Juan's indifference surprised Shelia.Joe came up and said, "Miss Miles, please come with me upstairs to change."Shelia lowered her head and replied softly, "Okay."As she turned to follow Joe, Juan's voice cut through the air. "Remove your makeup too."Her heart lurched. "But...""You're still a student, Shelia. This mature and flashy makeup doesn't suit you," interrupted Juan.His words stung, and she felt a pang of bitterness. She had spent hours perfecting her makeup, hoping to impress him.'Is it so unbearable?' she thought."Is the dress really that bad?" she asked Joe, seeking some form of validation.Joe looked back at her, his expression bland. "Mr. Nichols prepared this dress for his wife."Shelia was shocked by the revelation. "But the gatekeeper said it was sent by you for me.""That must have been a mistake in communication," Joe replied, his tone cold. "Miss Miles, you weren't supposed to come today."The words hit Shelia like a slap, leaving her feeling mort
Debra was worried that Jordan might cause trouble. She quickly said, "Don't get upset. Actually...""I don't care. I'm going to teach Juan a lesson he won't forget," Jordan cut her off.The line went dead. Debra was dazed, a sense of foreboding washing over her.Erica looked up from her phone, noticing Debra's distress."What's wrong? Who was that?" she asked, sitting up on the bed. "Where are you going?""To Maple Hotel.""To attend the banquet?" Erica's eyes widened. "But you didn't want to go just now.""Jordan's going to confront Juan. I'm afraid he'll cause a scene," Debra explained, her brow furrowed with worry.She knew Jordan's temper and, with Andrew absent due to illness, there would be no one to rein him in."That hothead is reckless, still fighting at his age," Erica said, putting down her snacks.She grabbed her bag and led the way out.They sped towards the hotel, only to be halted at the entrance by security."Please show me your invitation."Erica scoffed,
"So, what's happening now?" Erica chimed in."Well..." Joe hesitated.Before he could finish, Debra pushed past him and stormed into the room. "Jordan! Jordan!""Madam, wait!" Joe protested, but Debra was already inside.Tracing the sounds of a scuffle, she found Juan towering over Jordan, his fist connecting with Jordan's jaw."Stop!" She rushed forward, placing herself between them.Juan was surprised by her arrival. "What? Are you going to protect him?""Move aside! I'm going to teach him a lesson," Jordan snarled, trying to push her aside.Debra rebuked him, "Shut up!""Juan, I'm so scared," whispered Shelia.Across the room, Shelia was huddled on the bed, wrapped in a blanket, her shoulders shaking with sobs. Juan's coat was draped over her. She glanced at Debra, her eyes filled with tears, before quickly looking away.Debra turned back to Jordan, lowering her voice. "What happened here?"Jordan took a deep breath, trying to rein in his anger. "I came to see what these
Shelia sobbed, tugging at Juan's sleeve. "Juan, it's all my fault for not locking the door. Don't blame Mr. Jordan Potter. If the police get involved, I'll be too embarrassed to face anyone."Disgusted by her dramatic act, Jordan wanted to go up and hit her. Debra grabbed his wrist and shook her head.Feeling sorry for Shelia, Juan glanced at them. "Do you want to make this public?""According to Jordon, he barged in without doing anything to her. Calling the police is just to clarify things. Their stories contradict each other, and clearly, someone is lying," Debra said, turning to Shelia with a hint of sarcasm. "Are you afraid the police will find out the truth?"Shelia's sobbing abruptly stopped. She countered, "Debra, what do you mean? Are you saying I'm lying?"Debra shrugged. "We'll find out after a thorough investigation."Jordan nodded firmly. "I have no objections."Shelia was scared. "Juan, I'm afraid this will damage the reputation of your family.""Are you afraid Jo
Debra saw Shelia's guilty look and smiled, "Miss Miles, anything to add?"Shelia started, her composure momentarily rattled, but she quickly regained her poise. "No, not really."Debra turned her attention to the police officers. "Please proceed with your investigation. You're free to access all the hotel's surveillance footage if needed."Her gaze subtly shifted to Shelia, who was nestled in Juan's embrace. The avoidance in Shelia's eyes only served to confirm Debra's suspicions; something was amiss.Soon, the police retrieved all the surveillance footage. On the screen, Joe escorted Shelia into the room, supposedly to change her clothes, and then left, closing the door behind him.Pausing the playback, Debra asked, "Joe, you escorted Miss Miles in to change and then left, right?"Joe nodded. "Mr. Nichols said the dress didn't suit Miss Miles, so he asked her to change."Juan shifted uncomfortably, his hesitation palpable.Debra frowned, wondering if her dress was so objection
"No, I didn't." Shelia looked desperately at Juan and said, "I was just so scared at that time. I never expected it would be Jordan who came in.""So, you expected it to be Juan, right?" Debra asked, her words causing Shelia to blush.Juan pressed his lips into a thin line, his expression tense. "It's all just a misunderstanding.""A misunderstanding?" Erica pushed away the bodyguards and walked in. "Jordan is a member of the Potter family. He's been grievously wronged because of your mistress. Are you saying it's just a misunderstanding and that's the end of it?"Juan was about to respond when he saw Andrew behind her.His frown deepened, and Debra's eyes widened in surprise.She hadn't expected Erica to bring Andrew, who was supposed to be ill.Andrew appeared composed despite his weakened state. Debra couldn't help but admire his resilience.He was an enigma, and she found it best to keep her distance, unable to figure him out even after their previous encounters.Juan frow
"You..." Juan began, but Erica cut him off with a cold interruption."Keep some dignity, Juan."Juan took a deep breath, knowing Debra wouldn't speak up for Shelia. However, he couldn't bear the thought of Andrew taking Shelia away.Andrew observed Juan's indecision and pressed, "Mr. Nichols, have you made a decision?"Shelia's panic rose, her eyes wide with fear. "Juan, help me!"She knew that falling into Andrew's hands would not bode well for her. Everyone in Seamar City was aware of Andrew's devotion to Jordan.To make things right for his brother, Andrew would stop at nothing.Andrew twirled the ring on his finger and said calmly, "Since Mr. Nichols won't speak, take her away.""Wait!" Juan exclaimed, his voice filled with resignation. "You can take her to the police station since she wrongly accused Jordan.""Juan!" Shelia gasped in disbelief.She never expected Juan to back down like that.He came up to her and spoke reluctantly. "It's not a serious offense. I'll have
Debra was surprised. "Your birthday? You never mentioned it before."Andrew interjected with a smile, "He has never cared for birthdays, nor has he ever invited friends over. It's late and inconvenient for you two to go home. Why not stay overnight at our place? You can leave after the birthday party tomorrow."His gaze held a peculiar intensity that made Debra's heart skip a beat.The masquerade would be held tomorrow, and the badges had been delivered to all influential business owners.She wondered if Andrew suspected her involvement with the McKinney Group. The masquerade was scheduled for the following day, and invitations had been sent to all influential business owners. She quickly dismissed the thought, reassuring herself that she had been meticulous in concealing her identity. There was no way Andrew could know.Erica chimed in, "I think that's a good idea, Debra. If we're at the Potter's, Juan won't dare call you back in the middle of the night or try to take you away