Everyone kept watching, like they were waiting for something ugly to happen.
His grip on my wrist tightened. "Where is it?" He demanded again.
"I told you," My voice kept shaking despite my effort to stay calm. "I didn't take anything."
Beside me, Charles leaned closer, nervously and whispered. "Oh my God, Eli… please tell me you didn't do it."
My head snapped toward him. "I swear I didn't," I whispered back. "I would never do something like that."
"I know you wouldn't," Charles muttered nervously. "But these people don't care about that."
"People like him always deny it." The guy turned slightly, addressing the room.
My chest tightened. "I didn't steal anything," I repeated.
He looked back at me with disgust. "Sure."
Then his voice rose, loud enough for everyone to hear. "You…you're a thief," he said bluntly.
Everyone gasped.
My hands started trembling.
"And honestly?" he continued with a cruel smirk. "Probably a pervert too."
"You don't even know me," I said quietly.
"Look at him," Dylan continued, gesturing toward me like I was some object. "You think someone like this just randomly ends up in a place like this?"
My stomach twisted.
"People like him don't come here for honest work."
My fingers clenched.
"They come looking for rich people to latch onto."
The whispers around us grew louder.
"He's right!"
"He has all right to accuse him."
"I'm not like that! I'm not a thief."
"Or maybe," he continued, "you thought stealing from me would solve your financial problems."
"That's not true!"
"Isn't it?" He gestured to me. "Gold diggers like you always think they're clever."
A tear slipped from my eye before I could stop it. I quickly wiped it away. "I didn't steal anything," I said quietly. "Please stop accusing me falsely."
He looked unimpressed. "Then prove it."
"I can't prove something I didn't do!"
He opened his mouth to say something else….when someone else interrupted us.
"Sir!" A voice cut through the crowd.
Everyone turned.
A young waiter hurried toward us, slightly out of breath.
"Mr Dylan," the waiter said, breathing heavily as he reached us. "I've been looking for you."
He frowned. "What? What?"
"My God, I've been searching half the house trying to return it." The man held up a watch.
"You left this at the bar earlier."
The room fell completely silent.
He looked down, and collected the watch. "Oh."
Just one word. "Oh?"
Mr Dylan shrugged casually and released my wrist like nothing had happened. "Well."
"You've got to be kidding me." The words slipped out before I could stop them. The anger bubbling inside my chest finally exploded.
He turned to me slowly. "Excuse me?"
"How dare you! Dylan Donovan."
Gasps filled the hall.
Charles whispered behind me. "Oh my God. Eli!"
But I didn't care anymore.
I stepped forward and straightened my back. "Apologize to me." My voice was loud enough in the room. "Right now."
More whispers.
Phones were raised higher.
Dylan looked genuinely surprised. "What?"
"You heard me, right?"
My chest rose and fell as I fought to steady my voice. "You humiliated me in front of everyone here."
I pointed around the room. "You called me a thief, a pervert, and a gold digger."My voice cracked. "And now you're just going to say 'oh' and walk away? I'm not going to accept that."
He chuckled like the whole thing was amusing. "Why should I apologize to you?"
My fists clenched. "What do you take me for?" I demanded. "Just because I'm poor, you think I'm some kind of trash you can insult whenever you feel like it?"
The room was dead silent now.
Dylan smirked.
"You're taking this very personally." He turned slightly, clearly preparing to walk away.
That was when I grabbed his wrist. The same way he had grabbed mine.
The crowd gasped.
Charles whispered in horror. "Eli!"
Dylan's head snapped back toward me.
His expression darkened immediately. "You're very bold for someone in your position."
"And you are very rude for someone who just hot proven wrong."
The crowd murmured again.
"You have to apologize," I said firmly. "Or else."
He looked down at my hand gripping his wrist. Then slowly raised his eyes to mine. "Or else what?"
The disgust in his voice was obvious.
I stepped closer.
Close enough that only he could hear the next words.
I leaned slightly toward him and whispered. "Or…..I'll embarrass you too."
His eyes narrowed. "The fuck?!"
I tilted my head slightly. "You know." My voice stayed low. "I could tell everyone here about the interesting things I found while cleaning your room."
His expression hardened.
"The handcuffs."
His jaw tightened.
"The vibrating thingy under the bed."
His eyes flashed.
"And the size of your…" I smirked, and looked down at his crotch. "The paparazzi would love that information."
"Are you threatening me?"
"Dylan," I smirked, softly. "Apologize before it gets messy."
We stared at each other for a very long moment.
Finally…
He sighed heavily, and dropped his shoulders. "Fine."
His voice sounded forced. "I'm sorry."
I tilted my head. "Louder!"
His jaw clenched. "I said I'm sorry."
"I said 'louder.'"
"I'm soorry." His eyes darkened dangerously. "I'm sorry for calling you a gold digger, and embarrassing you in public."
"Better." I sniffled. "Don't ever…mess with me again."
"I'll get you for this," he hissed.
The entire room erupted into whispers.
"Oh my God…"
"Did you hear that?"
"How did he do that?"
"Who is that guy?"
"Did he seriously make Dylan Donovan apologize?"
"Does he have something on him?"
Phones were still recording.
Charles leaned toward me again. "Eli…."
"Yeah?"
"…I'm Impressed. You humbled the asshole."
Dylan Donovan….looked like he wanted to murder someone. Probably me.
He turned to leave.
"Dylan." A firm voice cut through the noise.
Everyone looked toward the staircase again.
The old man at the front stepped forward. "Wait!"
Dylan groaned loudly and rolled his eyes. "Grandfather…"
What a spoiled grandson.
The old man looked at everyone in frustration.
"This," he said slowly, gesturing toward the scene that had just unfolded, "is one of the reasons I called this gathering tonight."