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Chapter 51
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A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 52
When Igor heard that Gwen had sold Ariana to Vance, he froze. "Mom, if you sold Ariana to Vance, what about Mr. Lodge?""Mr. Lodge?" Gwen's face darkened at the mention of his name."Ariana completely offended him. Do you think the Lodges will still accept her? It's better to sell her off while someone's willing to pay."Even if she ends up as the lady of the Hubbords, it's better than having her stay here and compete with you for the family inheritance!"With a bang the door to the Torrey residence was suddenly kicked open. Gwen jumped in fright at the abrupt noise. She looked up and saw Ariana standing at the door."Why… Why are you…" Gwen's face filled with shock. She hadn't expected Ariana to show up here. Wasn't she supposed to have been sent to the hotel by the driver?"You're wondering why I'm here, right?" Ariana's voice was cold and distant, and Gwen started feeling guilty under her questioning tone.Ariana continued, "I never imagined this. Though we might not share
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Halfway through Gwen's words, Ariana forcibly shook her off. The former was caught off balance and nearly stumbled down the stairs.Igor rushed to help Gwen and glared at Ariana. He snapped, "My mom apologized! What more do you want!"Standing on the stairs, Ariana looked down at the pair of heartless schemers, and her eyes glinted with disdain. "Actions have consequences. This jacket I'm wearing comes from Mr. Kingsman. What will you do if you accidentally tear it?"Gwen's face turned instantly pale as she noticed the black suit draped over Ariana's shoulders. It seemed Ariana was telling the truth."Don't worry, Ms. Lambert. We'll settle scores after I end my engagement with Brian."Ariana turned to head upstairs, but Gwen quickly lunged forward and grabbed her wrist. "What? You're breaking off the engagement?"You can't! You're not sure if Mr. Kingsman has decided to marry you. If you call off the engagement now, Torrey Co. will be saddled with debt, and the Lodges won't let u
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News of Lodge Co. hosting a press conference had spread like wildfire by morning.At the Lodge residence, Belinda slammed the morning news onto the table with a loud smack. Then, she furiously got to her feet. "Outrageous!""Mrs. Lodge Senior."The helper picked up the newspaper. When she read about the press conference meant to clarify Brian and Ariana's relationship, her expression darkened. "Why hadn't anyone consulted me about such a major decision? What on earth happened? Emily, speak!" Belinda's voice was icy.Emily was reluctantly summoned to face Belinda. She stammered, "At Ms. Granger's birthday party last night… Someone joked at Ms. Torrey's expense… She proposed ending the engagement… and Mr. Lodge agreed.""Evelyn again?" Benlinda's dislike for Evelyn was well-known, and as she learned that the calling off of the engagement stemmed from Evelyn, her face grew darker."Well well. She won't give up, will she? Send me there right now! I'd like to see who dares hold the
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"That's just one of her tactics. She's trying to get with William to make me regret everything. There's no need to be bothered by such petty schemes," Brian explained."Ms. Torrey, that's your lounge." A staff member's voice caught Brian's attention.Ariana walked in wearing a fitted black dress that highlighted her elegance. Her hair was styled in waves behind her back. Her beauty was breathtaking even with minimal makeup.Even the staff couldn't help taking a second look. Ariana said, "There's no need. Let's start as soon as possible.""Understood. We'll start right away."The door to the lounge opened, and Ariana turned to see Evelyn step out. The latter was dressed in a class Chanel outfit that radiated a gentle and refined demeanor."I'm so sorry about yesterday, Ms. Torrey." Evelyn apologized, but her actions seemed deliberate as she subtly allowed Ariana to catch a glimpse of Brian in the lounge.Even at a time like this, Evelyn still felt the need to declare her claim
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Ariana smiled and responded, "Of course that's…""Of course, that's not true!" A commanding voice interrupted them from outside.Everyone turned to look at the door of the conference hall. The doors swung open to reveal Belinda marching in with an indomitable air.Ariana frowned to see Belinda. The latter rarely appeared in public, so why had she shown up today? Could someone have leaked the news about her and Brian's plans to call off their engagement?Backstage, Evelyn paled at the sight of Belinda. Everyone in Gleaston knew how much Belinda cherished Ariana as her granddaughter-in-law.Cameras from the reporters incessantly flashed as they captured Belinda's entrance. "Grandma…" Brian got up, but Belinda ignored him and made her way to the center to stand between him and Ariana.A quick-thinking employee brought her a chair.Belinda took Ariana's hand with a warm and loving expression. Then, she began. "Today's press conference by Lodge Co. is to clarify a misunderstanding
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"I… I…" Evelyn bit her lip and instinctively glanced toward Brian. He frowned and was displeased with the situation she was being put through.He stood up and announced, "Evelyn and I are just friends.""There's no need for you to speak on her behalf! Let Ms. Granger explain herself," Belinda interjected sharply and turned to Evelyn."...Me and Brian, we're just friends.""Yet rumors claimed that you attempted to harm yourself for Brian. Is that true?" a reporter asked.Belinda grabbed Evelyn's left hand. The latter had a pale face and her wrist wrapped in a clean bandage. It seemed that she was injured.Evelyn flinched and refused to comply, but Belinda decisively tore off the bandage to reveal Evelyn's unharmed wrist. Not a single scar or wound marred her skin.Gasps rippled through the room as the reporters murmured amongst themselves. The color drained from Evelyn's face.Belinda sneered. "As you can see, it's all nothing but a misunderstanding. Ms. Granger's wrist is clean
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In the face of Belinda's accusations, Evelyn quickly explained, "No… You've misunderstood. I didn't…""Grandma, Eve persuaded Ariana to make up with me and sincerely wished us well. You've misunderstood her. She has never intended to make herself the lady of the Lodges."Belinda found it laughable that Brian was still defending Evelyn. "You're naive! Do you believe everything she says? Now I understand why Ariana insists on calling off the engagement. You're truly cunning, Ms. Granger.""Mrs. Lodge Senior, I understand you have your misunderstandings toward me, but I've never done anything to sabotage their relationship. "If you insist, I'll keep my distance from Brian in the future," Evelyn announced as if making a firm resolution.Belinda immediately responded, "Very well. I'll arrange for a flight ticket to send you abroad. The Lodges will cover all your living expenses overseas if you promise never to return."Evelyn's face paled at her words. She hadn't expected Belinda to
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"Alright. Don't feel bad about it. I'll have Emily send you home," Brian said as he gently patted Evelyn on the head.Evelyn's heart went into a brief panic when she realized Brian wasn't planning to send her home himself. But she knew she couldn't push her luck.She lowered her head slightly and said, "That's good… Brian, I really can't lose you." With that, she got into Emily's car.Meanwhile, Ariana was going to leave. Just as she turned a corner, she was pulled aside and found Brian pinning her to the wall."What are you doing!" Ariana tried to resist, but Brian held her firmly in place. His cold voice followed. "You seem to be in quite a hurry to leave.""Aren't you supposed to be comforting Evelyn? Why are you here?" Arian frowned. It was clear she refused further engagement with him.Brian released her arm but didn't step back. "Ariana, are you disappointed we didn't call off the engagement?" He'd noticed the flickering dissatisfaction in her eyes.Ariana responded with a
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A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 210
"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
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"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
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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
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"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.
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"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
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"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
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"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
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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
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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.
