Lyra stood her ground, the marriage certificate clutched in her hand as she faced the woman claiming to be Mrs. Covington. The murmuring crowd formed a suffocating circle around them. Evangeline's delicate features arranged themselves into a picture of innocent confusion, her blue eyes wide and vulnerable.
"Who exactly are you?" Lyra asked directly, her voice carrying through the hushed hallway.
Evangeline blinked rapidly, her lips trembling slightly. "I-I'm Evangeline Sinclair Covington. Percival's wife." She shifted uncomfortably, her gaze darting to Orla for support.
"That's impossible," Lyra stated firmly. "I'm Percival Covington's legal wife."
Gasps rippled through the gathering crowd. Several phones emerged, recording the confrontation.
Orla stepped forward, her emerald dress catching the light as she positioned herself between Lyra and Evangeline. Her face twisted with righteous indignation.
