Divorced After His Livestream Affair Chapter 05

Divorced After His Livestream Affair Chapter 05

The Woman He Wasn’t Supposed to Bring

The charity gala was held at the Grand Crescent Hotel.

One of the most exclusive venues in Manhattan.

The guest list included celebrities, CEOs, investors, politicians, and media personalities.

Exactly the kind of place where appearances mattered.

Which was why Ryan should have been terrified.

Unfortunately, he still thought he was the smartest person in the room.

I stepped out of the car wearing the red dress.

The same dress Ryan once told me was “too aggressive.”

The same dress I hadn’t worn in over two years.

Heads immediately turned.

Camera flashes followed.

For a brief moment, I remembered who I used to be before Ryan convinced me to shrink myself.

The version of me my father had raised.

A voice suddenly spoke behind me.

“Good.”

I turned around.

Alexander stood beside the entrance.

Black tuxedo.

Hands in his pockets.

Looking annoyingly perfect.

His eyes traveled over the dress.

“Very good.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Was that a compliment?”

“Don’t get used to it.”

I laughed.

“You really need new material.”

His mouth twitched.

Almost a smile.

Almost.

Then his attention shifted toward the entrance.

“They’re here.”

I followed his gaze.

Ryan’s black Bentley pulled up.

The passenger door opened.

And out stepped Sophia.

Not me.

Sophia.

Ryan exited from the other side.

The second he saw me, he froze.

Completely froze.

Sophia noticed a second later.

Her smile vanished.

“What the hell is she doing here?”

I almost laughed.

What was I doing here?

Attending a charity gala.

What were they doing here?

That was the more interesting question.

Ryan quickly recovered.

He forced a smile and walked toward me.

“Emily.”

I smiled back.

“Ryan.”

His eyes moved over the dress.

Then over Alexander.

Then back to me.

Something in his expression darkened.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“Would you have invited me?”

The question hit harder than I intended.

Ryan hesitated.

For one second.

One very revealing second.

“No, I mean—”

“I know what you meant.”

Sophia crossed her arms.

“This is awkward.”

I turned toward her.

“You think so?”

The influencer’s smile looked forced.

“We were just coming to support the charity.”

“How noble.”

Ryan immediately stepped between us.

Afraid.

Interesting.

The event began twenty minutes later.

Everyone moved into the ballroom.

I ended up seated at Alexander’s table.

Across the room sat Ryan and Sophia.

Together.

Like a couple.

Not exactly subtle.

“Your fiancé is staring.”

Alexander took a sip of whiskey.

“Good.”

I glanced over.

Ryan was indeed staring.

Every few minutes.

Without fail.

His attention kept drifting toward our table.

Toward me.

Toward Alexander.

Toward the possibility that he was losing control.

The realization seemed to bother him.

A lot.

Halfway through dinner, the host stepped onto the stage.

“Tonight we’d like to thank several of our major donors.”

Applause filled the room.

Names appeared on the screen.

Celebrities.

Athletes.

Business leaders.

Then suddenly—

Sophia Lane.

The crowd applauded politely.

Sophia stood and waved.

Looking proud.

Looking important.

Looking completely unaware of what was coming.

Alexander leaned toward me.

“Watch.”

“What?”

“Just watch.”

The host smiled.

“We’d also like to recognize Miss Lane’s generous contribution of two hundred thousand dollars.”

Sophia beamed.

Then the host continued.

“Which was made possible through a private sponsorship by Mr. Ryan Cole.”

The ballroom went silent.

Ryan froze.

Sophia’s smile disappeared.

Several guests exchanged glances.

One reporter immediately started typing into his phone.

Another whispered to a colleague.

The implication was obvious.

Ryan wasn’t sponsoring the charity.

He was sponsoring Sophia.

In public.

In front of everyone.

Exactly the kind of thing a man did for his mistress.

Not his fiancée.

Sophia looked horrified.

Ryan looked even worse.

Beside me, Alexander looked delighted.

I leaned closer.

“Did you do that?”

“No.”

“You absolutely did.”

“I merely helped the organizers improve transparency.”

I laughed.

“Oh my God.”

Across the room, Ryan was already trying to explain something to Sophia.

She didn’t look happy.

Not at all.

For the first time since this began, cracks were appearing.

Real cracks.

The rest of the evening only got worse.

A reporter approached Ryan during cocktail hour.

Then another.

Questions started flying.

“Mr. Cole, are you and Miss Lane dating?”

“Why sponsor her personally?”

“What does your fiancée think?”

Sophia quickly disappeared.

Ryan looked ready to kill someone.

Alexander and I watched everything unfold from across the room.

“You planned this.”

“Partially.”

“You’re evil.”

“I’ve heard that before.”

The ballroom doors suddenly opened.

A familiar voice called out.

“Ryan!”

Everyone turned.

Sophia marched back into the room.

Angry.

And very, very loud.

“You told me nobody knew about us!”

The room exploded into whispers.

Ryan’s face went white.

“Sophia—”

“No!”

She pointed directly at him.

“You promised me I’d never look stupid!”

Gasps erupted around the room.

Phones appeared everywhere.

Recording.

Filming.

Capturing every second.

Ryan desperately grabbed her arm.

“Lower your voice.”

“Why? Because your fiancée is here?”

The entire ballroom looked at me.

I lifted my champagne glass.

And smiled.

Sophia followed their gaze.

Then pointed at me.

“This is your fault!”

I nearly laughed.

“My fault?”

“You’re manipulating him!”

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Then Alexander calmly asked:

“How exactly does one manipulate a grown man into buying a penthouse for his mistress?”

Dead silence.

Absolute silence.

Sophia looked horrified.

Ryan looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him.

And the reporters?

They looked like Christmas had come early.

One immediately shouted:

“Penthouse?”

Another asked:

“Mistress?”

A third practically yelled:

“Mr. Cole, care to comment?”

Chaos erupted.

Complete chaos.

Sophia stormed away.

Ryan chased after her.

Cameras followed.

Reporters followed.

Half the guests followed.

Within minutes the entire gala had become a scandal.

I stood there watching everything collapse.

And strangely…

I felt nothing.

No heartbreak. No jealousy. No grief.

Just relief.

A hand appeared beside me.

Alexander.

“Dance with me.”

I blinked.

“What?”

“The music is playing.”

I looked toward the dance floor.

It was.

Somehow.

Despite the disaster unfolding elsewhere.

I laughed.

“You pick weird moments.”

“I know.”

“People are having public meltdowns.”

“Exactly.”

I stared at him.

Then placed my hand in his.

“One dance.”

His fingers closed around mine.

“One dance.”

As we stepped onto the floor, I caught one last glimpse of Ryan.

Standing alone.

Abandoned by Sophia.

Surrounded by reporters.

Watching another man hold my hand.

For the first time since I’d met him…

Ryan Cole looked scared.

And the night was only getting started.