Giselle didn't even bat an eye. "I'm not interested."It was quite nice to be alone in the world. She didn't need to worry about the consequences of her actions and could do whatever she wanted.Linda was dead wrong if she thought she could threaten Giselle with that. The former was rendered speechless by Giselle not acting the way she'd expected.Giselle looked around the living room, satisfied when she saw the mess she'd created. Then, she pulled out her phone and showed the QR code for her Venmo account. "Pay me the cleaning fees."She would need to hire someone to clean up the mess outside her condominium, and whoever caused it would have to pay for it.Harold's expression turned hideous. "What are you talking about? We might be rich, but we're not idiots!"The way he saw it, Giselle was being nonsensical. She'd gone insane after descending into poverty!Charlotte felt diffident. She'd secretly hired the guy to make the mess outside Giselle's condominium; Harold and Linda di
"Who do you want to pursue, Mr. Fordham?" Giselle met Chester's eyes and looked surprised. She couldn't read him from behind his glasses. Still, she was genuinely curious. Which woman could make someone like Chester pursue her?"Do you really want to know?" he asked in return.For some reason, this made Giselle's heart skip a beat. She hastily averted her gaze and looked down at her glass. "Pretend I didn't ask if you don't want to answer."Chester didn't take things too far. He retracted his gaze and said, "You'll find out soon enough."Then, he switched the subject. They chatted for a while more before he told her to rest.The rain grew heavier. Giselle got into bed after washing up. Now that she was relaxed, she was overwhelmed with exhaustion. She checked her phone to see a few unread messages from Emma."I'm sorry for dragging you into today's mess, Ms. Stone. I've cleared my outstanding bill with you—consider the extra compensation for your distress. Thanks for showing me h
Jonathan scrutinized Chester's face as he spoke. His gaze was sharp and probing.He couldn't reach Giselle, and neither could the Grants. That was why he'd decided to try his luck with Chester. Giselle had left with him yesterday, after all.This had grated on Jonathan's nerves. He couldn't understand it—didn't Giselle know that she needed to maintain boundaries? Even if they were already broken up, wasn't she slapping him in the face by spending time with Chester? She knew he didn't like his uncle.Chester clearly sensed Jonathan's hostility, but it didn't bother him. He leaned back leisurely, his gaze calm as he faced the latter. "Do I need to report to you on who I spend time with and who I'm close to?"Jonathan was no match for him, whether in terms of status or capabilities. The former clenched his fists, the veins in his forehead throbbing as he suppressed his anger. "She's my fiancée, Uncle Chester.""You two have already broken up," Chester said calmly.Jonathan felt like
Jonathan's eyes glinted when he saw the caller ID. Then, he stood up. "If you can reach Giselle, tell her that running away isn't going to resolve anything."Larry was the second son of the Barton family. Now that he'd ended up in the hospital, there was no way the Barton family would let the matter slide so easily. That was why Jonathan was looking for Giselle. He could help her resolve this issue as long as she gave in and backed down.Giselle only came out of the room when she heard Jonathan leave. Chester's expression was still cold. "Did you hear everything?""Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop," she said, looking at him. "If Jonathan asks you about me again, you can just tell him we don't know each other well."He narrowed his eyes, a little displeased to hear that. It was hard to tell how he felt as he said, "I don't like lying, though."Giselle was taken aback by his words. However, Chester had no plans to reveal his true intentions so soon. He wanted to take things slow. H
Emma brought Giselle to the top bar in Seaworth City. She was evidently a regular there.As soon as they entered the private room, they were greeted by dozens of young men with different personalities and styles. It went without saying that they all looked good.Giselle said nothing, but Emma generously told her to pick first. "We're in the same boat, Ms. Stone. There's plenty of fish in the sea, so don't obsess over that one dumb fish. Pick whichever guy you like—everything is on me tonight."With her words, the men started showing what they were capable of. Giselle was at a loss for words. After a while, she held a hand to her forehead and said, "I'm not picking a gigolo, Ms. Jones.""Come on now. They're just here to drink with you and alleviate your boredom," Emma said.Giselle was insistent on her rejection, so Emma gave up. The private room was a lot more spacious after Emma dismissed the men.Giselle started pouring the drinks. She downed hers, which surprised Emma. "I wou
Someone asked about the situation with Larry. Jonathan narrowed his eyes and said, "Whoever's caused the problem will have to deal with the fallout themselves."He wanted to see how long Giselle could hold out when she had no one to rely on in Seaworth City. As long as she was obedient, he didn't mind putting a roof over her head and giving her some help. They'd been together for seven years, after all. He didn't think she could sever their ties so easily.Unless… Jonathan thought about the gown Giselle had worn to Richard's birthday celebration. His annoyance surged. Who the hell had given her the gown?The others in the room shut up when they sensed his irritation.Outside, Giselle leaned against the wall, thinking about the conversation she'd just heard. Once upon a time, she'd considered these people her friends. Now, they were badmouthing her behind her back. It was revolting.She didn't stay there any longer—the conversation had destroyed her good mood. She went to the restr
The man eyed Giselle lecherously. She recognized him—he was Phil Cross, one of Jonathan's good friends. She'd already forgotten about this, but his words reminded her.Phil wanted to get in her pants but had never dared to do anything about it because he feared retribution from Jonathan. The only time he'd expressed his desire was when Jonathan had brought Charlotte with him to a charity dinner.Phil told Giselle that Jonathan wasn't in love with her anymore and advised her to switch to someone else. He also told her he was willing to take her as his lover despite having a fiancée.Giselle had turned him down and fallen out with him."Does Jonathan know about this?" Giselle asked, trying to stay calm. She quickly tried to devise a plan to get away.There were three men in the room. If Emma weren't drunk, they would stand a chance of getting away. However, Emma was fast asleep now. Giselle would have a hard time fending the three men off, especially if she needed to protect Emma.
Phil looked at Giselle smugly. "Save your energy, Giselle. Even the most arrogant of people will beg like dogs once they've had that!"She felt horrible. She snarled and shouted, "You're committing a crime, Phil!"He burst into laughter as if he'd heard a joke. It took him a while to stop. "Do you have anything to prove that this is a crime? I haven't done anything to you."The drug he'd fed Giselle couldn't be detected by any professional equipment after eight hours. Even if Giselle were to sue him for sexual assault, he had a video to show that she'd willingly given herself to him. He could even use it against her.Phil started fantasizing about how it would feel like to sleep with her. He couldn't be hasty, though. He wanted to wait until she started begging him like a dog. He wanted to stomp all over her pride and dignity.As time passed, the drug started taking effect. Giselle felt a wave of heat wash over her. She clenched her fists, trying hard to remain lucid. "You're desp