Chapter 78
Yesterday, Ellie had received a call from Lacey, who had just returned and invited her to a welcome-back party that night. Ellie had initially wanted to decline, but since Lacey had come to the hospital to visit her, she didn’t want to disappoint her. Lacey also mentioned that she had invited a few close friends, and Ellie didn’t want to embarrass her, so reluctantly, she agreed to attend.
Lacey had also told Ellie that she could borrow something nice for the occasion, so Ellie went to the bar to ask Whitney for help. Whitney, always generous, gave her a brand-new dress that was too small to return. Even when Ellie tried to offer to pay for it, Whitney refused, insisting that it wasn’t worth much.
To complete her outfit, Ellie bought a nice pair of high heels and spent some time perfecting her makeup. In the past, she had saved every penny to pay for her father’s medicine, often skipping meals. She had worked tirelessly, like a top that never stopped spinning. But after interning at the hospital and working part-time at the bar, Ellie realized how much people judged others based on appearances. Dressing neatly at least gave her a fighting chance to avoid unfair treatment.
Summoning her courage, Ellie entered the private room for the party. As soon as she stepped inside, she spotted Alex sitting at the center of the room. He was leaning over, whispering something to Haley that made her blush and snuggle closer to him. Ellie’s heart tightened, and she immediately turned to leave, thinking to herself, What are they doing here too?
Ellie had become good friends with Lacey during college in Jinerity. She knew Lacey came from a wealthy family, but she had never guessed that Lacey knew Alex as well.
“Ellie, you finally made it!” Just as Ellie was about to turn around and leave, Lacey grabbed her and pulled her into the room. “Everyone’s here except for you,” she said cheerfully.
As Lacey spoke, the gaze of about ten people in the room turned sharply toward the doorway. Ellie was so nervous that she didn’t even dare to look up, feeling as though the eyes in the room were boring into her. She felt a sharp, almost piercing gaze.
When Haley saw Ellie, her eyes showed a brief surprise, but the jealousy in them was impossible to miss. So, Ellie and Lacey are friends, Haley thought. She carefully linked arms with Alex, and her eyes remained locked on Ellie, unable to look away.
Usually, Ellie didn’t dress up much and preferred wearing simpler clothes. But today, she was dressed up, complete with makeup and high heels. Haley couldn’t help but notice that the dress Ellie was wearing was from a luxury brand’s current collection, and she couldn’t understand how Ellie could afford such an expensive item. She can barely afford food, Haley thought with a sneer.
Layton, observing the situation, glanced at Alex with a playful smile. “So the good friend Lacey mentioned is Ellie, huh? I was wondering who could be prettier than your girlfriend.”
Alex slowly squinted his eyes, his gaze locked onto Ellie. She stood there in her white off-the-shoulder dress, which hugged her figure perfectly and showed off her neck, shoulders, and ankles. Her waist was so slim that he imagined he could wrap his hand around it.
Her long hair cascaded down her back, neatly tucked behind her ears. She stood demurely, radiating an innocent sweetness. Her flawless makeup only enhanced her delicate features, and her petal-like lips, painted a soft nude pink, moved in such a captivating way that it was hard for Alex to look away.
Alex took a deep breath, then another. He tugged at his collar, clearly unsettled, and dropped ice cubes into his glass of wine until it nearly spilled over. After a pause, he picked up the glass and drank it all in one go.
