Evelyn stood her ground, her gaze as sharp and cold as a frost. She watched Erica Jones with a quiet, dangerous intensity. You're used to bullying people, aren't you? she thought, her jaw tight. You're used to everyone bowing to your 'International Queen' status, but those days are over.
"Erica!" Michael's voice cracked through the room, vibrating with a coldness that made the air feel thin. Without a moment's hesitation, he reached out and grasped Evelyn's shoulder, pulling her firmly into his protection while roughly pushing Erica aside.
Erica staggered, her heels clicking unevenly on the floor as she looked at him in sheer, naked disbelief. To her, this felt like a nightmare. She searched his face for a flicker of the man who was supposed to be her fiancé, but she found only a wall of ice. What kind of drug did this cheap woman give him? she wondered bitterly.
