Chapter 3 — The Woman Everyone Ignored
The next evening, another charity gala filled the Lancaster mansion.
The same wealthy families.
The same expensive laughter.
The same people pretending nothing had changed.
I remained in the wheelchair.
Silent.
Invisible.
Exactly as they expected.
Evelyn floated through the crowd accepting congratulations she hadn't earned.
"You're so strong."
"You've sacrificed everything."
"You deserve happiness."
Every compliment made her smile brighter.
Until one tiny accident changed everything.
A waiter stumbled.
A champagne glass slipped.
The crystal shattered across the marble floor beside my wheelchair.
Several guests gasped.
Without thinking...
Evelyn snapped.
"You idiot!"
She slapped the young waiter across the face so hard the ballroom echoed.
The room fell silent.
The waiter lowered his head.
"I'm... I'm sorry, ma'am."
She grabbed his collar.
"Do you know how much this dress costs?"
No one moved.
Except Linh.
She quietly stepped between them.
"Please..."
"It was an accident."
Evelyn turned toward her.
"You."
"The maid."
Her voice dripped with contempt.
"Know your place."
Then...
In front of two hundred guests...
She shoved Linh backward.
Linh lost her balance and fell onto the polished marble floor.
The tray in her hands crashed beside her.
For one brief second...
Everyone looked at me.
Waiting.
Wondering whether the crippled heir could even react.
I didn't move.
Not yet.
Because every camera in the ballroom had already captured everything.
Including the board members who had witnessed it.
Including the investors.
Including the media guests invited for charity coverage.
Evelyn smiled again.
Certain she'd escaped another consequence.
May you like
She hadn't.
She had simply handed me another piece of evidence.
