He Played, He Paid

Synopsis

Charles Evans tossed the white dress straight at Sophia Lane. "Put it on." His voice was cold as ice, devoid of any warmth. He spoke as if ordering a lifeless thing. Sophia clutched the fabric. It felt soft to the touch yet pricked at her fingertips like poison-tipped needles. It was this dress again, the very style Lily Monroe adored. Today was the birthday party of one of Charles's friends, a social circle Sophia had never once been allowed to join. This time, though, he had offered to take her along. A faint glimmer of hope had flared in her heart, only to be doused entirely by the dress, cold as a bucket of icy water. She understood it all now. Lily was coming back from overseas today and would be attending the party. Charles was not bringing Sophia to acknowledge her as his partner. He was bringing her solely to get a rise out of Lily, forcing her to play the awkward copycat, a substitute he could summon and cast aside whenever he pleased.