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Chapter 84

Author: Cozy Season
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
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    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

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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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