Chapter 3

I took a deep breath. Thank God I had put on a full face of makeup and dressed up tonight.

I straightened my spine and walked over, sitting directly opposite Scarlett. "I didn't expect to see you here."

The host of the party was Ashley, our former college alumni coordinator. Sitting right next to Scarlett, she smiled nastily. "Well, Chloe, your sister told us you were kicked out of the house. She was worried you were starving on the streets, so she asked me to organize this dinner just so you could get a decent meal."

Ashley’s words felt like a slap in the face. She had exposed my humiliation to everyone in the room.

I forced myself to stay calm. The more they wanted to see me crumble, the stronger I had to look.

I took a sip of my orange juice and smiled. "Thanks for the concern, guys. But as you can see, I'm doing perfectly fine. Better than ever, actually."

Scarlett let out a cold laugh. "Stop lying, Chloe. Is that dress you're wearing a cheap knockoff? That's a limited-edition piece. As far as I know, there’s only one in the world, and it was bought by the prestigious Gray family."

The dress I was wearing was one of the items Christian had bought for me. I hadn't checked the price tag, but hearing Scarlett's words, I realized just how expensive it was.

I smirked and looked at her. "You're right. It was bought by the Grays. So, where do you think I got it from?"

Scarlett's sneer deepened. "Are you trying to say Christian Gray gave it to you?"

I nodded. "Exactly."

The room went dead silent for three seconds. Then, the entire lounge erupted into hysterical laughter.

"Haha! Chloe, you are seriously delusional!"

Scarlett laughed so hard tears came to her eyes. "If you're going to lie, at least make it believable! Why would Christian Gray ever associate with someone like you? He’s the billionaire CEO of Gray Enterprises! He is powerful, rich, and untouchable. Why would he give a gift to a pathetic, abandoned bride? Haha..."

Ashley chimed in with a vicious smirk. "Exactly. I didn't know you were this thick-skinned, Chloe. How dare you use Christian’s name to clout-chase? Everyone knows he’s notoriously cold and aloof. No woman has ever managed to get close to him."

I froze. I had been so focused on my studies and my relationship with Ethan over the past few years that I had no idea Christian had become such a powerful, legendary figure in the business world.

But seeing their mocking faces, my anger flared. I pulled out my phone. "You don't believe me? Fine. I'll call him here right now."

Scarlett thought I was bluffing. She leaned back, amused. "Sure. I'll wait."

With my heart hammering in my chest, I sent Christian a message on Snapchat. I told him I was at the restaurant and needed him to come over urgently.

I sent the location, but there was no reply.

As the minutes ticked by, my anxiety grew.

I started to regret my impulsiveness. If Christian didn't show up, I would become the laughingstock of the city.

Ten minutes later, the door to the VIP lounge was pushed open. I looked up with hope, only to feel my stomach drop. It was Ethan.

All my past love for him had turned into pure hatred. Just looking at his face made me sick.

But Ethan didn't even look at me. He walked straight to Scarlett and wrapped his arms around her. "Babe, I'm here to take you home."

Scarlett smiled triumphantly, her voice turning high and whiny. "Babe, wait a second. Chloe claims she invited Christian Gray here. I'm waiting to see him!"

Ethan scoffed loudly. "Christian Gray? Chloe must have lost her mind. Christian is way out of her league. A trashy girl like her? Even a beggar wouldn't want her!"

Being humiliated in public by the man I had loved for five years was the final straw.

I grabbed my glass of orange juice and splashed it straight into Ethan and Scarlett’s faces.

They were completely caught off guard. Scarlett shrieked like a maniac, and Ethan wiped his face, glaring at me as he roared, "Chloe! You've lost your mind!"

I felt an rush of pure satisfaction. Just as I reached for another glass, the door opened again. A tall, familiar figure walked in.

Christian walked into the room. He ignored everyone else and kept his eyes locked entirely on me.

He stopped by my side and spoke in a deep, velvety, and incredibly gentle voice. "I'm sorry, Chloe. I’m late."

Christian's sudden appearance left everyone in the room utterly speechless.