LOGINShare
Chapter 80
Related chapters
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 81
None of the shareholders had any faith in Ariana.All they cared about was having her sell the company and pay them back.As Ariana watched the scene unfold, she wasn't surprised. This was exactly what she had expected.Calmly, she glanced at her lawyer, who stepped forward and set up a laptop in front of everyone.With a single keystroke, the screen displayed the company's account balance surging by two billion."As you can see, here's the two billion," the lawyer announced.Everyone was stunned.Two billion?Where did Ariana get that kind of money?Even Gwen was taken aback.When had Ariana come into possession of such an enormous sum of money?Seeing the shareholders crowding around to verify the funds, Ariana simply smiled and asked, "Now that we have money, does anyone have any questions?""Is it really two billion?""Ms. Torrey, are you just trying to calm us down?""Where did this two billion come from?"The shareholders glanced at Ariana with suspicion.Leaning
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 82
Upon hearing this, Gwen's eyes widened. "Ariana! What do you mean by that?"Everyone turned to look at Ariana.Seeing this, John stepped forward and said, "Ms. Torrey, you're still young. Mrs. Torrey is only trying to look out for the company's best interests."Before John could finish, Ariana cut him off. "Mr. Wagner, of all people in this room, you're the last one who should be defending her.""Ms. Torrey, what... What do you mean by that?" John asked, clearly confused.Ariana smiled coldly. "I understand that family matters should remain private, and I had originally intended to tolerate this for Ms. Lambert's sake. But you've all become so shameless, taking advantage of my patience. And now, you have the audacity to demand the company from me?""Ariana! You're going too far!" Gwen protested, but Ariana merely gave Anna a subtle look.Anna tapped a few keys on the computer, and the office surveillance footage appeared on the screen.The footage revealed John and Gwen in the
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 83
"Get out!"The woman erupted in rage, screaming and swinging wildly at Gwen.Gwen's face was already covered in scratches, her agonized screams echoing through the conference room.Ariana stood back, watching the chaos unfold with a smug sense of satisfaction.Meanwhile, the crisis at Torrey Co. had been resolved, and word of Ariana's appointment as the new head of the Torrey family soon reached Brian's ears.Brian, already nursing a headache from the day's events, furrowed his brow even deeper at the news."Torrey Co.'s crisis has been resolved? How?""I'm not sure. But I heard it was Ms. Torrey who turned things around.""Ariana?"The mention of Ariana saving Torrey Co. sparked a dangerous glint in Brian's eyes.Noticing his reaction, Emily couldn't help but say, "Mr. Lodge, perhaps you should visit Torrey Co. and see for yourself."Brian let out a bitter chuckle. "Well played, Ariana. Yesterday, she put on a whole act and drove Eve away right in front of me. She must have
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 84
Ariana had just lifted her teacup when Brian reached out and pressed her hand down firmly.Without warning, he slapped the cup from her grasp, and it shattered on the floor."Ariana, you're ruthless. You almost fooled me last night.""Mr. Lodge, what are you talking about? I have no idea what you're referring to."Ariana looked at him with innocent eyes.Brian's voice turned icy as he retorted, "You conspired with Grandma, didn't you? You deliberately set up that private moment between us just so Eve would see it and think there was something going on. All of this was just for that two billion, wasn't it?"Ariana realized that Brian had suspected that the money she had used to save the company had come from Belinda."Mr. Lodge, you're reading too much into this."Ariana looked at him earnestly and said, "Last night had nothing to do with me. As for the two billion, I raised that on my own—it has nothing to do with Mrs. Lodge Senior.""Are you still trying to lie?"Brian's eye
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 85
Brian said coldly, "William might protect you for now, but not indefinitely. As long as you're my fiancée, you must fulfill your duties as the future Mrs. Lodge."Ariana scoffed. "And your idea of duties is for me to do your laundry and cook your meals every day, trailing behind you like a puppy while the entire city laughs at me?"She sneered. "Those are the duties of a maid. I've been foolish once, but I won't be again."Brian's expression hardened.Meanwhile, people upstairs were carrying down suitcases.Emily approached Brian and said, "Mr. Lodge, everything is ready."Brian rose from his seat and ordered. "Escort Ms. Torrey out."His two bodyguards immediately moved toward Ariana. "Ms. Torrey, this way, please."Ariana frowned. Given the situation, she knew she had no choice but to go along with Brian's orders.She couldn't understand why someone who seemed to dislike her so much would go through all this trouble.On the way to the Lodge residence, Ariana remained silent
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 86
Emily couldn't help but speak up. "Mr. Lodge, something about this doesn't feel right."Ariana was acting completely out of character.One moment, she refused to lift a finger, and the next, she was happily cooking in the kitchen. It was hard not to feel suspicious."What doesn't feel right?" Brian replied dismissively. "With Ariana, all you need is money and power, and she'll fall in line. A woman like that, hmph..."It was already 8:00 pm when Brian came downstairs.Ariana placed the final dish on the table and removed her apron."Go upstairs, change your clothes, then come back down," Brian commanded.Ariana raised an eyebrow. "Where are the clothes?""Ms. Torrey, these are your clothes," a maid replied, handing Ariana a maid's uniform.Ariana immediately recognized the humiliation Brian was trying to impose.He had expected her to throw a tantrum, but to his surprise, she simply took the uniform without a word and went upstairs."Mr. Lodge..."Emily couldn't help but sp
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 87
"Ari," Brian's voice suddenly cut through the air, drawing Ariana's attention.She looked up to find him staring at her, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Come here, Ari."William stood nearby, his eyebrows raised in surprise when he saw Ariana dressed as a maid.It was obvious that Brian had called William over with the intention of humiliating her in front of him."Why don't you take a seat, Mr. Kingsman?" Brian said with a smirk.He then turned to Ariana and ordered, "Ari, pull out the chair for Mr. Kingsman."Ariana remained still.Brian's voice hardened. "What are you waiting for? Don't keep our guest waiting."Ariana hesitated for a moment before walking over to William and pulling out a chair."Mr. Kingsman, please take a seat," she said flatly.William nodded and graciously sat down.Mr. Dalton's gaze shifted to Ariana. "You must be Ms. Torrey," he said with a smile. "I've had the pleasure of meeting you before. You're truly a beauty."Ariana returned a polite smile b
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 88
How could Mr. Dalton not recognize what kind of fish it was?When Mr. Dalton remained silent, Ariana sliced open the next dish, a stuffed roasted duck, and placed both the duck meat and seafood filling in front of him."Mr. Dalton, this is a stuffed roasted duck with a seafood filling."As Mr. Dalton saw that the duck was stuffed with rare ingredients like soft-shelled turtle meat, his hand froze just before reaching for it.Soft-shelled turtles and bear paws were illegal, and only the wealthy could afford such delicacies.Mr. Dalton was an ambassador for protecting endangered animals and had donated a substantial sum to charities dedicated to combating animal cruelty.So, how could he possibly enjoy such a dish?Noticing that Mr. Dalton hadn't touched his food, Brian asked, "Is the food not to your liking?""Mr. Lodge, as you know, I was in the seafood business when I was younger," Mr. Dalton replied coldly. "I'm more familiar with these ingredients than anyone."Brian was st
Latest chapter
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
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 189
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
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 188
"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
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 187
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
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 186
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
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 184
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
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 183
Belinda had seen Gwen's true colors a long time ago. Yet, because Gwen was Ariana's stepmother and the lady of the Torrey family, Belinda treated her with courtesy.But when Belinda thought of Igor's disgraceful behavior from the previous night, she had no desire to humor Gwen any further.She asked indifferently, "Mrs. Torrey, how much money are you hoping to borrow?""Not a lot... just 90 million."Belinda froze. 90 million? That was a bold request indeed."Mrs. Lodge Senior, I know the Lodge family has immense resources. 90 million is just a drop in the bucket for you. Please have mercy on us. We really are facing a crisis, or else I wouldn't be begging for your help."Gwen was anxious to redeem the Aurora Pearls. The seller had said the price would rise again in a couple more days. If she waited too long, even 90 million wouldn't be enough."Mrs. Torrey, you're quite brazen. Do you think we're just a convenient ATM for the Torreys?"Belinda was already displeased with Arian
A Bride’s Revenge: No Longer the Backup Chapter 182
Ariana's eyelid twitched as she asked, "Emily, what does this mean?""It's a gift from Mr. Lodge. He asked me to apologize for his impulsive behavior earlier..."Before Emily could finish, Ariana shut the door in her face.Emily called out urgently, "Ms. Torrey! Mr. Lodge really is sorry! He even sent someone to pick you up! Please don't make this difficult for us! We're just following orders! Ms. Torrey!"Inside, Ariana ignored Emily's shouts.However, Gwen hurried downstairs. She pointed at Ariana and snapped, "What's wrong with you? You dare turn away Mr. Lodge's secretary?"Since Igor had offended the Shaw family, Gwen was desperate to latch on to Brian now. She couldn't afford to offend him.Putting on a flattering smile, Gwen opened the door and said to Emily, "Ms. Weston, don't mind Ariana. She's just shy. I'll make sure she goes with you!"Ariana found it laughable to see Gwen currying favor with Emily.Gwen still owed Ariana money, yet she shamelessly suggested sendin
