Chapter 125 Her Human Shield
Chapter 125 Her Human Shield
Stephanie's POV
I stood there, staring at Bennett's fake smile, feeling the fancy food from the dinner start to churn in my stomach.
He seemed to notice my gaze and raised his glass toward me, the corner of his mouth curling into a taunting smirk.
That blatant arrogance, that shamelessness, made me feel sick.
"Stephanie! Stop looking!"
Chloe's voice suddenly rang in my ear.
She grabbed my arm and dragged me to a dimly lit, quieter corner of the banquet hall. It was hidden behind huge green potted plants, creating a small blind spot.
"Out of sight, out of mind!" She snatched two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter's tray and shoved one into my hand, her face serious with a hint of desperation.
"What's wrong?" I looked at her, puzzled by her dramatic expression, like the world was ending.
I thought she was worried that Bennett, that lunatic, was ruining my mood. After all, she knew better than anyone how much that man had hurt me in the past.
But something felt a little off.
"Stephanie," she leaned close to my ear, her voice dropping to a whisper, like she was sharing top-secret info.
"Big trouble's here."
"What?" I was totally confused by her cryptic words. Sure, Bennett was annoying, but he wasn't likely to cause any real chaos, right?
"My parents," she gritted her teeth, her face—perfectly made up—twisting slightly with anger. Every word seemed to be forced out through clenched teeth. "They invited that damn, forty-something, kid-dragging blind date here!"
As she spoke, she gestured with her eyes toward a nearby lounge area.
I followed her gaze.
There was a middle-aged man with an awful hairstyle, a bulging belly, and a greasy smile, holding a wine glass and leering in our direction.
His sticky gaze felt like a slab of butter covered in flies, shamelessly lingering on my exposed skin. It slid from my delicate collarbone down to the curves outlined by my strapless gown, finally resting greedily on my legs. That drooling look made my stomach churn again.
My wolf spirit growled in disgust inside me.
"See him?" Chloe's voice was full of hopeless despair, almost on the verge of tears.
"That's him! Ethan Green! Heir to the Green Pack! Rumor has it his family owns eight mines!"
Eight mines?
I glanced at the man's custom suit, which was at least two sizes too big, and the diamond watch on his wrist that was practically blinding everyone. I couldn't help but mock him in my head.
That taste… yeah, definitely looks like someone who owns mines.
Probably owns eight mines and has eight mountains growing in his brain, crushing both his sense of style and his intelligence.
"So," Chloe grabbed my hand, her eyes pleading, "Stephanie! Tonight, you've got to save me!"
"How am I supposed to save you?" I swirled the champagne in my glass, watching the golden liquid shimmer under the lights, my tone calm. After all, this was her family drama, and I didn't want to meddle as an outsider.
"Easy!" Her eyes lit up, a sly look spreading across her face. The desperate, dying expression from moments ago vanished instantly. Her ability to switch moods was honestly impressive.
"Just stick by my side, don't leave me for a second!"
As she spoke, she casually looped her arm through mine, practically hanging off me, her posture all clingy and dependent.
"Please!" Her voice turned sweet and fawning, completely losing the "I'll fight the world" vibe from earlier.
She even rubbed her head—complete with smoky eye makeup—against my shoulder like a kitten begging for attention.
"As long as you're next to me, he definitely won't notice me!"
"Why's that?" I raised an eyebrow, amused by how quickly she'd caved. This girl, honestly, what a waste not to be in Hollywood.
"Duh!" She sounded so confident, her voice jumping an octave, like she was afraid I wouldn't get it.
"You look so gorgeous today, so dazzling! You're a glitter bomb in heels! Look at that dress—there are more diamonds on it than stars in the sky! Wherever you are, every guy's eyes are on you! Who's gonna notice plain old me?"
As she spoke, she dramatically wiped at nonexistent tears in the corner of her eye, putting on a pitiful act that almost made me laugh.
Watching her over-the-top performance, I couldn't help but rub my forehead in exasperation.
So that night, I was basically her human shield.