Chapter 29


    Nevertheless, she endured it and stood her ground. “I have no reason to do such a thing, Mr. Golding,


    as I’m only here for work. Could it be your supreme confidence in your own qualities that had you


    convinced that every woman out there must desperately want to get in your good books?”


    Those utterances seemed to weigh heavily in the atmosphere around them.


    The look on the pair’s faces told Dno Halls that something was not quite right. “Do you and Ms.


    Sorelle know each other, Mr. Golding?” he asked in concern.


    “No, I don’t know her.” Speaking in his deep and low inflection, Evander sought to distance himself from


    her.


    Unable to stomach that sight, Angeline managed a stiff smile. “Of course, he doesn’t. Not everyone can


    hope to be acquainted with someone as illustrious as Mr. Golding himself.”


    Is she suggesting that I’m unapproachable?


    Evander’s expression turned increasingly sullen. It was as though a terrible storm was brewing within


    him.


    A secretary-like woman skirted around to Dno from behind. After she whispered something into his


    ear, thetter’s face turned constipated. It would seem that he just had found himself caught between a


    rock and a hard ce.


    So, Evander and Angeline actually can’t get along with each other? This is all because of my previous


    work trip. It’s no wonder I had no idea about what was going on despite how long the news has been


    out there!


    “About that, Mr. Golding. I invited Ms. Sorelle to help me with the promotional work for the property a


    long time ago.” He only concluded that he might have misspoken after those words had escaped his


    lips, but s, it was toote for him to retract them.


    “Oh? Is that so?” Evander’s unblinking eyes remained fixated upon Angeline’s face when he asked that


    question.


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    Does that mean that it is a sheer coincidence that we have found ourselves in the same ce here


    today? Was I wrong about her?


    “Look, Mr. Golding…” Dno wiped a palmful of nervous sweat from his own face as he was unable to


    figure out what Evander actually meant to say.


    Is he trying to tell me that he’s not going to step on that stage, or he wants me to kick Angeline out?


    Should that be the case, he feared that hispany would make the headline news the next day,


    except that it would be for all the wrong reasons.


    An extended silence ensued.


    “It’s time. Let’s go cut that ribbon.” Evander finally peeled his eyes off Angeline. Though he offered that


    reminder in an icy tone, he had provided a way for all of them to ease out of that impasse.


    With that, Dno was able to breathe a sigh of relief. He then quickly instructed the femalepere to


    hand out the scissors.


    Before themencement of the ceremony, Evander and Dno positioned themselves right smack in


    the center of the pack. Dno even called out for Angeline to stand directly on the other side of


    Evander. On Angeline’s part, she was a little too self-conscious to refuse.


    Her entire body was unnerved by the wintriness that radiated off Evander, so much so that the scissors


    trembled in her grasp. It took her two solid tries to actually nail the cutting motion.


    Upon thepletion of the ribbon-cutting segment, Evander was ushered into the banquet hall by


    others.


    In the absence of that imposing presence, Angeline was finally able to let her hair down. When she felt


    the back of her clothing, it was surprisingly slick with sweat.


    All the guests for the evening’s event were mostly convened.


    Angeline’s belly started rumbling the moment she was able to rest. In order to maintain her figure


    ahead of the promotional shoot, she only had one packet of meal recement cookies very early in the


    day. By this time, the hunger pangs were really starting to gnaw at her.


    Seeing that there was no one around, Angeline made her way over to the banquet hall’s dining area,


    taking care to avoid the crowd. Coupled with the fact that everyone else was busy mingling amongst


    themselves, no one really paid any attention to her.


    The silvery trays that lined the length of the long table were stacked with a wide assortment of food


    options. Grabbing a te, she then went on to pick out a few small pieces of cake for herself.


    Word had it that all the food served that night was prepared by a Ferropenian pastry chef and that their


    taste was truly something to behold. Leaning back against the table, Angeline worked her dessert fork


    away at the cakes that were as savory as reputed.


    She herself found the cakes to be quite irresistible, even as someone who did not have that much of a


    sweet tooth to begin with.


    “Your husband’s business has been developing quite splendidly, Mrs. Halls. Such a lucky woman you


    are.” At that moment, a familiar voice rang out.


    Angeline’s gaze grew frigid when she nced to the side—it was Joseline. Thetter had her hands


    around a wealthy woman’s arm, and the duo was steadily making their way over.


    Joseline picked up a ss of red wine from the table in view of offering a toast to Colleen. Her smile,


    however, unraveled as soon as she made eye contact with Angeline.


    I’ll be d*mned!


    Angeline was not expecting to run into Joseline there either. Not wanting to get into an argument in that


    sort of setting, she pretended not to know Joseline. Thus, she swiftly ced her cake down and turned


    to make a quick exit.


    Joseline, on the other hand, was still bearing a grudge from theirst unpleasant encounter at the cafe.


    As such, there was no way she was going to miss out on that opportunity to embarrass Angeline. An


    insidious look shed across Joseline’s eyes as she tightened her grip around the wine ss and


    intentionally flung its contents in Angeline’s direction.


    Fortunately for Angeline, her quick reflexes saved her in the nick of time. Nevertheless, a couple of


    splotches of wine stains still managed to catch themselves onto her dress.


    “Oh, my dear sister, how careless of you!” Purposefully feigning surprise, Joseline hurried to grab a


    napkin to help wipe at the dress, only to make it even filthier.


    Her motivations did not elude Angeline, who straight up shook her off. Angeline then gave her a stern


    reminder, “If it’s not bad enough that you’ve terrible eyesight, Ms. Sorelle, do you now have a poor


    constitution to go along with it? How else could you have failed to hold on to your ss and sshed


    wine all over somebody else?”


    Joseline’s face fell, and her sharp nails dug deep into her own palms.


    Colleen, who was observing from the side, reacted in astonishment. “Is this your younger sister, Ms.


    Sorelle?” she discreetly asked.


    “Yes.” Joseline appeared apologetic. “I’m sorry that you had to see this.”


    “It’s okay.” As an understanding person, Colleen scrutinized Angeline before she regarded her with


    some skepticism. “But why would a youngdy from the Sorelle family be taking on a job like this?”


    “That’s a long story. My sister made many mistakes previously because of her own immaturity, so she


    isn’t quite on reasonable terms with the rest of the family.” Exhaling, Joseline portrayed herself as


    though she was a concerned older sister.


    When Angeline heard that, she stopped trying to clean her dress. “Have you forgotten, Ms. Sorelle?


    I’ve already severed ties with the Sorelle family eons ago,” she scoffed.


    “Oh, Angeline.” Joseline strutted over to her younger sister on her three-inch stilettos and ced a


    hand on thetter’s shoulder. “You should know that I’ll continue to do my best to convince Grandpa to


    allow you to go home. While I understand that you’re still very upset, we are in a public space and, as


    such, should try to be more mindful of our conduct.”


    Angeline could have really been touched by Joseline had she not been privy to the truth. It was a pity


    then that her sense of rity allowed her to seize upon the wickedness within the eyes of her own


    “good sister.”


    “I think your kindness might be a little too much for me, Ms. Sorelle,” Angeline replied with a smirk. She


    suppressed the contempt in her heart while she tossed that crumbled piece of napkin in her hand into


    the bin.


    From the perspective of the outsider, she came across as being quite aloof.


    Having untethered herself from the opinions of others for a while now, however, she elected to quietly


    turn and depart.


    “You will attend Hanson and my wedding next month, won’t you, Angeline?” Joseline called out after


    her once more.


    Wedding?


    Angeline froze in her tracks. It felt as though she had just been doused with cold water that soaked her


    to the skin.


    When she about-faced, there was an added element of astoundment in her eyes. “Are you two getting


    married?”


    “Yeah. Seeing that I’m conceiving Hanson’s child, we couldn’t dy things any longer. Grandpa has


    already settled upon a suitable date on our behalf.”


    While Joseline spoke, she rubbed her own abdomen and let out a blissful smile. “I know that you’ve


    disowned the Sorelle family, but considering that we’ve grown up together, won’t youe and give us


    your well-wishes?”


    Angeline’s eyes fell upon Joseline’s tiny baby bump. As she regarded it with mixed feelings, her fingers


    involuntarily closed tightly against themselves.


    Joseline can finally realize her lifelong dream. I bet that the Yiurks and the Sorelles must be feeling


    over the moon right now!


    “My congrattions, then. I’ll be sure to have my assistant prepare and send a gift to you at your


    wedding venue when I return.” Angeline’s lips curled up slightly to mask the pain she felt inside.


    That was exactly the sort of reaction that Joseline sought.


    Though she felt indescribably gleeful inside, she nheless acted as though she was regretful and


    aggrieved. “I know that you’ve been very busy with your work, but surely you must be able to set aside


    one day for this? I’m still hoping that you’d be able to be my bridesmaid.”


    Being the bridesmaid to my ex-boyfriend at his wedding? How ridiculous is that?


    “I’m rather concerned that I may end up making you ufortable by being there.” Angeline hooked


    her own hair behind her ear and curled up her red lips in a mocking manner. “After all, Hanson had


    courted me for so many years back then. What if…”


    Her words hit Joseline right in the gut, so much so that it got thetter silently stewing.


    “But of course, that was all in the past. Thinking back on it now, it probably doesn’t even warrant


    mention. You may rest assured, though, Joseline, that I’ll never reuse anything that I have discarded.”