Until the Moonlight Spreads

“I bet that within five minutes… you’ll kiss me.”

The moment Ethan Carter said it, the entire room froze. Even Sophia Brooks stared at him in shock.

Her eyes brimmed with tears. “Ethan… what did you just say? Why would you want her to kiss you?

“Have you… not gotten over her after all these years?”

She bit her lip hard and turned to glare at me, a flicker of hatred in her gaze.

Ethan soothed her with a look full of feigned tenderness.

“Sophia, of course not.

“Back then, she ran away from our engagement party, humiliating me in front of everyone. I’ve carried that shame for five years—now I’m finally getting my revenge.”

He gently moved her aside and stepped toward me.

In full view of everyone, he pointed at his own cheek.

“Come on—just one kiss, and the urn is yours.”

The onlookers smirked and exchanged knowing looks, relishing the scene.

“If Lily Anderson actually kisses him, she’ll never survive in this circle again.”

“She’s such an obedient little lapdog—I wonder if she’d agree to spend the night with me if I asked.”

“Ha, trash like her isn’t hard to get. She’s probably easy for anyone.”

…

My fist clenched so tightly my knuckles ached, and then I slammed it into Ethan’s face.

“Here’s your kiss!”

Disgusting, pathetic scum—

I wouldn’t take him if someone paid me.

He hadn’t expected it, and the punch sent blood gushing from his nose.

The room erupted into chaos. I tossed my bag aside and headed for the door, but hands grabbed at me from all directions.

Ethan, one hand pressed to his bleeding nose, pointed at me with the other, his voice sharp with rage.

“Get her!

“She dared hit me—teach her a lesson she won’t forget!”

A mob surged forward. They clawed at my dress, and with a sharp rip, the million-dollar gown Daniel Hughes had given me tore open at the seam.

My gaze turned icy.

“Get your filthy hands off me. You couldn’t repay this dress if we sold you for parts.”

They only laughed louder, ignoring my warning. Blows began to rain down—fists, slaps—until I was buried in a haze of dull, numbing pain.

I don’t know how long it went on before Sophia stepped forward, planting her heel on my hand and grinding down hard.

Her voice dripped venom.

“Sis, weren’t you always so arrogant? Let’s see how arrogant you can be now.”

She wanted me to suffer here. Years ago, I’d beaten her so badly she’d ended up with a fractured shin. She’d never let it go.

Now her eyes gleamed with vindictive pleasure.

“Why should you be the true Brooks heiress? Why should Brooks blood run in your veins?

“If it weren’t for you, I’d be Mom and Dad’s only child!

“It’s been five years—why aren’t you dead yet?

“You should have died back then, and I wouldn’t have had to work so hard to get rid of you.”

I stared blankly at the ceiling, the corner of my lips curling into a cold smile.

So this was it—

All the hardships, the close calls, the trucks swerving toward me out of nowhere…

It wasn’t bad luck. Someone had been trying to kill me all along.

If I hadn’t been careful, I’d have been crushed into pulp long ago.

Sophia pressed down harder, and I felt the sharp crack of bones breaking in my hand.

Suddenly, there was a violent pounding on the door.

“Miss Brooks! Mr. Carter!”

“Open the door now—what are you doing in there?”