Chapter 77
At night, Ellie arrived on time for her part-time job at the bar. She was in the middle of getting her look ready when, suddenly, Alex appeared in the mirror.
Two professional makeup artists were working on her, but their eyes met in the reflection. Ellie quickly looked away. Sensing the tension, the makeup artists excused themselves, leaving the two of them alone. Alex brought a chair and sat close to Ellie without saying anything, his gaze fixed on her freshly done makeup. He reached out to touch the sparkly decoration on her eyelid.
Ellie quickly tilted her head back, covering her face with her hand. “Don’t pull it off; it took forever to stick on.”
Alex pulled Ellie’s hand away, his tone stern as he spoke. “The front desk said you made a scene about refunding the money to me. Are you planning to keep settling things with me like this forever?”
Ellie frowned. “What did he mean by saying I was crying and insisting on giving the money back to him?” she thought. “Even among close siblings, it’s best to keep finances clear,” she muttered, checking her makeup in the mirror.
Alex ran a hand through his short hair, visibly frustrated, as he stared at Ellie. “You ungrateful brat, last time you crashed my car—how come you never settled that with me? How do you plan to make it right?”
Ellie stood up, adjusting her dress, and looked down at Alex. She knew he would say this. “You don’t have to keep reminding me. The Thompson family always remembers how much we owe your family, both in money and gratitude!” she said.
Ellie continued, “Even though my brother and I aren’t earning much now, we’ll pay everything back. As for gratitude, that’s between me, Carlos, Todd, and Nancy. It has nothing to do with you!”
Alex casually rested his arm over the back of the chair, slightly tilting his head to meet Ellie’s gaze while absentmindedly playing with the beads on her dress. He asked, “Is there nothing else you can talk to me about except money?”
Ellie firmly replied, “No!”
One was standing, the other sitting, their eyes locked in a silent standoff in the dressing room. Suddenly, with a loud bang, Alex stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Watching the door rattle, Ellie pouted and looked away, determined to keep her life simple. She was focused on repaying kindness with kindness, making money, and avoiding unnecessary troubles.
It was close to 9 PM on a Friday when, in one of the luxurious private rooms at the Earl Hotel’s entertainment club, a group of young men and women were partying hard. Alex and Layton were seated in the middle of the sofa, chatting, while Haley, dressed to impress, sat cozily next to Alex, greeting everyone with a reserved smile.
“Everyone listen,” Lacey, Layton’s sister, climbed onto the coffee table. “My good friend will be here soon, so take it easy, okay? She’s a bit shy, so don’t scare her away.”
A tall, skinny guy eagerly asked, “Lacey, is your friend a guy or a girl?”
“Of course, she’s a girl! My friend is gorgeous, with an amazing figure and a sweet, alluring presence. Her voice is even softer than any of the girls here!” Lacey boasted proudly, making everyone even more curious.
The tall man exclaimed, “I can’t believe it—could she be prettier than the stunning Haley?”
Haley laughed it off. “Oh, stop teasing me! Lacey’s friend must be truly beautiful.”
Another man, wearing a floral shirt, was skeptical. “Haley, don’t be so modest. You’re the most famous socialite in Jaslands, and even Alex is head over heels for you. Who could be more beautiful than you?”
Haley couldn’t suppress a smile as she glanced at Alex, but then she saw that Alex was looking down, busy texting someone on his phone, not joining in the conversation at all. Her smile faltered slightly.
Lacey added, “Once my friend arrives, you’ll all see. She’s even more beautiful than Haley!”
Seeing Haley’s embarrassed look, Layton pulled on Lacey’s sleeve to signal her to stop talking.
At that moment, a waiter knocked on the door, announcing that guests had arrived. Lacey quickly jumped off the coffee table to greet them.
Ellie stood at the door, nervously fixing her dress.
