Coincidentally, a waiter passed by with a cart of drinks. Ashlyn reached out and plucked two flutes of red wine. Before the two women could figure out what she was up to, she poured the two glasses of wine over their heads.
Then she feigned an apologetic expression and said, “Oh, Gosh. I’m so sorry. I’m not in the best mood today, so I’ve been feeling a little short-tempered.”
Her tone mimicked that of their apology just now. Because Devin was present, Andrea and Kate couldn’t fight back and just glared at Ashlyn with gritted teeth.
Andrea whispered something to Kate and then the two women left.
Watching them go, Ashlyn snorted in disdain. “You two run so fast. Next time, it won’t be as simple as pouring wine over you.”
When they were gone, Ashlyn turned around and found that Devin was looking at her. “Do you think I have a bad temper?”
Devin looked into her beautiful eyes and smiled dotingly. “What? I don’t think so.”
Ashlyn chuckled and shook her head wryly. “Anyway, I’m going home. Enjoy yourself.”
“What a coincidence! I was just about to leave, too.”
As the two of them walked out of the venue, they ran into Gordon in the garden.
Gordon looked at Ashlyn and sneered. “You have bad taste in women, Devin.”
His words were harsh and full of malice.
The smile on Ashlyn’s face stiffened.
Previously, Gordon had only ever turned a blind eye to her. But now, his words cut into her heart like a knife.
“Well, she’s a lot better than Arabella.” After saying that, Devin looked at Ashlyn and said softly, “What? Do you think that you’re not as good as Arabella?”
Ashlyn paused for a moment and answered, “It’s not like that.”
Then, she turned to Gordon and sneered coldly. “I just don’t feel the need to compare myself with a bitch.”
As soon as Ashlyn finished speaking, she walked past Gordon.
Devin glanced at Gordon and shook his head. “You might be a good man, but you’re also a dumb one.”
Without waiting for a response, Devin sneered and then ran after Ashlyn.
Expressionless, Ashlyn walked back to the banquet hall. Talia instantly sensed that she was in a bad mood and asked, “Shall we get going?”
Ashlyn calmed down and nodded. “Let’s go.”
When Devin stepped foot inside the banquet hall, he saw Ashlyn leaving the venue.
He caught up to her and called out her name. “Ashlyn!”
Ashlyn was just about to leave when she heard Devin calling her. She stopped for a moment and turned around to look at him. “Yes?”
“Are you leaving already?”
“Yes,” Ashlyn replied flatly.
What Gordon said just now really hurt her.
“May I take you home?”
“No, thanks. My car is out front.”
Devin glanced at Talia, who was standing next to Ashlyn, and shrugged. “Okay.”
Ashlyn nodded and turned to enter the elevator.
Devin stood there and waved at her goodbye, waiting until the elevator doors slid to a close before leaving.
On the way home, Ashlyn absentmindedly looked out the window at the passing scenery. She couldn’t help but frown slightly at the thought of what Gordon said just now.
Talia, who was sitting beside her, gently asked, “Miss Ramos?”
After taking a deep breath, Ashlyn turned to look at Talia questioningly. “Yeah?”
“We’ve found out the truth about the rumor.”
Talia paused for a moment, gauging Ashlyn’s reaction. “It was Denise Jones who orchestrated the whole thing.”
Ashlyn wasn’t surprised to hear the result at all. Rolling her eyes, she sneered, “Denise is really something, huh!”
Although there was a smile on her face, she didn’t feel any semblance of happiness at all.
Talia had no idea what was going on in Ashlyn’s mind. “Should we tell your father about this?”
“Why not?”
Denise tried to frame her time and time again, and Ashlyn had no reason to let her continue.
“Okay.”
Talia quickly sorted out the evidence and sent it to Stevie’s secretary.
That same night, Stevie’s secretary reported the news to him.
Stevie was so angry that he slammed his fist on the table. “How dare that woman? She has crossed the line!”
Vivien heard the commotion and came out to see why Stevie suddenly exploded in anger. “What happened?”
Vivien had been married to Stevie for over thirty years. In all their time together, this was the second time that she had ever seen Stevie lose his temper like this.
Stevie looked up at Vivien and sneered, “Somebody took pictures of me and Ashlyn and then spread a nasty rumor that Ashlyn was my mistress. Talia found out that this whole thing was orchestrated by Denise Jones, Gordon’s sister!”
Vivien wasn’t the kind of person who would swallow insult and humiliation. Having been protected all her life by her parents and Stevie, she would never let something like this slide. She was even angrier than her husband at the news. “Book a flight at once. I’m going to confront the Jones family tomorrow!”
Stevie had an important meeting tomorrow, but no meeting was as important as his precious daughter. “Good idea. We have to get even with them.”
Stevie picked up phone again and asked his secretary to book them the earliest flight to Courtbush.
When Ashlyn found out about this, she just smiled lightly.
“Tomorrow, I’ll pick up my parents myself.”
Stevie had been away from Courtbush for just one day. He returned the next afternoon by plane along with Vivien. Ashlyn went to pick them up in person.
Stevie hadn’t objected to Ashlyn and Gordon’s marriage at the time, which was why neither Stevie nor Vivien had attended the wedding. Stevie had later prohibited Vivien from visiting Ashlyn. This was the first time that Vivien was in Courtbush.
“Mom, Dad!” Ashlyn called, spotting them from a distance.
Vivien looked gorgeous in her fashionable dress while Stevie was sharp in his suit. He might not be young, but thanks to regular exercise, he was in great shape. No wonder people took them for superstars as they walked by.
Vivien quickly made her way towards Ashlyn, her high heels clicking against the floor. When she came to a stop, she looked Ashlyn up and down and nodded. “So you and your father are telling the truth. You do look better.”
Ashlyn had always been healthy. But when she returned home after her divorce, she looked quite thin and skinny.
Vivien cried at the sight of her poor daughter. If Ashlyn hadn’t posted Arabella’s schemes online and humiliated the Jones family, Vivien would have helped Ashlyn get even with them.
She and Ashlyn had then traveled around for a few months, after which Ashlyn started feeling better. But to Vivien, Ashlyn was still too thin.
A couple of days ago, Stevie had come to see Ashlyn, and on his return, he had told Vivien that Ashlyn looked much better now and that she had gained some weight.
Vivien had been doubtful until she saw Ashlyn now.
Chuckling, Ashlyn glanced at Stevie and said, “Dad wouldn’t lie to you.”
Vivien snorted and took her hand. “It’s hard to say.”
“I’ll take you and Dad to the hotel first,” Ashlyn said with a smile, in an attempt to switch the topic.
“It’s five o’clock now. Time for dinner. The Jones family must be at home, and that’s good timing. We should go there right away.”
Vivien had always made hasty decisions as a young girl. She had a grown-up daughter now, but her temper had not changed at all.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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