Page 81 of The Ring Thief
“How did you find out that I lied about being pregnant?”
“I…” She flattens her lips into such a firm line, they practically disappear. “Declan told me, of course,” she declares after a moment. “Our families are extremely close.” Her voice rises again, and I see several nods of agreement, the crowd reminded of exactly who she is.
“Yes,” I agree thoughtfully. “The Masters and the Huntingtons have always been thick as thieves, haven’t they?” I smile, the word thieves dropping like a stone between us. “I guess if it weren’t for me, you and Declan would probably be together.”
She huffs through her nose. “We’re much more suited than you ever were,” she mutters, but then her lips tip into a cruel smirk. “You did him a favor, really. But honestly, Lily? Lying about a baby? That was so beneath you. Declan deserved better, but I can only be grateful that he finally came to his senses.”
Maddison takes a step forward, her eyes bright with emotion and her mouth trembling. “I just don’t understand this at all, Lily. We don’t know each other well, but I never would have thought you’d be the kindof person to…” she cuts herself off, shaking her head. “I’ve had a miscarriage, more than one, and the pain—” She touches her chest with shaking fingers, her throat bobbing on a swallow. “To know you could lie about being pregnant and then losing it…it’s despicable.”
I feel a pinch of sympathy for her, but it’s muted by the fact she’s let herself be so easily led by Silvia. “It would be despicable,” I agree quietly, “if it was true.” Maddison shuts her mouth with a clack, her expression bruised and disbelieving.
“Now, Lily,” Silvia tells me, “you can’t save face now. Everyone here knows about the annulment, and it’s public record that the marriage was dissolved over fraud.”
I flick up an eyebrow. “Yes, and it’s also on public record that I was the one to file.” Maddison’s frown deepens, her stare darting between me and Silvia. A glance at Verity shows her standing shamefaced as Lucas towers over, his expression thunderous.
“What’s she talking about, Silvia?” Maddison asks, turning to face her friend head on. “I didn’t question what you told me, because why would I? We’ve been friends for years, but this…”
Silvia’s about to spout off more lies, but I beat her to the punch. “Silvia hasn’t given anyone the full truth, Maddison. It’s galling to have to speak so publicly on a very personal matter”—I make eye contact with several people before they avert their stares, clearly embarrassed to be called out—“but it’s true that my marriage to Declan was annulled on the grounds of fraud. And it wasn’t anything that I did.” I meet Silvia’s enraged stare with a pleasant smile. “Isn’t that right?”
She doesn’t answer me, her jaw clenched, so I turn back to Maddison, telling her gently, “I’m sorry for your losses, but I’ve never been pregnant, pretend or otherwise. I thought my marriage was based on a foundation of love, and I’ve learned that was the lie.”
“Not a lie,” a rough voice interjects behind me, right before a hand slides around my waist, gripping me firmly.
CHAPTER 35
Lily
Idon’t look at Declan, too entranced at the horror filling Silvia’s eyes. A petty part of me hopes all she can see is his matching tie, and that it makes her sick to her stomach.
“What the hell are you playing at, Silvia?” he demands.
“Declan, I’m not?—”
“I told you to stay the fuck away from me and my wife.” His anger is turbulent, filling the room, and the crowd as a whole takes a hasty step back as if to get out of the explosion range. “Instead, you’ve been slithering your way through the ranks, filling everyone’s ears with poison and lies.”
I press my hand to the back of Declan’s, trying to impart some calm on him. Silvia wanted to make a scene here, and she succeeded, but I don’t want to play into her machinations. His fingers dig into my side, letting me know he feels me, but his attention is on the crowd, his expression tight and furious.
“As my wife has already said, we don’t owe any of you an explanation, but you sure owe Lily one, for ever believing the vile untruths that this bitch has been spreading.”
“Declan,” Lottie scolds beside us, shooting him an amused look. “Let’s keep it civil, shall we?”
He smiles grimly, not making any such promise, as he levels his dark stare back on Silvia, who stumbles back a step at the intensity of it.
“I wasn’t even aware you were here, Declan,” she grits out, glaring in Maddison’s direction, clearly blaming her friend for that fact, but Maddison doesn’t see it, her eyes focused on us.
“You’re right,” she admits quietly. “I never imagined that anyone would lie about something like this. It was why I was so horrified when Silvia…" She shoots daggers at her friend. “Lily, Declan... I’m sorry for allowing myself to be dragged into this. I just—” She hugs her arms around herself. “There’s no excuse.” She lifts her head, staring down her nose at Silvia. “Consider us done.” She turns and strides away, disappearing into the throng of people.
Silvia watches her go and then turns to look for Verity, her eyes widening when she finds that she’s gone as well, Lucas having dragged her off, leaving Silvia standing there on her own. She swallows, turning to face us again, and I lift my eyebrows.
“So, Silvia,” Declan drawls, his eyes still gleaming with anger, “was my absence the only reason you decided you were safe to ambush Lily tonight?”
“I didn’t ambush anyone,” she protests defensively, eyes flashing dangerously. “I just wanted everyone to know the truth of what she did to you.” Her expression clears once more, as if all the emotion has just been wiped away. “You deserve so much better than this, better than her. We belong together, the bridge between our two families. Can’t you see it? We’d create a whole new dynasty.”
From somewhere behind us, Abigail whispers, “That’s something Donald and Darius would say.”
“After everything came out about her mother, it was so clear that she was never worthy of marrying you or taking the Masters name.” Silvia continues, shaking her head, like Declan had disappointed her. “You were supposed to end the relationship as soon as you got the company, but you didn’t! You ruined everything!” Her voice rises until she seems to remember where she is and what she just revealed. She pauses, lashes fluttering, but then continues on doggedly, voice noticeably lower, “You made the right move, getting an annulment. It hurts now, but once you accept you and her are truly over…” her eyes land on Declan with affection and my spine goes taut, my own temper finally catching. She steps forward, a hand reaching out to him and he jerks back, pulling me with him. She falters, her hand falling limply to her side, but it doesn’t stop her for long. “Once you finally put her where she belongs, in thepast, we can get back on track to what we were always meant to be.”
“Holy shit, she’s gone right off her rocker,” Darcy says behind us, her voice ringing out loudly even as Abigail tries to shush her. Movement at my side has me turning to find that Lottie has shifted over to make room for my dad, his expression hard and focused on Silvia. Holding his arm is Julie, a champagne flute still clutched in her free hand and eyes wide, like she’s watching one of her shows play out right in front of her.
