The grand ballroom was a sea of elegance and opulence, glittering chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling, casting a soft, golden glow on the polished floors. The cream-and-gold décor, the high society chatter, the clinking of champagne flutes — all of it was meant to celebrate the unveiling of a new collection from one of the most prestigious fashion houses in the city.
Lily Ashton was the unofficial guest of honor, the woman who had once held the world at her feet, the wife of the powerful Eliot Ashton, and the mastermind behind her late mother's fashion legacy.
But tonight was different.
Tonight, the world would see that Lily Ashton was no longer the woman she had once been.
Right now the room was alive with chatter, laughter, and the clinking of champagne glasses, but Lily Ashton felt as though the world had gone silent around her. The lights above flickered with a golden glow, casting long shadows across the polished marble floor. She moved through the crowd, her heart heavy with the weight of her broken marriage. The guests around her seemed like nothing more than distant figures in a dream.
Lily's handmade emerald-green silk gown shimmered under the ballroom lights, the fabric clinging delicately to her slender frame, the A-line skirt flowing gracefully with every step. The dress had once been a symbol of the woman she had been—the confident, stylish woman who had everything. Now, it felt like a costume, masking the raw ache of betrayal she could no longer hide.
Her black stiletto heels clicked sharply against the floor, the sound echoing through the cavernous hall. She felt their weight with every step, just as she felt the weight of the whispers following her.
Elliot had humiliated her, cast her aside for Elise Carrington, a woman who seemed to have everything Lily was not—youth, beauty, and an unshakable confidence that Lily could only envy now.
The sting of betrayal from her half-blood was still fresh. It had been months since she found out about Elliot's affair, and the anger and hurt still lingered, a constant ache that gnawed at her insides. But tonight, in the very place where she once stood proudly by his side, she was now nothing more than a shadow of her former self. A ghost, clinging to the remnants of a life she had lost.
She looked across the room, her gaze locking onto Elliot and Elise, standing together with their perfect smiles, their chemistry impossible to ignore. The sight of them sent a sharp pang of pain through her chest, but she forced herself to look away. She couldn't let them see her break oblivious to the eyes on her.
They belonged to Damien, the fashion king of America and the mysterious hidden billionaire who had always been a figure shrouded in secrecy, standing across the room. His gaze never left hers till thier eyes met. For a hidden billionaire who refused to never let his face be known due to the dark mask he always wore, Lily couldn't help the feeling that they've met before.
Lily had never known him to be anything other than a powerful, enigmatic business tycoon — the face of ACE Consortium, one of the most influential and wealthy fashion empires in the world. But tonight, as she caught sight of him standing in the shadows, watching her with a piercing gaze, something about him felt different.
Damien was, without a doubt, one of the most handsome men Lily had ever seen. His features were striking — sharp jawline, high cheekbones, and full lips that never seemed to smile but were undeniably magnetic. His dark, tousled hair fell just above his collar, perfectly messy in a way that somehow only added to his appeal. He wore a tailored black suit, the fabric clinging to his broad shoulders and lean, muscular frame, exuding an aura of sophistication and power. His deep, almost unnaturally intense eyes — the color of the darkest night — seemed to pierce through the crowd, locking onto her with a force that made her feel both unnerved and strangely drawn to him. It was as though his gaze could see into the very depths of her soul.
But Lily didn't have the time — or the energy — to focus on him. Elliot, her ex-husband, was the one who consumed her thoughts, the one who had torn her world apart.
As the guests swirled around her, Lily felt the weight of their stares, the whispers that followed her every step. There was no mistaking it - the glittering masks of civility and respect had slipped. Her public divorce from Elliot Hawke had been a scandalous spectacle, and though the ink on their divorce papers had barely dried, the damage to her reputation had already been done.
As Lily made her way through the ballroom, trying to hold her head high, the sharp click of heels behind her made her pause. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
Elise Carrington, her stepsister and her husband's mistress, the woman who had so effortlessly woven herself into Damien's world, was striding toward her with an air of bold confidence.
Elise was everything Lily was not - young, radiant, and utterly unburdened by the weight of a tarnished reputation. The sharp contrast between the two women was enough to make Lily's stomach twist.
"Well, well, if it isn't the former Mrs. Ashton." Elise's voice rang out, smooth and dripping with condescension. Her perfectly painted lips curved into a smile that was all teeth, a predatory look that sent a chill down Lily's spine.
Elise was dressed in a high-fashion, statement-making dress that screamed confidence and power. The deep crimson satin clung to her slender frame, a dress cut daringly with a plunging neckline and a high slit that exposed her long, toned legs. The fabric shimmered in the soft light, catching the eye with every movement. Her blonde hair — perfectly styled in loose, voluminous waves — cascaded over her shoulders, framing her flawless face. The bold red lipstick and smoky eyeshadow accentuated her features, giving her a seductive, almost dangerous edge.
Elise's diamond earrings caught the light, flashing with each step as she approached, the sparkling clutch in her hand completing her look. She was the picture of effortless glamour, a woman who knew exactly how to command attention. She had always been the perfect model of beauty and power in Lily's eyes, a woman who had replaced her in every way.
Lily stiffened on seeing her but forced a smile.
"Elise."and She nodded coolly, her voice steady despite the fire building inside her. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"Oh, of course." Elise's laughter was sharp, almost mocking. "Where else would I be? I'm the one who's now in the spotlight, after all." She paused, her eyes scanning Lily's face with a cruel amusement.
"How does it feel, Lily? To be cast aside like a worn-out dress?"
Lily's breath caught in her throat, but she held her ground. She knew what this was - a public showing of her defeat, a way to further humiliate her in front of everyone. But she wasn't about to give Elise the satisfaction.
Not yet.
"I'm sure Eliot is glad to be rid of me." Lily said, her voice low but laced with bitterness. "After all, I'm nothing compared to the new model of perfection you've become, right?"
Elise's eyes narrowed, and the fake smile faltered for a moment before she composed herself. "Eliot doesn't need you anymore. He has everything he wants with me."
She took a step closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You were a mere stepping stone, Lily. A trophy wife. But now? Now, you're just a joke."