The auction crowd was pretty much from the same social circle. They bumped into each other all


    the time at various events. When hearing the words, a person nearby immediately chipped in, "No


    way! How did you spot her?"


    People were only supposed to whip out their invite at the entrance, and Victoria was just stepping


    up to the stairs.


    "When she got out of the car, her invite dropped to the ground. I caught a glimpse and thought I saw


    the name ''Templeton'' on it."


    “Templeton” wasn''t one’s run-of-the-mill surname - it screamed status and clout. The only


    Templeton that came to mind was Maxwell.


    "There was news about those two before - a dancer took a tumble off the stage and Mr. Templeton


    swept her off her feet. If she''s showing up with his invite to this shindig, it looks like they might be


    getting cozy."


    The societydy chatting with Pearl knew Maxwell was hitched and was up in arms, "These folks


    don''t know squat and just run their mouths. All that etiquette and upbringing they supposedly


    learned as kids must have vanished along with age."


    Pearl kept a poised smile on her face, but inside she was hurling every curse and swear in the book


    at Maxwell. With Victoria unting that invite around, to the clueless it looked like an indirect nod to


    her and Maxwell''s affair, and to the clued-in, it screamed that Maxwell had a mistress on the side!


    Pearl was itching to w her eyes out, but who knew if that damn invite Victoria was clutching was


    legit from that fricking brat?


    If it was, wouldn''t causing a scene be even more humiliating? Plus, the media was swarming


    around!


    Thinking about Rosemary getting gossiped about left her totally ticked off! Why did she have to


    have a kid that was such a headache?


    Today, Victoria was rocking a white backless V-neck gown, with her curly hair cascading down,


    partially covering her exposed back. Her dancer''s physique was graceful and lithe, and her charm


    put most of the elite wives in the shade.


    When Victoria''s gaze unexpectedly met Pearl''s, she hesitated for a split second before changing


    course and heading over, "Mrs. Templeton."


    She was holding the invite like it was a hot potato.


    Pearl was all decked out in a prim suit, her hair done up, looking down her nose at Victoria with all


    the disdain of a high-societydy, "Ms. Temple, you don''t mind if I take a gander at your invite, do


    you?"


    Her voice wasn''t loud, but the gossip hounds from earlier were all ears, sneaking peeks over at


    them. They were like nosy monkeys in a melon field!


    Victoria''s grip on the invite turned her knuckles white, her lips bitten to a deep red. She knew Pearl


    wasn''t her biggest fan, but she didn''t expect a public showdown, "Mrs. Templeton, let''s discuss this


    privately; don''t give the peanut gallery a show."


    Even without seeing the name on the invite, her reaction said it all. Pearl''s contempt grew as if


    Victoria was some unsightly trash, "Ms. Temple might not be aware, but my daughter-inw is here


    today, so I won''t let anything of my son''s be unted by another woman to insult her."


    She reached out, "If Ms. Temple has any shame left, hand over the invite and please leave."


    Victoria didn''t get to know Pearl through Maxwell introducing her to the family, but by going out of


    her way to win Pearl over.


    When Victoria tried to butter her up, Pearl simply said, "I know you''re my son''s girlfriend, but you


    don''t need to try so hard to please me because I don''t approve."


    Victoria couldn''t understand. Both women, both university grads, both top of their ss, why could


    Pearl ept Rosemary but not her?


    "Mrs. Templeton, I''m here to bid on a piece of jewelry, won''t stay long, won''t cross paths with


    Rosemary, and certainly won''t say anything to tarnish Mr. Templeton''s reputation."


    "Ms. Temple, I''m not interested in your motives, as long as you''re not waving my son''s invite


    around, you could be sitting on the throne for all I care."


    Pearl had never been fond of her, and being this civil was already a huge concession. She snatched


    the invite from Victoria''s hand, tore it to shreds right in front of her, and dumped the pieces on a


    waiter''s tray.


    Victoria was livid, her face a mix of red and pale, "Mrs. Templeton, this is too much."


    Pearl ignored her, turning to greet Rosemary who was approaching, "What took you so long? Are


    you cold?"


    She reached out to touch her hand.


    Rosemary had actually been out for a while but stayed back when she saw Victoria and Pearl


    talking.


    Seeing her gaze still was fixed on Victoria, Pearl patted her hand to draw her attention, "Don''t waste


    your thoughts on insignificant people. Why don''t you call Maxwell and see where he''s at?"


    Spoke of the devil. A ck Bentley pulled up at the entrance, the door opened, and Maxwell


    stepped out from the car. The journalists swarmed him, camera shes going wild, "Mr. Templeton,


    are you here with Ms. Temple today?"


    They had caught wind of the earlier situation and listened in, knowing the invite Victoria had was


    Maxwell''s.


    Maxwell frowned, offering noment. He strode towards the hotel, the reporters not daring to


    block his way, trailing behind him. The scene was quite a spectacle.


    "Are you and Ms. Temple a couple?"


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    "Ms. Temple brought your invite to the auction today; does that mean good news is on the horizon?"


    Pearl''s face soured, "These paparazzi, useless in every other way but great at pimping people out.


    Which of their eyes saw Maxwell and that woman as a couple?"


    Rosemary teased, "Maybe both eyes did."


    There were plenty of women with their eyes on Maxwell, and even more looking to stir up rumors


    with him, but aside from Victoria, none had managed to make the news before being nipped in the


    bud.


    If this unique favoritism wasn''t love, then Maxwell really was a born loner.


    "No way, we can''t let these people spout nonsense," Pearl dragged Rosemary towards Maxwell.


    She didn''t believe for a second that this rascal would dare stir up any scandal with Victoria right


    under her nose.


    Rosemary hadn''t expected Pearl to ask Maxwell over. If she knew this was the n, she would''ve


    bailed for sure.


    Victoria felt a rush of panic and blurted out, "Maxwell."


    Everyone knew she was there with an invite from Maxwell. If he publicly acknowledged Rosemary''s


    status, how would that make her look?


    Hearing her voice, Maxwell nced over. Victoria swayed a bit. She was already thin and dressed


    lightly, looking like she might faint at any moment.


    Rosemary noticed too and quickly grabbed Pearl, "Pearl, let''s not go over there; I and he are


    already..."


    Before she could finish, Pearl shouted at that direction, "Maxwell, your wife''s feeling a bit off. She


    just threw up. Could she be pregnant?"