Chapter 818


    Esther''s eyes lit up when she saw who it was. "James, what brings you here?" she asked, clearly


    surprised and confused.


    James smiled, amused by her reaction. "I just came to check on you. When are you nning to


    return to work?"


    At his question, Esther looked disappointed. She rubbed her forehead and sighed, while throwing a


    pointed look at Winona. "I''d love to get back soon. But there''s someone here, acting all important


    because she''s engaged to the sponsor, causing dys on set. It''s a tricky situation," she said, not


    naming Winona directly, but making it obvious who she was talking about.


    Winona, catching the indirect jab, became furious. "Watch your mouth, Esther! I won''t let you off if


    you keep talking nonsense!"


    Esther red at Winona and snorted. "Oh, dropped the nice act, have we? Weren''t you just ying


    the victim, calling for Richard?"


    James, catching on to the drama, chuckled. "So, this is Mister Richard''s fiancee. Seems quite hot-


    headed."


    Winona wasn''t new to being called out, but it stunging from James. She pointed at him angrily


    and said, "I don''t care who you are. You''re clearly on Esther''s side, and I won''t stand for your lies!"


    James, unfazed by her anger, watched Winona''s outburst with a cold detachment.


    Richard eventually intervened. "Enough, Winnie. Stop making a scene."


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Richard''s words seemed to settle the matter, leaving Winona feeling wronged yet unable to protest.


    Pearl had pushed her down, but she became the unreasonable one here.


    But everyone was waiting for her to embarrass herself. Of course, she couldn''t give them that


    satisfaction and ruin her image.


    "Mister James, I''m sorry about this," Richard spoke to James with a cool detachment, his demeanor


    showing clear displeasure at him for siding openly against Winona. Since James had openly


    rebuked his fiancee, he had embarrassed him as well.


    James just nodded, seemingly indifferent to Richard''s fame in Enswood. He then turned his


    attention back to Esther. "Why didn''t you tell me you were being bullied?"


    Esther rolled her eyes. "Why bother you? Besides, it''s Pearl they''re after, not me. It''s all so


    confusing with Winona constantly targeting Pearl." Her words, loud enough for others, implied


    Richard''s role in the drama.


    James nced at Pearl, who remained calm and detached. "Look at Pearl. She''s so calm, yet you


    got angry and wanted to seek justice for her. But I think Mister Richard isn''t the kind of person to let


    his fiancee bully his ex."


    The conversation between James and Esther continued, touching on the dynamics of past and


    current rtionships. This prompted Richard to leave, clearly annoyed and tired of the bickering.


    Winona, left alone as Richard departed abruptly, felt increasingly isted and med Pearl for her


    predicament, her frustration obvious in her re.