Chapter10


    TheWhatsApptextfromWilsonread,“Don’tforgetyoustillowemeameal”


    AsYvettereadit,shecouldn’thelppicturing,Wikonflirtatiouslyandarrogantlysmirking.Shepursedherlipswhiletypingasimple“okay”andsentittohim.Atthesametime,shechangedhiscontactnameto“Womanizer”


    Wilsonsatinthe mainseatatRoyalPavillion.Hisdevilishlyhandsomefacewasdevoidofemotion.Healsoradiatedanoverbearingpresence,deterringothersfreedatingtoapproachhim.


    Thewomenaroundhimdarednotgettooclose, regardlessofhowinfatuatedtheywerewithhim.


    “What’sthis?Who’sangeredouresteemedMr.Quinnthistime?”Asing–songvoicerangoutbeforeacharmingmanenteredtheprivate


    Thatman,CollinSteele,didn’twaitforWilsontorespond.Instead,hecontinued,“Don’ttellmeyou’refrustratedbecauseyourgrandmaisnaggingatyoutogetmarriedagain.”


    HeknewthatapartfromMartha,thosewhocouldpissWilsonoffinJubilifeCitywerealreadylongburiedintheirgraves.


    Wilsoncouldn’tbebotheredtorespond.Hisfocusvinainedonhisandvette’schat.Shestillhadn’trepliedtohistext, which madehiseyesdarkenlikeastorm


    “IheardtheMurrays arehostingabanquettocelebratethereturnoftheirlostdaughter.Willyoubeattendingyourfuturencle’sbanquet,Wilson?”Collin’stauntingtonerangoutagain.


    Wilson’sotherwisebeguilingeyesthatcouldhookanyoneinnarrowed dangerously.Evenhisvoicelostallwarmthashespoke.“ThanenofiancéeDon’teverletmehear thatwordfromyourlipsagain.”


    Collinsmirkedatthis.“Mr.andMrs.Murrayarerenownedforbeingbeautifulpeopleinhighsociety.Theirgicscan’tbethatbad.Ifyouaskme,Ibettheirdaughterwillbejustasattractiveastheyare.Areyousureyou’llcancelthemarriagearrangementswithoutevenmeetingthegirl?”


    “Youtalktoomuch.”Wilson’sfrostygazesweptpastCollinashesnapped,“Doyouwishtogetsoldoffabroadtoworkforothersthatbadly?”


    Itdidn’tmattertohimhowamazingtheMurrayfamily’sheiresNWAL


    AsforCollin,hezippedhislipsoncetheformerthreatenedhim.Yet,itdidn’stmorethanafewminutesbecausehebeganbberingawaysoonafter.“Oh,alright,alright.Sinceyou’reunwillingtoformamarriageallegiancewiththeMurrays,I’mgoingtopursuetheirdaughter!”


    MenlikeCollinandWilsonwereheirstowealthmikes.Theirmarriageswereoftenarrangedwithwealthyheiresses


    Insteadoflettinghisfamilymemberschoosehisbride,Collinwouldratherpicksomeonehefoundpleasantto hiseyes.


    “Doasyouplease,”wastheonlythingthatcameoutofWilson’sthin,seductivelips.Then,hisgazesettledbuckontohis phone.Thefrostinhiseyesmeltedawayslightlyoncehesawhehadreceivedareply.


    AlthoughYvettehadonlyansweredwithasimple“okay“,itwasstillbetterthanhereplyingatall


    CollinwascuriousaboutwhatmadeWilson’smoodimproveallofasudden.


    CuriosityanddoubtfilledCollin’smindasheleanedcloser,tryingtopeekat whatwasonWilson’sphone.s,hemetthtter’sstem,warningrebeforehecouldownreadaword.N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Hestoppedtryingtopeekwhilemutteringbegrudgingly,“Oh,fineKeepwhateveritistoyourself,then.Howmean..”


    AlthoughCollindidn’tseethetext,Samuel,whowasstoodaside,gotthefullview.


    Samuelcouldn’thelpclickinghistongueinsecret,thinkingitwasridiculousthatWilsonwassooverjoyedwithacurtceply.ItseemedtohimthatWilsonwasunderthatwoman’stotalcontrol


    Justthen,theassistantbehindCollinreceivedsomeinformation.HethenreportedtoCollinrespectfully,“Themeninourgroupwanttomeet.you,Mr.Steele.TheywantyourhelpincapturingaWom


    Beforehecouldfinish,Wilson’scoldtonerangoutagain.Hesaid,“Exterminatethosemen,andhavethemdisappearfromJubiliteCary,”


    Uponhearingthat,Collincouldn’thelpvoicinghisconfusion.“Didthegangcrossyou,Wilson?”


    Wilsonneverquestionedtheminordetalls.However,hewantedtoeliminatethegroupoutofthebluetoday,whichwastocunusual.


    “No,”repledWilsonHayesnarrowedslightlyashedrawled,“Ijustlikehelpingothers.”


    Thebanquettook


    kceat7:00pmthenextday.


    YeraandIrwinwantedtodemonstratehowmichYvettemeanttothem.Thus,theyorganizedagrandbanquet,invitingalltheprestigious


    andwealthyfamiliesinJubilifeCity.


    Yasminwantedtoimpresseveryone,sosheputonhermakeupandgotdressedearly.Then,shejoinedYarainweingtheguests.Shekeptshowingherselfoffasiftoday’s banquetwasinherhonor.


    “Woah,you’resobeautifultoday,Yasmin!Thatdressyou’rewearinghastobefromChanel,right?”


    “Thatdressisworthacouplemilliondors!AsexpectedoftheMurrays.YourparentsaretrulythewealthiestpeopleinJubilifeCity.Theymustadoreyoutobits!”


    “Ofcourse!Yasmin’sincrediblytalented,afterall!Oh,right.Iheardyou’reperforminganopiecetoday.Everyone’slookingforwardtoenjoyingyourtalents!”


    Yasminbaskedineveryone’spraise.Asmuggrinsmearedacrossherface,butsheputonahumblefront. “You’realltookind.Mypianoskillsareaverage,sodon’texpecttoomuchfrommter.”


    Allthesocialiteswerequickto speakupwhentheyheardherresponse.


    possiblybebetterthanyouatyingthe


    “Don’tbesomodest,Yasmin!Youwonfirstceinapianpetition,afterall.Whocouldpossitinstrument?”


    “Yeah!You don’thavetosellyourselfshort.”


    “Also,Yasmin.Isn’ttonight’sbanquetinhonorofyouroldersister,whomyourfamilyfoundinthecountryside?Whyhasn’tsheshownupyet?”


    “Indeed.Yoursisterstillhasn’tarrivedandismakingyouweetheguests?Hownudeofher!”


    ThesmugnessinYasmin’seyesdeepenedasshelistenedtothintstargetingYvette.Still,shewarmlyexined,“Wiehasslummod


    inthe countrysideforyears.It’sonlynaturalthatshe’sunawareofsocialcustoms.It’sfineifIweetheguestsforher.”


    Atfirstlisten,itsoundedlikeYasminwasexiningonYvette’sbehalf.Yet,inactuality,shewasthrowingsubtlejabsatthtter


    AsYasminexpected,thesocialitesgrimacedatonce.


    “Iknewit.Wecan’texpectabumpkin,whogrewupinthecountryside,tohaveanymanners.She’stotallyiparabletoyou!”


    “IhavenoideawhatMr.andMrs.Murrayarethinking.They’reevenhostingthisgrandbanquetinherhonor.Aren’ttheyworriedthatcountrygirlwillembarrassthem?”


    “Don’tsaysuchthings,youguys.Yviehasroamedthecountrysidealltheseyearsalone.Uncle IrwinandAuntYarafeelguilty,soit’snaturalthattheyhostsuchagrandparty,”saidYasmin


    Inthosefewwords,shemanagedtomakeYaraandIrwin’sloveforYvettesoundmorelikepity.


    ThesocialitesimmediatelycaughtYastnin’sdriftandstartedtobutterherupmore.Afterall,theybelievedtheMarnays‘pitywouldn’stlong.


    WhatwouldacountrybumpkinlikeWettehavetodependononcetheMurraysgrewtiredofpityingher?


    Ontheotherhand,Yasminwasdifferent;shehadgrownupalongsidetheMurraysforyearsandwasanoutstandingfigure.Suchwasthekindofpersonthesocialitesneededtocurryfavorswith.


    “You’retoonice,Yasmin!That’swhyshe’streatingyoulikethis!”


    “Oh,Yasmin.Iheardthosecountryfolkdon’tbatheandarefilthytothebone.Is shelikethat,too?”


    “Ibetsheis.I’mguessingshehascoarseanddamagedskinfromlivinginharshconditions.Shemustbeanuglyduckli-