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Chapter 6
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A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 7
In the afternoon, Belinda called Ariana.Ariana knew she didn't like Evelyn—she was but an orphan from the Granger family and far too proud for her own good.Although Evelyn had full ownership of the family's assets, Belinda's long-standing feud with the Grangers cemented her dislike.She felt Evelyn's aloof demeanor was an act. All along, she had opposed Brian's association with her.Ariana, in contrast, was gentle and well-behaved, with a clean family background. Her temperament, looks, and academic qualifications made her the ideal future lady of the family.Still, she was aware that Belinda's kindness toward her was primarily a calculated show.That day, the Lodge's family driver brought Ariana to the Lodge residence.As soon as she entered the hall, Belinda beckoned her warmly, patting the sofa beside her. "Come here, Ariana."She nodded and approached. It didn't take her long to notice Evelyn standing across from Belinda.Just like in her past life, Evelyn was gorgeous—p
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 8
Belinda's tone was kind but firm. "Ariana, Brian has clearly been bewitched by that woman from the Granger family. You can rest assured—I'll make sure he apologizes to you properly. You are the only one I acknowledge as the future Mrs. Lodge, and no one can change that."Ariana offered a soft smile and replied, "Mrs. Lodge Senior, since his mind has already been made up, I don't think I have much else to say. I wish him and Ms. Granger the best."With that, she rose to leave, adding, "If you ever need anything, Mrs. Lodge Senior, I'll still be here to serve you. But... I think it's best we end the engagement here.""Ariana..." Belinda wasn't eager to give up just yet.However, Ariana shook her head. "I still have some family matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now. I'll visit you another time, Mrs. Lodge Senior"With that, she turned and strode off.Watching her depart, Belinda let out a sigh.Ariana never used to be the impulsive girl she was now.As Ariana opened the
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 9
Ariana glanced down at the newspapers sprawled across the floor. Several words in large font entered her eyes: "Lodge Co. Terminates Torrey Co. Contract: Investment Withdrawn for 500-Million-Dollar Project".For a split second, her eyebrows knitted together slightly.If she remembered correctly, this 500-million-dollar project was the Torreys' current real estate development. Construction was already past the halfway mark, but now that Brian had withdrawn funding, the project wouldn't be able to continue. They would have to find another investor.However, with Lodge Co. cutting ties with them, who in Gleaston would dare collaborate with them now?At the end of the day, this project was doomed. Torrey Co. was sure to lose a substantial portion of its assets.Ariana bent down to pick up the paper. It was still warm—it must have been freshly printed and delivered to them.Brian's swift actions were obviously intended to send her a message. It was a show of power to make her understa
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 10
Brian glared at Ariana with hatred in his eyes. His voice went cold and he sounded as if he wanted to shred her into pieces."Brian! Don't be like that—you've misunderstood Ms. Torrey! I was the one who wanted to do it…""You're too kind for your own good, Eve, and that's why people keep walking all over you. I told you that you didn't have to see her!"Ariana watched as Brian continued defending Evelyn. She kind of expected it, to be honest. After all, Evelyn would always manage to get hurt every time Brian appeared. Ariana had already sensed that something was wrong from the moment Evelyn fell to her knees. Still, she didn't mind playing along to Evelyn's tune and pushing things in her direction.Ultimately, she needed to get Brian to hate her. He would then have to call off the engagement whether he liked it or not."Ariana Torrey! I used to think that you were just a two-faced, backstabbing bitch, but I didn't think you'd be so evil as well! Eve has always had a weak body. I
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 11
Gwen wanted nothing more than for Ariana to get back together with Brian as soon as possible. After all, she and Igor would both benefit from Ariana's marriage to Brian too.Ariana raised her eyebrow and smiled when she saw how anxious Gwen seemed to be. "Yes.""Really? That's awesome!" Gwen exclaimed.She continued, "I knew it! I knew that Mr. Lodge still had feelings for you. Otherwise, he'd never have asked you out on a date!""Ms. Lambert, I think you're mistaken. Mr. Lodge met with me to discuss canceling the engagement.""Then…"Under Gwen's shaky eyes, Ariana punctuated each word she said next. "The wedding is off.""What? It's off?"Gwen nearly fainted when she heard what Ariana said. Igor hurried forward to hold Gwen up. Then, he yelled at Ariana, "Ariana, you're going overboard! How could you make your own decision about canceling the engagement without talking to us? Do you even care about us?""It's my engagement, so of course I'm the one calling the shots. There
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 12
"Ms. Torrey, these are all unimportant documents. I'm sure you won't be interested in them. Let me take you to the break room," John said with a smile.In other words, John just didn't want Ariana poking her nose into any of the company's affairs.Seeing this, Ariana immediately held her hand out and said, "Show me the documents.""But…""Mr. Wagner, are you implying that you are the boss of this company now?"Faced with such a headstrong question, John hurriedly denied it and said, "I wouldn't dare! Ms. Torrey, if you want to look at them, we will let you look at them. I'm just worried that you might not understand them…""How about this—we can forget about going to the break room and head over to the CEO's office straight away. In the meantime, I'll also be going through all the company's documents that need to be signed over.""Ms. Torrey…"Ariana cut John off without blinking. She then looked at Miranda and said, "Ms. Ziegler, right? Go and get the documents for me. Mr. Wag
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 13
"You don't have to. I'm just skimming through," Ariana said, starting to look as if she was going through the figures on the report meticulously.She purposely read through the report painstakingly slowly from the first page until the last page. Meanwhile, John was still standing opposite her, and he felt an immense pressure watching her. His legs had turned to jelly and he could barely stand upright.What did it mean for him to have embezzled tens of millions of dollars from the company? It would mean he had to spend the rest of his life in jail!Suddenly, Ariana threw the reports onto the table with a loud slam.John was so startled that he very nearly fell to his knees right then and there. However, to his surprise, he heard Ariana mumble, "What the heck are all these numbers? There are so many of them. Who'd know what they meant?"John froze when he heard Ariana say that. Did that mean she couldn't understand a thing on the report?Miranda also heard what Ariana said. She fro
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 14
"Ms. Torrey, are you just pretending to be a wolf in sheep's clothing then?" Miranda asked."Something like that," Ariana said. She continued, "Don't alert them of this just yet. We need to slowly collect evidence. The way that they embezzled the company's funds has undoubtedly affected the shareholders' returns. "Wait until we've got enough evidence and have gotten rid of their contacts in the company. That'll be the time when we send them to prison."Miranda stared at Ariana for a long while. She finally said, "Ms. Torrey, you seem different from before."The Ariana Miranda used to know was smart, too, but she didn't know anything about the business industry or how things ran. However, after hearing what Ariana had to say, Miranda figured that it made a lot of sense.Miranda couldn't help feeling amazed."Ms. Ziegler, you've been working for this company for a few years. My father even helped you financially before, so I hope that you'll take my side.""I'll help you, Ms. Tor
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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
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 208
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
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 207
"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.
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 206
"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
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 204
"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
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 203
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
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 202
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.
