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Chapter 165
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A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 166
"Yeah," Ariana replied, nodding. "Why else would I be here?" Brian had expected her to at least explain why she had gotten into Victor's car the night before. But to his surprise, Ariana seemed completely indifferent, showing no intention of offering her fiance any explanation. The thought made Brian feel inexplicably stifled. Then again, he reminded himself that if he had decided to distance himself from his feelings for Ariana, he shouldn't let her actions affect his emotions anymore.With a cold demeanor, he said, "You can leave now." Ariana didn't bother questioning his abrupt mood shift. She simply turned and walked out.Outside, Emily watched her leave and couldn't help but sweat nervously.Did Ms. Torrey really not notice that Mr. Lodge was upset? Anyone else would have sensed that something was off, right?Ariana drove straight to the Lodge residence.When Francine saw her arrive, she warmly opened the door and said, "Ms. Torrey, Mr. Lodge instructed me to take you t
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"Ariana, this is all your fault!" Igor could rage all he wanted– it wouldn't make a difference. With Brian backing her up, Ariana could do whatever she wanted in Gleaston.Soon, Gwen received Igor's call. When she arrived, she found Igor standing miserably in the alley outside the Lodge residence."My son! How did you end up like this?" The moment she approached Igor, she was hit by the awful stench coming from him.Igor snapped, "It's all because of Ariana! Who knows what kind of spell she's cast on Brian? He had me locked up in the basement overnight! Mom, you must stand up for me and teach Ariana a lesson!"Igor was completely unaware of his precarious position. Feeling a bit uneasy, Gwen said, "That girl is not as easy to push around as she used to be. Calm down. Go take a shower and change into clean clothes. We still have your birthday celebration tonight." "Birthday? What's the point of celebrating now?" Igor fumed.Gwen tried to reassure him. "Listen to me. I've spen
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By evening, the entrance of the Royal Hotel was bustling with cars. The neon lights lining the streets create an atmosphere of glitz and excess.When Ariana and Selena arrived, the hotel's entrance was already packed with luxury cars, with the drivers standing by to enter the parking garage. They got out of the car while the hotel's valet helped them park their car.Selena scoffed, "So many people came. They're really giving Igor the VIP treatment." "Let's head inside," Ariana said, leading the way. The hotel manager, Damien noticed Ariana immediately and hurried over to greet her. "Ms. Torrey, let me escort you to the banquet hall." Ariana nodded and followed Damien. Inside, the hall was already crowded with guests. There were people from top celebrities to brand executives, corporate leaders, and influential figures across various industries. And of course, there were also many affluent socialites and young heirs.Ariana raised an eyebrow as she surveyed the crowd. The turnout
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Evelyn noticed the faint displeasure in Brian's expression. She lowered her voice and said gently, "You've accompanied me to events like this so many times before. Why is it different now?" Brian pressed his lips together, unsure of how to respond.In the past, whenever the Torrey family hosted events, he would attend with Evelyn without hesitation, never sparing a thought for Ariana's feelings. But tonight, something was different. For some reason, the thought of public scrutiny falling on Ariana bothered him.Evelyn looked up at him. Her eyes were misty with unshed tears. "Could it really be true, what they're saying? Have you started to care about Ariana?" Brian sighed. "Evelyn, you know that's not what I mean." "Then don't worry about it so much. From what I can see, Ms. Torrey doesn't mind it at all," Evelyn said softly.Her words prompted Brian to glance toward Ariana. Sure enough, Ariana seemed utterly indifferent to the fact that he was attending with Evelyn.Brian fe
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As for today…Ariana smirked slightly. Tonight, she just wanted to sit back and watch the show unfold."Mr. Shaw, Mrs. Shaw." Gwen's eyes lit up as she spotted the CEO of Shaw Group across the hall.Shaw Group was one of the most prominent forces in Gleaston, with a well-established reputation, and Elaine Shaw was the heiress of the Shaws. Born into wealth, raised in an intellectual family, and being the cherished only child of her parents, Elaine had grown up surrounded by love and privilege. She was known for her grace, warmth, and generosity. With such high qualities, it was no surprise that many influential families, including Gwen, had considered her an ideal daughter-in-law.Years ago, even Belinda had taken an interest in Elaine. However, she was fiercely independent and had no intention of becoming a housewife. With her loving parents backing her unconditionally, she was not someone easily controlled, and Belinda eventually gave up on the idea.If not for Gwen spend
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Elaine's remark was obviously implying that Igor hadn't been worthy of showing up here in the past.When Gwen heard it, her expression grew a little stiff.Still, Elaine didn't really mean to target Gwen and her son. She smiled and said, "Although Mr. Torrey is not someone we know well, there is plenty of time to get acquainted today. I heard that very few people in Gleaston can book the Royal Hotel's banquet hall. It shows Mr. Torrey must have a bright future."This statement helped ease the situation somewhat, but Igor didn't miss the disdain and contempt in Elaine's eyes.Not far away, Ariana was watching them. It looked as though Igor and Elaine were chatting and laughing.However, Ariana knew perfectly well that Elaine could never think highly of someone like Igor. If it weren't for Brian's status, the Shaw family wouldn't have even considered attending this banquet."Ari, what are you looking at?" Selena, standing off to the side, asked Ariana in confusion.Selena was prac
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In the distance, Brian and Evelyn walked up to Igor.Brian took the initiative to clink glasses with him. Many people saw it happen, including the Shaw family. They began to regard Igor more favorably.Igor felt especially proud as he raised his glass to meet Brian's.The crisp sound of their glasses tapping rang out. In that instant, the entire room fell silent, and everyone's attention landed on Igor.Not far away, Ariana's lips curved slightly.Igor apparently had no idea how serious this was. He downed his champagne in one gulp.Gwen also didn't notice anything amiss. Only Evelyn looked visibly uncomfortable.Brian held his champagne without drinking it. His eyes darkened.Selena gaped. "Is Igor out of his mind? Who does he think he is? Does he not realize he has to show respect if he wants to stay in this circle?"During that brief moment of clinking glasses, Igor had taken the lead. He lifted his glass higher than Brian's. That was a huge taboo in these social circles.
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Half the people who had shown up only did so because of the engagement between Brian and Ariana. Seeing Igor dare to cross Brian so bluntly, many guests were already thinking about leaving."Ms. Shaw, may I invite you for a walk over there?" Igor asked as he approached Elaine.Since this was Igor's event, Luke and Katherine reluctantly agreed to let Elaine go with him for a while. However, Katherine shot Elaine a look that clearly meant she should make an excuse to come back soon.Elaine nodded and said, "Alright, let's go for a walk."Igor thought Brian's gesture of toasting him must have impressed Elaine and made her look at him differently. He walked around as if he were on top of the world.A group of Igor's rowdy friends showed up too."Igor, happy birthday! My dad asked me to bring you this gift. Hope you like it.""Igor is such a fine man. Ms. Shaw, if you become his wife one day, you will be so lucky!""That's right, Igor's awesome. He rides motorcycles and knows all ki
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A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 192
Brian was stunned when he saw Ariana in her bold punk outfit—a short jacket, a cropped top baring her midriff, and tight black denim shorts. To complete the bold look, Ariana even wore black stockings.Those long legs would turn heads wherever she went, and her hourglass figure was impossible to ignore.Brian asked, "Why are you dressed like that?"He still remembered how Ariana used to dress in her elegant and modest tweed dresses, exuding the grace of a lady from a respectable family.But she was utterly different today."Well, I actually prefer dressing in this style. It's quite cool and comfortable," she said, deliberately adding a hint of flirtiness to her tone as she stepped closer to Brian.Her ample bosom was faintly visible beneath the thin straps of her top, like a hint of snow peeking through a frosted window. Her long hair cascaded over one shoulder, adding to her allure. Her every movement was hypnotic, her smooth skin and soft, supple waist inviting thoughts one s
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Finally, Brian could no longer hold back his frustration and swung the door open. He strode toward the room with the light on inside.Did Ariana not know it was nighttime? Who would choose to have renovations this late and disturb everyone's peace?"Ariana! You—"Brian stopped abruptly as he saw Ariana perched on a ladder, drilling something with an electric drill.There were no renovation workers in the room.With music blasting from a pair of headphones, Ariana was completely oblivious to Brian's presence.Noticing her phone on the desk nearby, Brian walked over without hesitation and paused her music.Ariana's world instantly fell silent."Why did my Bluetooth disconnect?" she muttered, puzzled, while taking off her headphones.Suddenly, Brian's voice roared from below, "Ariana! Get down here right now!"His words startled her so much that her foot slipped. Both she and the ladder tipped backward.Brian instinctively tried to dodge, but the ladder came crashing down squar
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 190
Since when did Ariana need someone with gastritis to teach her how to eat?"At night, you can eat less, but you can't skip it entirely. Two meals a day is unhealthy. From now on, whenever I have dinner, you should too," Brian said."Brian, I'm really not used to eating dinner. You're making things difficult," Ariana retorted.He coolly answered, "If you eat dinner every night on schedule, I'll pay you one million dollars a day."Ariana almost thought she misheard him. A million a day? Was he out of his mind?Brian noticed her skeptical look and frowned. "Is that not enough?""How about two million?" Ariana asked, testing the water.She looked up to gauge his reaction. She could tell it was too much."Alright, one million it is," she conceded."Skip dinner even once, and I'll deduct two million. If you eat properly every night for a month, you'll have a guaranteed 30 million."With that, Brian started eating. He preferred mild flavors, and he was extremely picky about food. Ve
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Hearing Emily's words, Brian was momentarily stunned.Had something like that really happened before?He had no memory of it, because in those days he barely paid attention to Ariana or anything she did for him.Hearing this now, Brian found it hard to believe. Had he really been so mean to Ariana in the past and done something so unreasonable?"Mr. Lodge, Ms. Torrey has every right to be upset with you."No one liked having their efforts dismissed, and Ariana was no exception. Emily had noticed her habit of skipping dinner, but Brian, her own fiancé, hadn't.Brian frowned. He lost his appetite.Seeing Brian get up, Emily was about to follow him. But he said, "Postpone tonight's work. You can leave now.""Yes, Mr. Lodge," Emily replied.Brian went upstairs. Ariana was still in that room, casually telling the workers what to do.At some point, she had even donned a cap and was helping out in person. She looked nothing like a pampered socialite, showing none of that usual reser
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"Yes, Mr. Lodge."Emily quickly left to get the exhaust fans.Downstairs, Brian wore a simple white robe and went to check the fridge. There were indeed a few simple dishes waiting, but he could tell at once that Ariana hadn't prepared them.He remembered how Ariana used to make all kinds of creative dishes for him when she stayed at the Lodge residence. She was worried he might lose his appetite.Back then, he would decide whether to eat or not depending on his mood. But now, he had to beg Ariana to cook, and she still refused.He had no desire to eat anymore, so he slammed the fridge door shut.Seeing this, Emily asked, "Mr. Lodge, are these dishes not to your liking?""What do you think?"He clearly looked displeased.Emily was puzzled. It shouldn't be. Brian had always liked Martha's cooking. Why didn't he like it now?"Mr. Lodge, should I order takeout for you?""No need."Brian frowned. "Has Ariana eaten anything tonight?""I believe not.""Tell her to come down and
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Evelyn couldn't just sit and do nothing.She couldn't just watch Ariana seize Brian from her.With that in mind, Evelyn quickly took out her phone and dialed a familiar number."Hello, I want you to come back to the country. I need you to help me with something!"In the evening, Brian returned to the Lodge residence.He found only one lamp switched on in the living room, and the sound of moving furniture was coming from upstairs.Frowning, he asked, "They're still not done?"Emily answered, "Ms. Torrey is quite particular. She's already sent back three batches of furniture this afternoon.""Where is she now?"Emily said uneasily, "She's... probably in there giving instructions.""Giving instructions? What exactly is she instructing?"Brian's face darkened as he headed upstairs, wanting to see what Ariana was playing at.The moment he got to the second floor, a cloud of white dust blew right into him.The worker immediately apologized. "Mr. Lodge, I'm so sorry. Ms. Torrey w
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Might not be true?Evelyn had heard it clearly.Brian had forced a kiss on Ariana, and the Lodge residence was being revamped for her.Thinking of this, Evelyn headed straight to Brian's office.When she reached the door, Emily stepped forward to stop her. "Ms. Granger, Mr. Lodge is in a meeting. He can't see anyone right..."Before Emily could finish, Evelyn pushed the door open.Inside, Brian was wearing a headset and speaking to an international firm via video call. He shot Evelyn a frown for barging in.He swiftly ended the call with a few short words."Eve, I'm working."Evelyn would never have been this impulsive before.Brian put down his headset and looked at her.Evelyn lowered her head and said, "I... I didn't mean to interrupt you.""What's the matter?" Brian asked."I came to pick you up from work," Evelyn replied, forcing a smile that looked incredibly stiff.Brian didn't seem to notice anything unusual about Evelyn's mood. "I've got something going on tonigh
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 185
Brian thought Ariana was hinting at something. He said, "We're engaged. It's perfectly normal for us to share a room. My bed is big enough for three, so if you want...""Mr. Lodge, if you're trying to take responsibility for what happened earlier, there's really no need. I understand you acted on impulse because you were angry. It was just a kiss. I don't care at all."Hearing Ariana's words, Brian thought he must have misheard. "You... You said you don't care at all?""Of course. It's the 21st century. A kiss isn't a big deal. I'm not going to lose sleep over it."Brian was momentarily speechless. Ariana's words made him so angry that he just laughed.So, he was the only one who still cared about it?"You're right. I thought you cared about your chastity more than anything. Looks like I was wrong. Forget what I said before."Brian felt something tighten in his chest. He went upstairs, then stopped halfway, remembering he had come back specifically to talk about their relationsh
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At that moment, Brian's voice came from behind Ariana. "Alright. I agree."Hearing this, Ariana turned around. She hadn't expected him to come back at this moment.She turned too fast and bumped into his chest, banging her nose against the badge on his suit. She stepped back, rubbing her nose. "Mr. Lodge, did you really agree to all that?"From what she remembered, he was never so easy to deal with.Brian said calmly, "What's wrong? Now that I've agreed, you're not happy about it?""If you're on board, of course I'm happy."With that, Ariana acted as though she was afraid he might change his mind. She said to Emily, "You heard it, Ms. Weston. Mr. Lodge is fine with everything. I'll leave the arrangements to you.""Yes, Ms. Torrey."Emily hurried off to prepare Ariana's new room.Ariana looked at Brian. "Mr. Lodge, if there's nothing else, I'd like to go get some rest.""Hold on." Brian suddenly grabbed her arm.Ariana frowned and glanced at his hand, wishing she could slice
