught her. His hands were gentle as they steadied her, but his face was anything but.

"You shameless slut!" Diane's voice turned shrill. "Hand over the money! Every cent! It's my family's—stolen from my daughter by this worthless—"

"Diane." Ethan's voice could freeze blood. "Stop. There is nothing untoward between us. I'm helping Miss Morgan because she needs help. That's all."

"Nothing untoward?" Diane sneered. "Then why bring her to a hotel?"

"To show me an apartment." Lily found her voice and forced it steady despite her shaking hands. "He brought me here to see an apartment. I lost my home. He's helping me find a place to stay."

Diane froze, blinked, then burst into laughter—real, genuine, doubled-over laughter that shook her entire body.

"An apartment?" She wiped tears from her eyes. "Oh, sweetheart. You poor, gullible thing."

Mrs. Parker's expression shifted to mock sympathy. "She doesn't know?"

"Clearly not." Mrs. Bennett shook her head. "Poor girl."

Diane stepped closer to Lily, her voice dripping false concern. "Honey, he's lying to you. This man spent three years living off my daughter like a leech, contributed nothing, took everything, and now he's convinced you he has money?" She laughed again. "He couldn't afford a broom closet in this building, let alone an apartment."

"That's not true—" Lily started.

"It's completely true." Diane pulled a key card from her purse and held it up. "You want to see a real apartment? One bought by a real man with real money? My new son-in-law—Ryan Fitzgerald—just purchased the penthouse. The actual penthouse. That's what success looks like." She turned the card between her fingers, letting light catch the gold embossing. "Not whatever pathetic con this loser is running on you."

Mrs. Parker nodded. "Ryan's apartment is magnificent."

"Forty-three floors up," Mrs. Bennett added. "The best view in the city."

"That's what my daughter deserves," Diane said. "Not some servant playing dress-up."

Lily opened her mouth to respond, to defend, to explain that the apartment Ethan had shown her was real and beautiful—

Ethan's hand found her elbow and squeezed gently. She looked at him, and he shook his head in a subtle gesture that said let it go.

"We're leaving." His voice was quiet. Then guided Lily toward the elevator and pressed the button while Diane's voice followed them.

"That's right! Run away! Crawl back to whatever hole you came from!"

Her friends laughed and encouraged her. The elevator dinged, and the doors began to open as Diane's voice reached fever pitch.

"You think you're something special? You're nothing! Less than nothing! A parasite pretending to be human! You got lucky this time, you little brat! Next time I see you, I'll tear your skin off!"

The friends gasped in delight.

Ethan and Lily stepped into the elevator, and as the doors closed, Lily caught one last glimpse of Diane's face—flushed with victory, surrounded by her cackling audience, key card held high like a trophy.

The doors sealed shut and silence pressed down.

"I'm sorry." Lily's hands wouldn't stop shaking.

"For what?"

"For making it worse. I should've stayed quiet—"

"You defended me." Ethan's voice was soft, something vulnerable in it. "No one's done that in a long time."

She looked at him—really looked. His expression was carefully neutral, but his eyes held three years of swallowed insults and endured humiliations.

"She's wrong," Lily said firmly. "About everything. You know that, right?"

"Do I?" A ghost of a smile crossed his face. "You barely know me."

"I know you saved my life twice. I know you helped me when everyone else ran. I know you're offering me a home when you have no reason to. That's enough."

The elevator descended.

"She called you a parasite," Lily continued quietly. "But parasites take. You give. She's the one who's blind. Not me."

Ethan said nothing, just looked at her with an expression she couldn't quite read until the elevator reached the ground floor and the doors opened.

"Come on," he said quietly. "I'm happy you liked the apartment."

They walked through the lobby together, and Lily didn't look back.