Observing their playful exchange, Corrine seized a pause to ask, “Jolene, do you plan on leaving after your visit?”
“I’m unsure,” Jolene said, snuffing out her cigarette in the ashtray.
“I’m just taking things as they come.”
During their conversation, Natasha walked in, acknowledging Karina and Jolene with a nod before addressing Corrine.
“The issue trending earlier has been resolved.”
Acknowledging Natasha, Corrine then turned to Jolene.
“Ready to go take some promotional shots in the studio?”
“Absolutely,” Jolene responded, rising to follow Natasha out.
Later, Karina found a moment to excuse herself upon Waldo’s arrival.
Corrine greeted him, offering a glass of water.
“What brings you here?” Waldo sat down on the couch and explained, “Jayden was busy, so he asked me to check on you. I was nearby and decided to drop in.” His gaze lingered on Corrine.
“Are you feeling alright now?”
“Much better, thank you,” she answered, finding a seat herself.
Waldo took a sip from his glass, his eyes lingering on the cigarette butts in the ashtray. A flicker of something dark crossed his gaze as he tightened his grip on the glass and asked casually, “When did Karina start smoking?”
“Actually, it wasn’t Karina; it was a different friend,” Corrine explained.
Waldo played with the edge of his glass, a subtle smile emerging
“Someone familiar to me?”
“You might recall Jolene Sampson.”
He wasn’t surprised to hear the name. A subtle smile lit up Waldo’s eyes as he murmured, “Oh, Jolene, of course.” Unaware of Waldo’s intrigued look, Corrine added, “I could use some help securing an apartment near work.”
“Securing a place isn’t too tough. There’s a vacant one I own close by. I’ll arrange for the keys to be sent to you.”
Their conversation wrapped up quickly, and Waldo excused himself to leave.
The long-awaited celebration of Farris’ 80th birthday finally arrived after a hectic week. Corrine made a detour to Timeless Treasures-a renowned antique shop in Lyhaton-on her way to Farris’ home.
Upon her arrival at the store, a clerk promptly greeted her. With an air of familiarity, she browsed through the aisles, picked out a pen holder, and had it wrapped for the occasion.
Leaving the store, Corrine made her way directly to Farris’ home.
Farris’ 80th birthday was a grand affair, especially with the Ashton family now being the new elite of the city, attracting many eager to curry favor. To avoid any potential complications, Corrine opted to enter through a side door, quietly making her way into Farris’ quarters.
There, the Ashton family was leisurely enjoying their coffee and conversing. Their conversation halted abruptly, faces marked by surprise, as they noticed Corrine stepping into the room.
Dressed in a burgundy velvet suit paired with a black lace camisole, Corrine projected both professional prowess and a subtle allure. Her hair, twisted casually into a bun with wisps playfully framing her face, lent an air of relaxed elegance.
With each step, Corrine exuded a sense of innate pride and purpose. Her every action resonated with a powerful presence, an aura that seemed to be an intrinsic part of her, cultivated over time-a demeanor of controlling everything effortlessly.
Leah found Corrine’s self-assurance intolerable, as if nothing in the world was worthy of her attention. She wondered how Corrine, a woman of modest beginnings, could display such audacity before her.
Quickly masking her disdain, Leah said with a forced smile, “It’s been too long, Corrine.”
Corrine gave her a blank stare and said coldly, “Still making the same old mistakes, I see.”
Looking down, Leah’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
“Is there no room for forgiveness, Corrine?”
As Leah reached out, Corrine smoothly sidestepped her grasp, continuing her walk toward Farris’ room.
Seeing this, Rita bristled with anger.
“Corrine, can’t you see? How can you just walk by the elders without a word?”
With a cold smirk, Corrine’s eyes swept the room, sending a chill down everyone’s spine.
“Respect is earned by those who genuinely nurture others. Are any of you here truly worthy?”
Her past encounters with everyone in the room had been harmful. They carried an air of refinement and nobility, but their actions were disgraceful and unethical. It was mercy enough that she hadn’t sought revenge. Thinking she would grovel for their favor was pure fantasy.
“All dressed up and dismissive as ever. I guess you think you’re better than the rest of us now that you’ve found a stronger backer,” a woman in a purple dress said, her tone dripping with contempt.
Tone heavy with sarcasm, she shot Corrine a mocking smile and a scrutinizing glance.
Bruce’s uncle’s wife had once been known for her beauty in her younger days, but age had sculpted her features into sharp lines of bitterness. Back when Corrine had lived with the Ashton family, this woman frequently belittled her, and her disdain only grew after Corrine’s departure.
With such a large gathering, drama was inevitable, and the swirling gossip seemed ready to drown Corrine in criticism.
“Strutting around like a peacock, have you dismissed your humble beginnings?” the woman said.
“Had Bruce not generously brought you into our family, who knows where you’d have ended up? Now that you’ve moved on, you turn your back on us? How ungrateful can you be, Corrine?”
Corrine couldn’t help but laugh, though her eyes remained cold.
“You think you’re qualified to preach gratitude to me? Have you forgotten that without my intervention, the Ashton family would have faced ruin? Now, tell me-who’s being ungrateful?”
“How dare you!” Tracy exclaimed, slamming her fist on the table as she stood up suddenly.
“Do you think this is the place for your careless behavior?”
Corrine met her gaze with a smirk.
“Whether you permit it or not, I’ve acted this way before. What’s one more instance?”
“You!” Tracy’s anger was unmistakable, her sneer cutting.
“You publicly humiliated and hurt Leah, and now you disrupt the peace here. Is this how you admit defeat in joining our family, by causing chaos?”
Corrine arched an eyebrow, her eyes sweeping the room. The delight in their expressions was clear. They weren’t just here for idle chatter; they were here to hold her accountable. Her face betrayed nothing but a slight, sardonic lift of her eyebrows.
They were great at coming together, using their position as elders to judge and criticize.
In the past, she put up with it all for Bruce. Now, there was nothing stopping her.
Corrine settled into a single-seater sofa, her posture rigid with defiance. Her gaze swept coldly across the Ashton family women, led by Tracy, challenging them with an unspoken daring that seemed to crackle with barely contained tension.
“Leah got exactly what she deserved,” Corrine said, her tone cold enough to freeze the room.
“That’s ridiculous!” Rita shot back, jabbing a finger in Corrine’s direction. Her voice was shrill with anger, like a knife scraping against metal
“If it were you, you heartless woman, escalating everything on purpose, how would you have ended up completely blacklisted by the company? Ten million in compensation? Are you trying to ruin her completely? And now you sit there acting innocent, pretending it has nothing to do with you after destroying her career. You’re unbelievable!”
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.