"Ariana, did he apologize?" Belinda asked.With Belinda questioning her like that, Ariana purposely cocked her head to glance briefly at Brian.Seeing that Ariana was about to speak, Brian suddenly realized that she might be harboring ill will toward him and that she could spout nonsense to Belinda. So, he quickly rushed forward and grabbed Ariana by the arm, roughly yanking her to her feet."Grandma, I've got something to discuss privately with Ms. Torrey. We're going upstairs."With that, Brian tugged Ariana up the stairs with huge strides.Everything had happened so suddenly. By the time Belinda finally realized it, she shouted at Brian, "Brian, you imbecile! Ari is a woman! I'm not going to forgive you if you bully her!"Brian pulled Ariana to the second floor and threw her onto the bed. Then, he locked the bedroom door behind him."What are you trying to do, Mr. Lodge?"Ariana leaned against the side of the bed and looked at Brian, standing at the door, with mischievous ey
"So, does that mean we have no deal?" Ariana asked."What do you think?" Brian snapped.Ariana knew that Brian wasn't someone who took her threats seriously. The only reason why she came over today was to remind him that she had her boundaries as well. Even the tamest of dogs wouldn't hesitate to attack when faced with danger—what more herself? Furthermore, she wasn't going to be a pushover."Want to make a bet, Mr. Lodge?""What bet?""I bet that you'll meet your downfall very soon if you continue working against me."Brian didn't respond.Ariana got to her feet and turned to leave. At the door, she paused for a bit and said, "By the way, Mr. Lodge, I forgot to tell you that I haven't told your grandmother that you've been targeting me. Do you want to guess whose side she'll take once I tell her afterward?""Ariana Torrey!""Brian Lodge, the fact that I haven't told her that you're targeting the Torreys shows that I'm being sincere here. You'd better stop it with your stupi
"Since you're the one who made the promise, Ms. Lambert, then you should think of a solution yourself."Arian then turned to the maid by the side, Summer Sanchez, and said, "Summer, arrange for a hotel room for Ms. Piper here. Ms. Piper can stay there for however long she wishes to. However, she needs to know who the real head of this household is. Ms. Piper, don't you think so?"Ariana hadn't missed the look Fiona gave her earlier. When Fiona heard this, a look of fear came over her face at once. She looked toward Gwen for help.Gwen flew into a rage and yelled, "Excuse me, Ariana Torrey? You're not even the head of the household yet, and you're already throwing your weight around, I see. Don't forget that I always end up being in charge! How dare you say such a thing to us?""Ms. Lambert, I have always been the one in charge of things in the Torrey household. In the past, I only treated you with respect seeing that you were older than me, which was why I handed the reins to you.
The car rolled to a stop at the college entrance. Selena then followed Ariana into the seventh-floor lecture hall in Block A.Since William had already started his talk for more than ten minutes, the entire hall was dead silent and solemn.Selena just stood at the entrance and peeked into the hall. She sighed and said, "It reeks of brains inside. I think we're a little too late…"Before she managed to finish her sentence, Ariana threw the door open and walked in. Selena's first instinct was to curse aloud."What the fuck?"Inside the hall, hundreds of pairs of eyes were suddenly on Ariana. William was also one of the people who looked at her.William was wearing a white button-up shirt with his sleeves slightly rolled up. He was tall and lanky and had deep-set features on his face. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses on his face, and his brows gave him a cold and aloof aura.Ariana said aloud, "I'm sorry I'm late, sir!"Her haughty voice rang loudly in the hall, making some
Ariana was rendered speechless.She had indeed said that, but it was back when she was trying to defend Brian by talking shit about William to some wealthy socialites at a party.Nobody told her that William was such a petty person who held on to grudges like this! Also, how did he even learn about what she'd said about him that night?Ariana tried to calm herself down. Getting a grip of herself, she answered, "Mr. Kingsman, Goldfront Bay is only worth 500 million dollars. Brian faked the information to lure you into taking the bait and making you lose money."William released Ariana and took a seat on the couch, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He didn't even bat an eyelid as he said, "Keep talking.""The starting price for Goldfront Bay is 300 million dollars. Brian is planning to get someone to raise the bidding price to 4 billion dollars. When that happens, you're going to lose more than 3 billion dollars, Mr. Kingsman. "And with that, your finances will take a hit. That's h
Ariana was definitely getting the money."Damn, that's plucky of you, borrowing from him. You bad-mouthed him a lot previously, and now you're borrowing money from him. And he actually lent it to you?" "Brian and William are enemies. Of course, he'll lend me the money if I can help him," Ariana said."Good point," Selena said before doing a double take. "Wait, what are you helping him with?""Dealing with Brian.""What? You're really going to go up against Brian?" Selena was shocked.She had witnessed firsthand how much Ariana had loved Brian.She thought that Ariana was just throwing a temper tantrum. Who would've guessed she was serious about breaking off her engagement with Brian?She'd finally grown a spine!Ariana couldn't help but laugh bitterly when she saw Selena's shocked reaction.Even her best friend thought that she wouldn't be able to live without Brian.What did everyone else think of her, then?The eldest daughter of the Torrey family had turned into a livin
Just then, a knock sounded on the door. Evelyn opened the door after a brief knock and entered.In her white gown, she looked the picture of nobility and grace. Her long, straight hair cascaded down to her waist, adding a touch of gentleness to her presence."The auction is starting, Brian. Let's go," she said.Gwen's expression stiffened when she saw Evelyn.If it weren't for Evelyn's meddling, Ariana would've married Brian long ago. Now, they were attending an auction together. Brian hadn't even considered what the Torrey family would say about that.Clearly, this was an obvious move to embarrass them."Mrs. Torrey, was it? Brian's mentioned you before. And you are…" Evelyn trailed off as she took in Fiona's outfit, which was a mirror of her own style. She smiled.Was one Ariana not enough? Now they were bringing in another one.Then again, it didn't matter how many people they paraded in front of Brian; they were all just stand-ins.Noticing Evelyn's attention on Fiona, Gwe
"Exactly! Everyone in Gleaston knows that Ariana Torrey begged Mr. Lodge to propose to her. She really thought she was that important. Mr. Lodge can easily find another fiancée if she breaks off the engagement. But her? I doubt anyone would want her!"The socialites were openly mocking Ariana, who was standing not too far away.Ariana had arrived several minutes before Brian and Evelyn. She should have entered the venue by now, but William had insisted that she wait outside.What had she done to deserve this nightmare of her man?Now, she knew that William wasn't that much different from Brian.No wonder the two of them fought so bitterly in her last life."Ariana, you should give up on Mr. Lodge. With Evelyn by his side, you don't stand a chance.""Yeah. Just a few days ago, you announced that you wanted to break off your engagement with him, yet now you're here chasing after him. Sadly for you, you're just a stand-in. He'll never give you a second glance now that he has the re
"Um, Ms. Torrey and her peers got into a minor conflict. She went to the hospital to treat a hand injury…" Christopher muddled through.He continued prodding, "Mr. Lodge, Ms. Torrey can't always be taking time off school. The college is a place for studying. Do you think…"All Christopher wanted was to get onto Brian's good side. After all, Ariana must have offended Brian for him to call off the engagement.Anyone in their social circle was keenly aware of the situation. As the college dean, Christopher felt the need to express her stance.With one word from Brian, he could immediately expel Ariana from Glea College."Don't you even care when one of your students was hurt on campus?" Brian's voice was as cold as winter.The remark caught Christopher off guard. He could not wrap his head around Brian's anger. Ariana was the one who offended Brian. Wasn't it normal for everyone to be throwing stones at her?Still, Christopher obliged and said, "That's true. Mr. Lodge, you're right
"That works. See you, Mr. Kingsman!" Ariana gave him a grateful nod before leaving campus.Meanwhile, Belinda was throwing a fit at the Lodge residence."Ridiculous! Who gave you the permission to carry it out?" Belinda slammed her fist on the table. Never had she expected Brian to host a press conference to call off his engagement to Ariana when she wasn't paying attention.Brian sat on the couch without a word. Emily chimed in, "Mrs. Lodge Senior, what happened was—""Shut up!" Belinda snapped at Emily. "I made you work for Brian so you could keep an eye on him! But look at you! You're letting him do as he wishes. How could he not discuss such a serious decision with me? "Brian, do you still see me as your grandmother?""Grandma, I've never liked Ariana. She was the one who suggested calling off our engagement. All I did was to grant her wish," Brian revealed in an icy tone.Belinda nearly choked from the anger. Emily hurriedly held her. "Mrs. Lodge Senior, calm down…"It
William did not even once look at Evelyn. The words got caught in her throat. She realized that William was not going to be nice to her.If she continued explaining, she would only humiliate herself.William reached out and took Ariana's waist. A frown crept onto his brows when he saw the awful bruises on her skin. "This is serious. You need to go to the hospital."Maddie didn't want to be implicated, and she shot Evelyn a look, asking for help. "I-I didn't step hard on her hand at all!"Evelyn chimed in, "Maddie accidentally stepped on Ms. Torrey's hand. We will pay for her medical fees.""This is not a problem of medical fees," William sneered. "I will obtain the security footage of the library. If you have intentionally hurt Ariana, I shall make a police report. The college will penalize Maddie according to the police's assessment.""Mr. Kingsman, I didn't do it on purpose! I—" The color drained from Maddie's face when she realized the gravity of the situation.Her family had
"Look who I've bumped into—Ariana Torrey, who's just been dumped by Brian Lodge!" Lila deliberately raised her voice, attracting everyone's attention in the otherwise silent library.Ariana did not want any drama. She bent over, ready to pick up her books, but Maddie stepped hard on her hands with her high heels. As if that weren't enough, Maddie smugly ground her heel down with a cruel twist of her ankle.A searing pain shot through Ariana's body. She struggled to get up—not that Maddie would let her.Lila smirked. "You've flaunted your status as the future Mrs. Lodge on campus. Now that the engagement has been called off, why aren't you showing off as Ariana Torrey instead?""She is a nobody now. Everyone knows the Torreys are on the brink of bankruptcy. Their family business is on the verge of failing. She's reached her end after Brian Lodge called off all their business partnerships and their engagement. I bet she can't even pay her tuition fees." Maddie put on a mocking smirk.
"If that's what you think, suit yourself." She said nonchalantly, "You've always seen me as a gold digger. Mr. Lodge, you described me as a vain and greedy social climber. Of course, I'll go to a richer man. Mr. Smith is a much more compatible candidate than you."At least Mr. Smith loves me and doesn't flirt with other women. And he doesn't have any children out of wedlock."Brian had never clarified the rumor that spread in Gleaston about Evelyn going through an abortion for him. Everyone in their social circle merely assumed that Evelyn was pregnant with Brian's child.In Ariana's past life, she was mocked as the baby-making machine of the Lodge family. She was nothing but a joke compared to Brian's beloved Evelyn."Who told you I had a child with Evelyn? Ariana, you—"Emily immediately went up to stop Brian. "Mr. Lodge, Ms. Torrey is only saying that out of anger. Please stay calm.""I don't care whether or not you and Evelyn shared a child. You love her; that's the truth. If
"Go on.""I have no clue about any illegal activities you're involved in.""And?""Shouldn't you offer me a safe exit, now that you've dragged me into this mess?""Are you saying I have to vindicate you after I'm sent to prison?""I'm not guilty in the first place!""So, what are you talking about?""You—"Ariana was baffled. Victor was playing dumb and betting on her to not overtly mention the money laundering.The moment she let slip, she would become an accomplice of his, and she wouldn't be able to defend herself if she got arrested.Amused at her flushed face, Victor quipped, "Just now, you claimed you were unafraid of me. What's with the sudden fear? "The higher the risks you take, the higher the returns. Fear will only make you a pawn in the game, and people take advantage of that. It's been a dog-eat-dog world since the beginning of time."Ms. Torrey, you need to grow stronger than Brian Lodge if you wish to call off the engagement. Else, you'll get married and be
"Ms. Torrey, please enjoy." Victor gestured at the dishes before them.Staring at the T-bone steak with blood seeping out of the meat, Ariana lost her appetite."Mr. Smith, I'm not hungry." Technically, she would never eat dinner. Apart from the few times she had to attend social events, she usually did not take dinner.Victor sat from across her and placed his slender fingers on the table. He gently swirled the contents in the wine glass, saying, "Do you know what happened to the last guy who tried to read my mind?"She remained silent.He went on, "I hate it when people try to read me. I despise those who think they're smart. You should feel thankful that I decided to work with you instead of getting rid of you.""Well, I'm beyond grateful to you." Ariana couldn't even force a smile. She had tried to get Victor to work with Evelyn, but he pulled her into this mess instead.She wondered what Victor saw in her. Although Evelyn was the only daughter of the Granger family, Evelyn
Brian had not gone home after leaving the nightclub, as he struggled to face Ariana. He must have had too much to drink, or he wouldn't have allowed Ariana to touch his abs! How dumb was that?"Mr. Lodge, are you going back?"Emily pushed the office door open at the wrong time, which earned her a glare from Brian.She quickly changed her tune. "Got it. I'll book the hotel room for another night.""Wait a minute!" He stopped Emily.She went up to him. "Mr. Lodge, anything else?""How's Ariana doing today?""Oh, Ms. Torrey?" Emily gave it some thought and answered, "She left the house early in the morning. Nothing special.""Did she not ask about me?""Not at all, but she told the staff not to prepare dinner because she'll be home late."Brian's expression immediately fell. How could she not come home for dinner? Had she forgotten her promise to him in no time?He reflexively took out his phone to check in with her, but scenes from the nightclub flashed across his mind. Inst
In truth, Ariana had given Gwen the 90 million dollars, which meant that Gwen would need to pay back the capital, another 90 million dollars, and the high interest.Ariana was definitely winning.But she did so not because she needed the money. She wanted a reason to put Gwen behind bars, as she didn't want to see Gwen around her."Anyway, thank you, Mr. Smith…" Ariana reached out to grab the contract, but he easily raised his arm, and the contract was immediately out of her reach due to their height difference."I'm not helping you for free. Where's the stuff I want?"She pulled out a contract and handed it to him. "Here's one of the land parcels owned by the Torreys in the city, but unlike Evelyn, I'm not rich. I can't give it to you for free.""I thought we agreed on one billion dollars? Not one cent less."Her smile froze when he made that remark. She always thought he was bluffing.In the past life, he had bought a parcel of land from the Grangers with one billion dollars.