I Married My Ex's Billionaire Father
Chapter 228: You Deserve To Be Treated With Respect

Chapter 228: You Deserve To Be Treated With Respect

The sudden, high-pitched shriek that pierced through the ambient noise, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. Brooke, her face contorted with rage, stormed towards Lyse, her eyes blazing with fury.

"You!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the ballroom. "What are you doing here? This is my party!"

Lyse’s composure faltered slightly, but she quickly regained her footing. She had expected some kind of confrontation, but she had not anticipated one from Brooke. If she had known it was her party she would not have come. But now that she was here, she would not be bullied so she refused to back down.

"I was invited," she said calmly, her voice even. "By Ken Stuart."

Brooke’s eyes widened, her gaze shifting to Ken, who stood beside Lyse, his expression a mixture of annoyance and concern.

"Excuse me?" Brooke hissed, her voice laced with disbelief. "You invited her?"

Ken Stuart she did not mind at her party, Lyse on the other hand? No sir. Not after everything she had done.

Ken nodded, his expression firm. "Yes, Miss," he said, his voice clear and steady. "Lyse is my guest."

Brooke’s face flushed crimson. She turned back to Lyse, her eyes filled with venom. "Get out!" she screamed, her voice rising in pitch. "Get out of my party! Security!"

Two burly security guards, their expressions stern, approached Lyse, their hands hovering near their belts. Lyse’s heart pounded in her chest. She felt a surge of indignation, a sense of being unjustly targeted.

Before the guards could intervene, Ken stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension. "Hold it right there," he said, his voice laced with authority. "Lyse is my guest. If this is how you intend to treat her, then I’m afraid I will have to take my leave."

The security guards hesitated, their eyes shifting between Ken and Brooke. They recognized Ken Stuart, his reputation preceding him. They knew that turning him away would be a grave mistake. But also, it was Brooke’s party.

Brooke’s face contorted with frustration. She could not believe that Ken was defending Lyse, that he was threatening to leave her party.

"Ken, please," she pleaded, her voice laced with desperation. "Don’t do this. She does not belong here, you can stay but she has to go."

Before Ken could respond, a voice, smooth and authoritative, cut through the tension. "What seems to be the trouble here?"

Lottie, approached the group, her expression a mask of concern. She had noticed the commotion from across the ballroom and had come to investigate.

Her eyes widened slightly when she saw Ken Stuart standing beside Lyse. She hadn’t expected to see him at Brooke’s party, and she certainly hadn’t expected to see him with Lyse.

"Mr Stuart, how lovely to see you again." She said with a smile at Ken, batting her eyelashes like she was about to take off into the air.

"Brooke, darling," Lottie turned to Brooke, her voice laced with a hint of reprimand. "What is going on?"

Brooke, her face still flushed with anger, turned to her mother. "She’s here, Lottie," she hissed, her voice barely audible. "Lyse. I want her out of my party."

Lottie’s eyes narrowed slightly. She glanced at Ken, her expression thoughtful. She knew that turning away a guest of Ken Stuart would be a grave social faux pas.

"Now, Brooke," she said, her voice soothing, "we can’t just turn away invited guests. That would be very impolite."

She turned to Ken, her smile warm and apologetic. "Mr. Stuart," she said, her voice smooth and charming, "I apologize for Brooke’s... enthusiasm. She’s just very protective of her party.

"

Ken nodded, his expression polite but firm. "I understand, Mrs. Chadwick," he said. "But I must insist that Lyse remains. She is my guest, and I would be deeply disappointed if she were made to feel unwelcome."

Lottie’s smile faltered slightly. She knew she couldn’t argue with Ken. She had to find a way to diffuse the situation without offending him.

She turned back to Lyse, her expression shifting from polite concern to a thinly veiled disdain. "Well, Lyse, it seems you have found another rich old man to latch onto after dumping Levi. How very like you."

Ken’s expression hardened. "Mrs. Chadwick, Lyse is a young friend of mine. I find your implications to be inappropriate."

Lyse, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, felt a surge of anger. She was tired of being treated like a pawn in their games, tired of being the target of their petty jealousies.

"Mother," she said, her voice clear and steady, "I am not here to cause trouble. I was invited by Mr. Stuart, and I intend to enjoy the party."

Lottie’s eyes narrowed. She could see the determination in Lyse’s eyes, the quiet strength that radiated from her. She knew that Lyse wasn’t about to back down.

She sighed, her expression shifting from anger to resignation. "Very well," she said, her voice laced with a hint of defeat. "But please, try to keep a low profile. We wouldn’t want to cause any more... disturbances."

She turned to Brooke, her expression stern. "Brooke, darling," she said, her voice sharp, "I suggest you focus on your guests. We wouldn’t want to ruin your party, would we?"

Brooke, her face still flushed with anger, nodded reluctantly. She knew she couldn’t argue with her mother, not in front of Ken Stuart.

"Fine," she mumbled, her voice barely audible. "But she’s not staying for long."

Lottie turned back to Ken, her smile returning. "Please, Mr. Stuart," she said, her voice smooth and charming, "enjoy the rest of the evening. And please, forgive Brooke’s outburst. She’s just... stressed from preparing for the party."

Ken nodded, his expression polite but firm. "Of course, Mrs. Chadwick," he said. "We understand."

Lottie turned and walked away, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. Brooke glared at Lyse, her eyes filled with venom, before following Lottie.

Ken turned to Lyse, his expression apologetic. "I’m so sorry about that, Lyse," he said. "I didn’t expect such a... dramatic welcome, we should leave."

Lyse managed a smile, her anger subsiding slightly. "It’s alright, Ken," she said, her voice determined. "I would like to stay and enjoy the party."

Ken’s expression softened. He placed a reassuring hand on her arm. "You don’t have to," he said, his voice laced with sincerity. "You deserve to be treated with respect."

Lyse nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Ken," she said. "That means a lot."

They moved away from the group, their voices fading as they rejoined the flow of the party. Lyse felt a sense of relief, of having weathered the storm. She knew that Brooke and Lottie wouldn’t give up easily, but she was determined to enjoy the rest of the evening, to prove that she wouldn’t be intimidated