"What else can I do? If I want to stop people from gossiping, I have to pretend to be on friendly terms with Yvonne. I'm not going to air our family's dirty laundry out in public."Although Katie had always thought that Thomas and the others would lose to Yvonne purely because they were dumb, she'd never considered Yvonne worthy of being her rival. Yet now she'd found herself defeated by Yvonne. She knew she needed to learn more about Yvonne. She couldn't go against Yvonne head-on unless she had any leverage against her. Katie had worked hard to get where she was; she wasn't going to let that ugly bitch ruin it all. All she needed to do was stay low for a while. She'd have a lot of opportunities to hit back in the future!When Thomas heard Katie's response, he thought that she was concerned about the bigger picture and trying not to embarrass their family. Little did he know that Katie was just looking out for herself. He felt extremely relieved. "Katie, I'm sorry you had to go thr
Yvonne took great pleasure in seeing Katie's murderous glare; Katie clearly knew that she couldn't do anything to her. Yvonne smiled and said, "But, since you really want my perfume, I can give you one bottle."Her tone was patronizing, and she spoke as though she were offering food to a street beggar. Katie was so furious, she was about to explode!Yvonne took a bottle of perfume and placed it on the desk. She gently patted it and said, "Have fun using it." Then she left the office.As the door closed, the sound of glass shattering inside the office sounded. Yvonne smiled even wider. Katie could barely take this. How was she going to go up against her in the future?…Yvonne was in a pretty good mood for the next few days. Stephen, on the other hand, seemed to be avoiding her after that humiliating night.Yvonne wondered if he was angry at her because he hadn't gotten the answer he'd wanted that night. Could he be any more childish?Soon, it was the weekend. Yvonne was headed d
However, before Yvonne could finish mentally preparing herself, she received a notification that Simone had accepted her friend request.Soon after, Simone sent her a message. "I thought you'd thrown away my business card, Ms. Miller."Yvonne was a little stunned. Had Simone been waiting for her to contact her? She felt flattered by the thought. She held her phone tightly. Simone was a beautiful and famous star, and people couldn't help but want to put their best foot forward with her. Yvonne chatted with Simone seriously for a while before realizing that Simone wasn't as aloof as she looked. On the contrary, she was casual and liked to joke.In the end, it was Simone who asked Yvonne if they should meet up. Simone's message read, "I still haven't been to the newly opened Euphoria Smith."What a coincidence!Yvonne immediately replied, "I know the owner of Euphoria Smith! I'll make sure you have loads of fun there!"Then they agreed to meet up at Euphoria Smith the day after. Aft
At first, Simone suspected that Yvonne had asked Stephen to look for her, yet Yvonne hadn't brought it up with her despite having so many chances.Yvonne's baffled expression said it all. She indeed had no idea about this. Simone smiled mischievously. "He treats you well."Yvonne asked, "When did he look for you?""The second day after Ariel announced her return. But I refused. You don't blame me, right?""N—no." Yvonne nervously waved her hands. Thanks to Rachel, she was well aware of Simone's status. Miller Jewels could never afford to hire her. "When Miller Jewels becomes worthy of working with a star of your level, I'll ask you to be our ambassador. By then," Yvonne asked tentatively, "you won't refuse me, right?"Simone smiled brightly and raised her whisky glass. "Here's to wishing Miller Jewels a bright future."Compared to Stephen using his power to persuade Simone to work with her, Simone's positive answer served as greater motivation for Yvonne. Forget everything else
Kayla still remembered every single word Xavier said to her. "My mom was a jewelry design champion, but in the end, she chose to be a housewife and take care of her family. You should just be happy as Mrs. Robinson too. You don't need to go out and suffer. If you get tired from all the work, I'll be heartbroken."She'd thought that Xavier had encouraged her not to work out of concern for her. It turns out that he'd always looked down on her capabilities.She retreated a few steps back and fumbled, almost falling over. Then she turned around and fled the scene.…When Yvonne returned to her private room, Simone was already gone. Seeing the note on the napkin, Yvonne found out that one of her friends had come to pick her up. Rachel was utterly dejected that she could no longer spend time with Simone. She slumped on the couch and sighed. "I'd barely spoken to my celebrity crush!"Andy was curious. "Who was it?""A new friend. I'll introduce you to her when I get the chance." Yvonn
"Simone told me today that you asked her to be the brand ambassador for Miller Jewels."Stephen closed his book and looked at her. His gaze darkened. "She didn't say yes.""Hmm. I didn't want to force her as well. A celebrity of her status endorsing Miller Jewels is a little beneath her." Yvonne smiled and said, "But even so, thank you for helping me." Then she continued, "Other than that, there's something else I think I should clarify with you." Her tone turned serious. "I really don't mind Ariel. You don't have to worry about it." Stephen furrowed his brows. His gaze darkened even more. He didn't seem to understand what Yvonne meant.Yvonne sat down next to him and patiently explained, "I know that Ariel is your ex-girlfriend. I really don't mind it. I understand our relationship clearly. I won't get jealous and cause you any trouble, so you don't have to worry about it or try to assure me."Yvonne had thought about it on the way home. Coincidentally, she'd bumped into Stephen
"She said she doesn't mind Ariel …" Stephen furrowed his brow. His mind was a mess. He didn't know how he should repeat Yvonne's words.James scratched his chin and thought for a while. "Perhaps she's just testing you? Could this be considered retreating for the sake of advancing?"Stanley was feeling helpless. "Enough, stop your nonsense. Are you really planning to be fed 20 bottles of acid?"James smiled. "I'm helping him analyze the situation, okay! What woman wouldn't mind her husband's ex? Unless they don't have feelings for their husband, there's bound to be drama."Then James hesitated and looked at Stephen. He found it unbelievable. Were there really women in the world who wouldn't fall for Stephen? More importantly, the woman in question was ugly too!Stanley kicked James, asking him to shut up. James received his hint and picked up his glass of alcohol. He wrapped his arm around Stephen and sighed, saying, "Only alcohol can solve all problems!"Stephen was really upset.
Yvonne wanted to head to bed earlier that night so that she would be well-rested to carry out Conan's second treatment the next day. She'd already washed up and laid in bed when she received James' message. She opened the photo, and all her sleepiness vanished with just one look.That woman's hand was on Stephen's thigh, yet Stephen hadn't rejected her!Although it was a loveless marriage, that didn't mean he could cheat on her! She'd only agreed that he could get back together with Ariel. That didn't mean she'd allowed him to sleep with other women!"I'll come over right now." Yvonne sent the message and got dressed.She followed the location James had sent her and reached the club within less than an hour. The moment she entered, she saw James waiting for her in the lobby."Yvonne, you're here. I wasn't paying any attention to Stephen. When I looked for him once more, he was gone! I asked the receptionist and found out that he'd gone upstairs with another woman."How dare he
A light breeze blew by in the courtyard. Agatha slowly recounted the past.Back then, Daniel and his wife, Katherine, had just had Mark. The entire Carrington family had been celebrating.They had doted on Mark and taken him wherever they went.That day, they had headed out. Before they'd known it, Mark had been taken away.Just when Daniel and Katherine had been on the brink of losing it, they had received a call from the kidnapper to bring the ransom to a specific spot.They had gotten the money and driven there without any hesitation. No one had thought that they would ever return after that. Even Mark had disappeared.When Agatha finished recounting this, her cup of tea had already cooled.She wiped her tears away. She said through a catch in her throat, "Katherine was hugging the bag of money tightly until the moment she passed away, as though she were hugging you."Mark furrowed his brows. Now that he'd heard the truth about Daniel and Katherine, he should have felt pain
As Yvonne left the room, she could tell that Stephen's mood was much better.She looked at him. "Are you thinking of something nice?""No." Stephen looked at Yvonne with a rare twinkle in his eyes."Let me take you to breakfast." Before Yvonne could respond, he took her hand and led her to the elevator.Thinking about how he'd stood outside her room the entire night, Yvonne decided to let him hold her hand.Then, her thoughts drifted to Otto. Somehow, she had a bad feeling.…At the same time, Mark was in the courtyard of Carrington Mansion. He sat next to Agatha and poured some tea for her.He handed her a cup of hot tea. "Great-Grandma, try this."When he noticed that Agatha had no reaction, he called out to her once more. "Great-Grandma?""Huh?" Agatha came to her senses. She looked at Mark in confusion. "What is it?""You've been distracted since yesterday. Are you thinking of something?" Mark asked.Agatha shook her head. "Nothing." Then, she picked up her teacup and
Yvonne stood by the door of the bedroom and looked at Otto, who was looking out of the window in a daze on the bed.The sun shone on his face. He looked quite hungover and had a sickly pale face.Yvonne hesitated for a while before saying gently, "Mrs. Jenner called me last night. She's worried about you."Otto didn't respond.Yvonne went in closer and added, "She said that you called her and asked about your father. She found it strange."Mr. Carrington, why did you suddenly think about your father? Did Mrs. Carrington Senior bring him up yesterday?"All Yvonne got was silence.Luckily, she was patient. She sat on the couch and followed Otto's line of sight. Tiny dust particles were floating among the sunbeams. Yvonne also fell into a daze as she watched them float about.Suddenly, Otto asked, "Have you ever felt like your world was falling apart?""Hmm?" Yvonne was confused. "For example?""I mean, like the person that you trust turns out to be different from what you'd t
The next morning, Yvonne opened her door to see Stephen standing outside. She was caught off guard."What is wrong with you this morning? Why didn't you knock…"While talking, Yvonne noticed that Stephen was still wearing the same clothes as the night before. She furrowed her brows and asked, "Don't tell me you didn't leave last night? Have you been standing outside this door all this while?""Hmm." Stephen looked at Yvonne intently. "I thought you would've figured it out quickly."Yvonne was speechless, but she thought to herself that she'd slept like a baby the night before.She smiled at him. "Figure what out?" She noticed Stephen frowning as though he were on the brink of losing his temper.She quickly added, "I-I mean, you have to give me a hint, right? I've thought about it the entire night, but I still don't understand. My brain isn't functioning well."Stephen asked suspiciously, "You've been thinking about it the entire night?""Yes, which is why I didn't look for yo
"If I hadn't come to find you tonight, you probably wouldn't tell me anything about what happened tonight, would you?" Stephen asked in retort.It wasn't a big deal, as long as they returned safely. Yvonne wondered why she needed to report this to him.But she still smiled. "It's late. How could I disrupt your rest? It would've been the same if I told you about it tomorrow morning, right?"Stephen sniggered. "Yvonne, you still don't know where you've gone wrong."He suddenly went in closer to her. Yvonne instinctively retreated until her back was up against the wall. She glared at him."What on earth is wrong with you? I've already said that I would've told you tomorrow morning—"A punch went past Yvonne and landed brutally on the wall.Yvonne was a little stunned. She looked into Stephen's eyes and furrowed her brows. "Stephen, I don't want to quarrel with you for no reason. "Mrs. Carrington Senior went to look for Otto today. Calbert couldn't reach him the entire day, so he
Jane returned to the private room, distracted.She sat down next to Cory. She looked at him as he reached his hand out to her in confusion.Cory furrowed his brows and asked unhappily, "Where's the wine?""Wine… Yes! Wine!" Jane came to her senses. She was just about to get up when Cory pulled her back.He grabbed her by her chin and forced her to look at him. "What happened when you went out?""N-Nothing."Cory tightened his grip. Jane furrowed her brows in pain. "I-I… I saw Yvonne. She told me that she and Stephen got remarried.""What?" Cory relaxed his grip a little. "They got remarried?""Hmm.""So, what?" He had no intention of letting her go, and he looked at her sharply. "Does it bother you so much that Stephen got remarried?"Jane looked at Cory frantically. "Cory, what do you mean by that?""What do I mean? You know what I mean."Cory went in closer. His tone turned icy. "You used to pursue Stephen. Now that you know he's gotten married, you're in this shitty mood
Yvonne turned around to see Jane smiling at her ambiguously. She furrowed her brows. How were they always bumping into each other?Jane crossed her hands in front of her chest and leaned against the wall. She swept her gaze at Calbert and Otto. "Two guys and one woman. You sure know how to have fun!"Calbert instantly snapped, "What the hell are you talking about?""Why are you being so fierce? Did I hit the nail on the head?" Jane snickered. "Two guys and a woman came out of a private room in the middle of the night. Anyone would come to the same conclusion. We're all adults. There's no need to pretend to be innocent.""You—" Calbert was about to go up to Jane, but Yvonne stopped him."Since Ms. Ford is here, I'm guessing so is Cory?" Yvonne smiled, yet her smile didn't reach her eyes. "If you cause a scene here and this bar gets raided, guess who'll be the ones walking out here alive?"Jane's expression turned ugly. "Are you threatening me?""It's just a kind reminder." Yvon
Calbert and Yvonne managed to track Otto's car to a bar, thanks to the information they'd gotten from his staff. Otto's car was right outside the bar.Calbert looked at the neon sign and furrowed his brows. "Why is Otto here? Did what Mrs. Carrington Senior said really hit him so badly that he has to drown himself in alcohol?"Yvonne said nothing and headed directly inside the bar."Wait up for me!" Calbert went after her. He subconsciously protected her from all the drunk patrons.The lighting in the bar was dim. Many of the patrons were drunk and having fun.Yvonne and Calbert walked around the booth area, but Otto was nowhere to be found. They pulled a server over to ask if there was a patron by the name of Otto Carrington who had reserved a private room.Coincidentally, the server had just taken two bottles of wine to Otto's room. So, he led them to the private room.Calbert tipped the server before opening the door and entering. The entire room reeked of alcohol.He looked
After Agatha left, Otto stood in the same spot without moving.A long time later, Zac entered the office. He looked at Otto's back and asked quietly, "Mr. Carrington, will you still see the client?""No." Otto sounded heartbroken.Zac didn't dare ask further questions. He gently closed the door and reminded the secretary that no one was to disturb Otto.In the office, Otto was alone. He slowly walked over to the couch and slumped into it. His mind was in a mess."Alexander was the one who planned the kidnapping back then."Agatha's words rang in his mind for a long time.Alexander's young face appeared in Otto's mind, smiling at him affectionately."Otto! Amazing! Yes! Just like that!""You're amazing at badminton! You're going to make the country proud! I'm going to be so proud of you!""Otto, my son!"Memories of his interactions with Alexander flashed across his mind at that moment.Otto couldn't imagine that such a loving father would do such an absurd thing. Alexander