Seven Years a Shadow: The Stand-In's Escape novel Chapter 82

At the same time, Isabella, who had been lying on the ground pretending to be weak, immediately sprang up.

She snatched the phone from my hand and threw it back on the ground, whispering, "Lucas, Mr. Carter is coming."

Saying this, she quickly adjusted her hair and dress, eagerly watching as the crowd parted.

When she saw Ethan walking toward us, Lucas's dark expression instantly shifted into a flattering smile.

He took a step forward, ready to shake Ethan's hand.

But Ethan's expression tightened. He bypassed Lucas in two steps and crouched down to help me up.

"What's going on?"

Isabella quickly moved in to answer.

"Mr. Carter, this waitress intentionally tripped me. My boyfriend just gave her a light push, but she stayed on the ground and wouldn't get up."

I stared at Isabella in shock. She really knew how to twist the truth.

Her supporters chimed in, adding fuel to the fire.

"Mr. Carter, be careful not to let her dirty your clothes."

"She's really calculating, coming up with such a scheme to get Mr. Carter's attention."

Ethan ignored their chattering, his gaze full of concern as he looked at me.

I smiled and assured him I was fine, and only then did Ethan turn his cold eyes on Lucas.

"You pushed her?"

Lucas was so embarrassed he didn't know how to respond.

Isabella forced a smile, "Mr. Carter, actually, this waitress is a classmate of mine from university. Don’t let her deceive you; she loves playing innocent and helpless."

Ethan shot Isabella a glance before turning back to me, gently asking, "Are they your university classmates?"

Though I didn't want to admit it, I nodded.

The next moment, Ethan turned to the bodyguards behind him and said, "Get them out of here."

Isabella was shocked. "Mr. Carter, I have an invitation! How can you kick me out for a waitress?"

Someone from the crowd whispered, "Mr. Carter is really favoring his employees."

A female classmate, standing up for Isabella, said, "It was clearly Sophia bullying Isabella. Why aren’t you looking at things fairly?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Check the surveillance."

Lucas stood there, reluctantly starting to speak. "Sophia, I’m sorry. It was… "

Before he could finish his apology, Ethan shot him a fierce glare.

"You too. Get out!"

In an attempt to save face, Lucas respectfully addressed Ethan. "Mr. Carter, actually, I came here to discuss a collaboration with you."

Ethan smirked. "You? Who do you think you are?"

Lucas’s face turned beet red with embarrassment. Unwilling to back down, he tried to shift the focus back to me. Not daring to offend Ethan directly, he directed his attack at me.

"Sophia, you're so close to the Prince of Newport now. Does your husband know about this?"

He glanced at the phone with the shattered screen on the ground and smirked. "Your husband just called you earlier, didn’t he?"

Ethan wrapped his arm around my shoulder and took out his phone, pressing the call button.

In less than two seconds, the phone lying on the ground rang again.

The screen lit up with the caller ID reading "Hubby."

Lucas froze, completely stunned.