Shelly retorted, "Don't feed me that courtesy speech. I'm not naïve enough to fall for it. Tim and Monalize will marry and have a baby. That's when we'll have the true heir. The illegitimate child will be sent away in the end."Luna's expression turned icy. At that moment, Sharon stormed down the stairs. "Shelly, what nonsense are you spouting? Asher is part of our family, too. Why would we send him away?""We'll see," Shelly replied dismissively, heading upstairs without a care.Luna approached Sharon with coffee. "Please don't be upset, Mrs. Barrett. That's just how Shelly is."Sharon snorted. "What is she so smug about? Despite cutting ties with certain family members, she and her mother still live in the Barrett residence. If it weren't for Tim's generosity, I would have kicked them out long ago. Shameless!"Sharon's anger still simmered from the fashion show debacle, where Shelly sided with an outsider, putting Sharon in an uncomfortable position.It was infuriating."Mrs
Mia glanced at the bodyguards, not expecting this to happen. Timothy was supposed to pick her up, but an urgent work matter had arisen for him. They would be late if he were to pick her up afterward, given that Aide Castle was located in the suburbs. As such, Mia decided to head to the private resort on her own. She smiled. "I don't have an invitation card.""Miss, this is a private event. You can't enter without an invitation card," explained the bodyguard politely.The incoming guests witnessed the scene.Intentionally, Mia inquired, "Is the privacy policy this stringent at Aide Castle? Can't there be some flexibility?""Apologies, miss. Our private resort places a high value on guest privacy. If you've forgotten your invitation card, you may wait in the waiting room," the bodyguard replied, earning a satisfied smile from Mia. The staff appeared to be well-trained professionals.Some guests praised the bodyguard's handling of the situation.Luna, watching the spectacle unfo
The money spent on Shelly was a worthy investment. Mia and Shelly joined the party. Most of the guests were there, hence the lively atmosphere. Shelly took out her phone to take pictures. "Monalize, this private resort is a new place. Only reservations are accepted. It's never opened to the public. "I've heard that everything here, from the designs to the decorations, is branded. Especially those plants in the parlor—they are rare and imported from abroad, some even endangered species." Mia remained composed, though she played along with an astonished expression. "Really? The parlor is beautifully and exquisitely decorated, and the outdoor design is stunning, too.""Some might find this a novelty," Shelly remarked.Sharon and Veronica approached them, with Sharon exuding elegance and high spirits. However, Mia's striking red attire seemed to irk Sharon—it made Mia stand out, almost as if she were the woman of the hour. Veronica sized Mia up and blurted, "Ms. Monalize, today
Mia turned her attention to Sharon as she headed toward the entrance to greet the guest, her fondness for Nikki evident to all."Monalize, Ms. Chapman has been pursuing Tim for years, but he's not interested in her. There's no way they'll get together."Mia cocked a brow. "But Mrs. Barrett invited Ms. Chapman here intentionally to remind me of my place and to back off."It was easy to see through such a trick."When Tim arrives, he'll surely take your side, and Ms. Chapman will have no choice but to watch from the sidelines like a jealous outsider. Oh, right. Where is he? Why didn't he come with you?""We planned to arrive together, but he had an urgent matter arise at work, so I came ahead."Mia didn't mind that at all. After all, her priority was to be at her newly opened private resort.Sharon warmly welcomed the Chapmans, recognizing their importance to the day's festivities.Nikki arrived gracefully in a white dress, presenting Sharon with a gift. "Happy birthday, Mrs. Bar
Several guests with close ties with the Barretts had encountered Mia Bowen before. They were taken aback by the uncanny resemblance between the two women, their surprise registering visibly.Mia smiled. "I know Mr. Barrett's ex-wife looks a lot like me. They say that pretty ladies often resemble each other. Don't you think so?"Nikki's expression hinted at her alarm as she inquired, "Mrs. Barrett, who is this?"Sharon offered an indifferent introduction. "She's Shelly's friend."Shelly quickly interjected, "That's not right, Aunt Sharon. Monalize is Tim's girlfriend.""What are you talking about, Shelly? Since when has Tim had a girlfriend? I'm not aware of that, and I certainly don't approve of her either," Sharon firmly declared. Nikki and her mother visibly relaxed upon hearing Sharon's stance. After all, a woman couldn't enter a wealthy family without proper acknowledgment by the family. Shelly persisted, "We'll find out once Tim arrives."Ignoring Shelly's comment, Sha
As soon as Mia said that, Sharon retorted, "You're quite bold to challenge Ms. Chapman's expertise, Ms. Monalize. She's a seasoned professional in this field."In truth, Mia hadn't intended to speak up. However, she foresaw potential doubts arising among the affluent guests if they followed Nikki's advice to purchase seeds from Aide Castle and encountered discrepancies in their growth. Mia corrected Nikki not out of personal interest but to safeguard the resort's reputation. Otherwise, she wouldn't even have bothered to speak up. Nikki gazed at Mia, displeased. "If you believe there's an error in my information, please enlighten me.""Firstly," Mia began evenly, "the optimal temperature for seed growth is 78.8°F, but it should vary during the sprouting, growth, and blooming stages. It's not advisable for the temperature to remain constant. "Additionally, while the recommended sunlight exposure duration is indeed eight hours, it shouldn't be continuous; rather, it should be cumu
When there was a chance to shower Mia with compliments, Shelly wouldn't hold back.Shelly even glared at Nikki as if chiding her for trying to stand out when she didn't know a thing."Everyone's here, Tim. The flowers are gorgeous," Luna's voice echoed from behind, her triumphant expression evident as she stood next to Timothy, casting a challenging glance at the affluent ladies.Timothy's gaze was immediately drawn to the woman in red, her striking attire perfectly complementing her demeanor.Noticing his gaze, Mia smiled.Finally, he arrived. Sharon beamed. "Tim, finally done with your work? Come here. Let me introduce someone to you. This is Nikki Chapman. You've met her before."A bashful smile adorned Nikki's face. As he drew closer toward her direction, her heart raced uncontrollably.Timothy exuded an air of effortless charm as he made his way through the crowd, his striking appearance capturing everyone's attention.However, he stopped right in front of Mia. "Do you f
Mia glanced over at Nikki, wondering how she'd realized that Shelly was wearing a fake. She had the real one with her, but no one had the chance to sneak a glance at it. How could she possibly tell its authenticity? In the next instant, Shelly replied confidently, "I did wear a knockoff before, but I bought everything I'm wearing now at the private fashion show yesterday. You're not even eligible to receive an invitation, so stop yapping."Another socialite chimed in, "Shelly, did you really buy all the haute couture from yesterday's show? You didn't even save a piece for us!""Oh, Mrs. Mayweather! It's all thanks to Monalize's platinum membership card that I got to select the pieces in advance. She bought them for me too!"Shelly's tone was laced with triumph as she shot a proud look at Nikki. "You get it now, don't you?"Nikki fell silent immediately. Mia heaved a sigh of relief. Shelly probably wore a lot of knockoffs back then because she couldn't afford the genuine pieces.