I flinched slightly when Victoria slammed her hand against the table.
I knew she was going to explode eventually.
Victoria had been simmering from the moment I sat down.
“This is ridiculous. She is being completely disrespectful,” Victoria snapped, glaring at me. “If she can’t behave properly, she shouldn’t be here.”
“And you should?” I asked evenly, “Why are you trying so hard to be a homewrecker?”
She paused. "Excuse me?"
"Seriously," I said, rolling my eyes, "why do you all act so shocked when someone calls you out on your bullshit? If you're going to be a bitch, expect to be treated like one."
"I am not a bitch."
"Really?" I hummed. “You're hanging around your ex’s family when he’s married, and you ended on bad terms.”
“What did you just say?” she demanded.
I held her gaze.
“Was any part of that unclear?”
Her eyes snapped toward Callahan instantly.
“How does she know that?” she shot at him. “Did you tell her? Is that what this is? You’ve been talking about me behind my back?”
Callahan’s head turned toward me sharply, surprise written all over his face. He hadn't told me anything about his past relationships. That wasn't exactly a conversation for a first date. Even so, it was painfully obvious to anyone with eyes that she was the one at fault here.
Before Victoria could spiral further, I cut in. "He didn't tell me anything, so you can relax."
"You're lying," she hissed.
“I'm not. It’s just obvious that you cheated on him.”
Callahan’s voice was quiet beside me. “Evania.”
I turned to him then, noting how confused he looked. “How do you know that?” he asked carefully.
I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips. I reached up and gently placed my hands on both of his handsome cheeks. He went still instantly, his eyes moving from my fingers to my eyes at an alarming rate.
“You,” I said softly, patting his handsome face lightly, “are far too much of a gentleman to leave her without a reason.”
His brows furrowed slightly.
“You would only end it if she were disloyal,” I continued, my voice steady. “Or showed a complete lack of respect.”
Victoria made a sharp sound. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The silence that followed was deafening. A strange look flickered in his eyes — not anger, not embarrassment. It was almost like he was impressed by me.
He lifted my hands from his cheeks gently. And then, without breaking eye contact with me, he pressed a soft kiss to each one. The gesture was so unexpected that I practically melted on the spot.
Mrs. Sterling huffed, her lips pursed in annoyance.
It wasn’t loud, but in an open space that had gone painfully silent, it might as well have been a gunshot. She raised her dainty little finger and pointed it straight at me.
“You,” she said, her voice tight with barely contained fury, “are an ill-mannered gold digger. And I demand you divorce my son.”
