This dress—whether it was the size, the style, or even the potential chemical hazards from the new fabric—had clearly been carefully considered by Nathan. The price was undoubtedly astronomical.Why had he suddenly changed his mind and let her replace Victoria to attend tonight’s gathering?the Hill family maid also felt awkward and sympathetically comforted Isabella. “Madam, would you like us to try another store?”Isabella waved her hand dismissively and walked into the luxurious boutique where Victoria was.Victoria looked up at her in surprise. Then, she began to nonchalantly flaunt her dress.“Bella, do you like this dress? Isn’t it beautiful?”Isabella responded calmly, “Diamonds represent eternal love. But if you wear that, wouldn’t those elite men misunderstand and think you’re already married? That would mean you’d miss out on many good marriages.”Victoria’s face turned pale, but she quickly changed the topic. “Bella, you came to buy a dress, right? Pick whatever you like. I’
She leaned in close to Isabella’s ear and whispered, “He’s sure you won’t like such events, which is why he bought you such a cheap dress.”Isabella smiled faintly. “Then I’ll do as he wishes and attend the banquet in this cheap dress. After all, I’m not the only one embarrassed.”Victoria didn’t expect her attempt to backfire.But her pride wouldn’t allow her to let Isabella walk all over her.With a forced smile, she whispered in a tone only Isabella could hear, “Between you and me, Nathan has always chosen me. You’ll see. No matter how badly you want to attend, as long as I don’t want you there, Nathan will listen to me.”Isabella’s face brightened with an almost eager smile. “We’ll see.”Isabella bought the dresses without trying any of them on and casually left the boutique.As she left, she overheard the staff praising her. “It must be nice to be a rich lady—buying such expensive dresses without even blinking.”Victoria’s face turned as dark as a thunderstorm.Her jealousy boiled
“No reason!” Nathan replied, dismissing her without a second thought.Isabella’s nails almost dug into her flesh. “It’s because Victoria is going with you to the banquet, isn’t it?”Nathan’s face showed a moment of discomfort, but he quickly regained his composure. “Isabella, your sister is more suited for such occasions than you.”Isabella’s fingers curled into fists.In Nathan’s mind, it was as if a permanent mark had been etched onto her—one of shallow ignorance, without background or education.Even though she was now Miss Thea, a globally renowned fashion designer, the prejudice Nathan held against her still stirred feelings of inferiority deep within her.A stubborn, unyielding determination gripped her. She reassured herself: It’s okay, Isabella, it’s not that you’re not capable, it’s that his judgment is flawed.She released her fists and walked elegantly toward Nathan.She looked down at him disdainfully. “Is it really because Victoria is more suitable than me?”Under her burn
Nathan glared at her, displeased.“What did I say wrong? Is it that funny?”Isabella replied, “These rumors fall on me, and you just tell me to tolerate it. But if it were Victoria, would you let her tolerate it?”With that, she threw her bank card onto the ground, then turned and left.Her voice, clear and bright, floated back to him. “You’re so generous buying her a dress, though.”Nathan stood frozen, feeling a sharp pang of shame.It seemed that he had only ever protected Victoria, never caring about Isabella’s grievances.Yet—He watched her retreating figure, her indifferent attitude toward his neglect. Strangely, it made him feel increasingly agitated.Back in the bedroom, Isabella threw her exhausted body onto the bed and closed her eyes to rest.Suddenly, her phone rang. The familiar ringtone caused her to pick up the call almost reflexively.“Big Sis, the organizer of tonight’s Fashion Week banquet has specially sent you an invitation. Are you going?”Ava's sweet voice came t
The one speaking was Isabella.She had deliberately dressed up today: her hair styled in big waves, her lips painted in fiery red, and wearing a form-fitting emerald green dress. It was both seductive and charming.However, she wore oversized sunglasses that clashed with the elegance of her outfit.But anyone with a keen eye could tell that she clearly didn’t want to reveal her true self."Sir, that's the woman you were looking for," the obsequious assistant of Guillermo said, eyes lighting up.Guillermo stared at the stunning woman in front of him, utterly captivated. He liked women who were bold in their beauty.He whispered to his assistant, "Make sure you get her contact details later."The assistant nodded eagerly, "Understood."Isabella walked with graceful steps, her body swaying like the wind, her hips sending out a deadly allure.Her beauty was dazzling and sensual, yet without being vulgar. For some reason, her radiant charm also carried a hint of purity.As she passed by Nat
Guillermo hesitated before replying, "Nathan, don’t you think her voice sounds a lot like... your wife, Isabella?"Nathan froze, as if struck by lightning.Every word Isabella had spoken felt like a devastating blow to him.If it really was Isabella, then she must hate him so much to go to such lengths to destroy him."It’s impossible," he muttered, shaking his head.He always believed that Isabella loved him and couldn’t possibly hate him this much.Isabella had completed her mission for the day and was about to leave quietly when she accidentally bumped into a sturdy chest.A hand gently steadied her.She looked up and saw Theo winking playfully at her."Your makeup skills are getting better and better."Isabella replied, "I did this today to humiliate him. I’m sure he’ll come looking for trouble with me soon. Stay away, or you might get caught in the crossfire."Theo smiled, "No need to leave so soon. Stick around and watch the show. I promise he won’t have the chance to bother you.
Victoria hurriedly stepped back, flustered, and said, "I can't drink."A sharp, mocking laugh came from the crowd. "What are you pretending for? Everyone knows that there are only two kinds of women at events like this: the wives of company CEOs, or assistants who work for them. You're neither Mrs. Hill, nor willing to help Mr. Hill, so what are you even doing here?"Victoria's face turned pale, her expression a mixture of anger and embarrassment.Nathan stepped forward to rescue her. "My wife had an urgent matter and couldn’t attend, so she asked her sister to come in her place. Her sister is unwell and can’t drink, sorry."Victoria sighed with relief, but just as she thought the situation was diffusing, that same voice pressed on, "Mr. Hill, is it true that Mrs. Hill couldn’t make it?"Nathan frowned, eyeing the person with suspicion. "What do you mean by that? Do I not know my own wife’s situation?"The person persisted, "Mrs. Hill was excited to pick out a dress for tonight at my b
To her surprise, Theo filled her glass again. "Miss Moore, you have a great tolerance for alcohol. This one’s for you."Victoria was forced to drink again...Theo filled her glass once more. "This one’s for you and Mr. Hill as well."Victoria’s face turned a deep shade of green, unsure whether it was from the alcohol or the pressure of the situation.Nathan, noticing something was wrong, quickly pressed her hand down to stop her from drinking.He apologized to Theo. "Mr. Theo, moderation is key. Let’s not drink too much."Theo nodded and let Victoria go, but no one noticed the calculating gleam in his eyes.The drinks he had given Victoria were the strongest on offer that night.Having drunk two glasses, he was confident she wouldn’t be able to handle it.As the evening continued, Victoria struggled to keep up with the toasts from several influential figures. She had to force herself to drink more.By the time the event hadn’t even finished, her body was beginning to show signs of stra
"The brutal murder of the rental house sisters, why such haste in mutual destruction?" The headline quickly appeared on the trending topiclist. There is evidence with the pictures.When Thea saw this article, she was actually drawn to the characters in the pictures in the article.The little boy stood with his hands in his pockets, gazing at the little girl in front of him. The sunlight bathed him, making him look so divine.Like a savior.Thea, however, felt a chill running through her body.Eric and Emma finally met."What's wrong?" Thorne walked over, placing a gentle hand on Thea's shoulder. His gaze skimmed over the article on the phone screen, and Thorne sighed."Don't worry, it was me who arranged their meeting. I thought that once Eric and Emma met, he would forget about bothering us. After all, Emma's situation is enough to keep him occupied."Thea stared at Thorne and said, "I wasn't afraid of Eric and Emma meet
Eric crazily picked up the stick, intending to smash it down on the man's head again. However, for some reason, a trace of fear suddenly overflowed from his pupils, and the stick weakly slipped from his palm.Emma stood at the door and saw this scene, confusion welled up in her eyes.The man turned his head and saw that it was just a child. His previously panicked face instantly twisted into a grimace. He pushed Eric away and said, "Get lost, you little brat. How dare you ruin my good thing."Eric sat down on the ground, kicking weakly with heavy breaths.The man lost interest, he pulled up his pants, dropped a 100note, and walked away grumbling.The paralyzed woman, with a lifeless face, still managed to pull the blanket over herself.Emma looked at the woman with a puzzled expression and asked, "Don't you feel humiliated living like this?"A tear welled up in the woman's eyes, and her body visibly trembled. "Yes, I also wanted
Ingrid returned home, looking disheveled with messy hair and clothes in complete disarray, with bruises all over her body.Her mother, Hana, saw her daughter's appearance and panic filled her eyes, “Ingrid, what is going on with you?"Ingrid gritted her teeth and angrily said, "It's all because of Samuel. My classmates don't believe me anymore. Mom, where is my little brother?"Hana walked towards the bedroom and raised her voice, shouting, "Eric."The bedroom door slowly slid open, and a gloomy-faced little boy stood at the entrance. He stared coldly at Ingrid and said, "Samuel?"Ingrid nodded, "He seemed to know your secret."Eric glanced at the wounds on Ingrid's body and couldn't help but feel frustrated, “It's no surprise that he knows my secret. Didn't I tell you before? The Brown family and the Fletcher family are both mysterious families. Be careful."Ingrid said, "He asked me to pass on a message to you, telling y
Ingrid was furious, “You are young, yet your thoughts are so malicious. Aren't you afraid that your grandfather will blame you for giving away the Fletcher family's assets to outsiders?"Samuel was speechless. "Where do you get the audacity to think that your position in my grandfather's heart would surpass mine?"Ingrid had a determined look on her face.Samuel laughed again, "Besides, my grandfather's assets, he can give them to whoever he wants, I have no objections at all. If I want money, I will earn it myself."The words embarrassed those who had the idea of getting something for nothing, turning their faces red with shame.Ingrid's tears flowed incessantly as she became furious, "You have so much integrity, just don't cry later."Samuel was speechless, "At least now it's not me who's crying."Although he was young, he was a head taller than Ingrid, and when he had a stern expression, a chilling aura surrounded his feature
Samuel picked up a cup of tea and respectfully handed it to Kassidy. He even flattered her by saying, "Please have some tea."Kassidy took the tea and drank it all in one gulp, tilting her head back. The furrowed brow had a touch of youthful innocence, as if she didn't know the taste of worry, but was trying to force a new sorrow upon herself.Samuel leaned in and had a mature look on his face, saying, "Don't be sad. Whatever knot in your heart that can't be untied, just tell me and I'll help you solve it, little brother."Kassidy wrapped one hand around Samuel and couldn't help but sigh, "Your brother is still the best. Those men outside, they all seem good-looking and knowledgeable, but why is it that none of them truly love and care for me? What is it that I am lacking?"Kassidy's eyes turned red as she continued speaking, "I was already very serious about managing my emotions. In order to find someone to spend the rest of my life with, I ended up with
Kassidy said, "Let's break up."The boy showed an incredulous expression and said, "Just because of this, you want to break up with me?"Kassidy's eyes showed a momentary sadness. But she was well aware that if her boyfriend could allow others to humiliate her, it meant that he didn't truly love her.She used to be blind in one eye.But Kassidy was a person who was too lazy to explain. She was very arrogant, saying, "Just for this."The boyfriend immediately got angry, "You are always so domineering and forceful. Any decision you make, I have to obey unconditionally. But why? I am also a person, I also have my own emotions. Since you have decided to break up, fine, I will grant your wish. Don't regret it."Kassidy glanced at the infuriated man and then walked outside.But Ingrid stopped her, “Kassidy, don't be angry, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have given him so much alcohol. He was just drunk, and when he wakes up, he will d
Samuel held onto William's neck and affectionately said, "Grandpa, as long as you are happy, I will unconditionally support any decision you make."William was very pleased and said, "Our grandson was not raised in vain."Kassidy's expression, however, was quite unnatural. She stammered, "Grandfather, you should go and investigate the background of that grandmother, shouldn't you?"William's eyes darkened, “Did you hear any rumors?"Kassidy noticed William's displeasure and nervously stepped back. They remained silent.Olivia said, "William, you scared the child. You are so smart, can't you see that Hana's daughter had impure motives for approaching Kassidy?"William just woke up from a dream and said, "Your female classmate's last name is Kerr?"Kassidy nodded fearfully.William fell silent.Thea sighed silently, realizing her father's persistence towards Hana, with the courage to resist societal norms, and she di
Thea, Olivia, and Thorne were sitting in a row on the sofa. When William saw them, he couldn't help but be taken aback, and then his old face became shy. "You guys haven't rested yet?"Olivia teased, "How can I sleep when my son and daughter-in-law are worried about your safety, an old man like you, not coming home so late? If they can't sleep well, naturally I can't sleep either."William felt ashamed and said, "Thea, don't wait for me anymore in the future. Although I am not young, I have just entered my prime, so I am not considered old."Olivia sighed and said, "Oh, love really makes people feel younger. A few years ago, who would have said to me, he's getting old. Half of his foot is buried in the yellow soil, with no other wishes in this lifetime, his last wish in life is for his daughter's well-being."William rolled his eyes at Olivia and said, "You, always so stubborn. I can't argue with you anymore, I'm going to bed."At this moment, Thea
Hana immediately showed joy, she straightened her clothes and adjusted her posture. Then, she tactfully and gracefully suggested, "Both Williamand I have been married before, and I have thought about it. Our wedding doesn't need to be extravagant, we just need to get the marriage certificate and invite our family and friends for a meal."Thea remained silent and continued to listen attentively to her advice."Since the wedding was not grandly celebrated, but the necessary three golds and dowry still had to be present. It didn't need to be a lot, just for the sake of formality. My main purpose was to appease my family."At this point, seeing that no one responded, Hana fell silent.Thea asked, "How much do you think is appropriate?"Hana paused, her gaze shifting towards the girl beside her.The girl, with an innocent and naive appearance, spoke in a childish accent about adult matters, “My aunt, who has a lower education level th