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827 Words
"Regardless of how I please or flatter my husband, that is a private matter between Xavier and me. What right do you have to stand here judging me?"
Chloe had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Her upbringing had groomed her to stand above the rest, gifting her with a natural, commanding aura. Combined with her unwavering resolve, her quiet fury radiated a pressure that was nothing short of stifling.
Serena and Bella stood paralyzed, their retort dying in their throats as they were pinned by her gaze.
Chloe paused, her sharp eyes sweeping over Feifei before she delivered the final blow. "I pressed my 'warm face' against a 'cold shoulder' and became the Matriarch of the Grayson family. If you’re that envious, feel free to try it yourselves. I wish you luck."
She offered them a smile that was both elegant and devastatingly arrogant. "But... do you even have the capital to compete?"
By the time Chloe walked out, the three women were still in a daze. How? How could a woman who was the target of the entire city's mockery still hold herself with such untouchable pride?
A few seconds later, a piercing shriek erupted from the restroom. "Agh! Chloe Bishop, I’m going to kill you!"
Fortunately for the eardrums of the other patrons, the soundproofing was excellent and the club music drowned out Bella’s breakdown. "That b***h! I can't wait to see her dragged through the dirt when Xavier finally kicks her out for good!"
Serena was actually in tears, her voice shaking with rage. "She went too far. Look at me! How am I supposed to go out there like this?" Her makeup was smeared, and her expensive dress was a sodden mess.
Feifei, who had remained a silent observer until now, finally spoke up, her voice cold and calculating. "No. This is exactly how you should go out. The more pathetic you look, the better."
Serena and Bella caught on instantly.
Yes. They needed to walk out looking like victims. They wanted Xavier and the entire social circle to see exactly how "vicious" and "arrogant" the fallen First Socialite truly was.
Chloe emerged from the restroom and looked toward the center of the suite. There sat the man who hadn't uttered a word, yet controlled the pulse of the entire room with his sheer presence. She walked toward him, step by steady step.
So many people were waiting for her to stumble, to see her crawl in the mud. She wasn't going to give them the satisfaction. She was staying by this man’s side—after all, he was her husband.
Chloe sat back down next to Xavier, leaning in with a charming, dimpled smile. "In a moment, I’m going to show you a very entertaining show."
Xavier was stroking the hair of the sleepy Liam Jr. in his lap. He didn't even bother to look up. "Not interested."
Liam Jr., drifting in and out of sleep, heard Chloe’s voice and instinctively reached his small hands toward her, wanting her to hold him. Chloe scooped the "Little Prince" into her arms immediately. He was her golden shield now.
Just as she settled the boy, Bella and Serena stumbled out of the hallway, looking like they had survived a shipwreck.
"Good heavens! Bella, what happened to you?" Giselle Zhao, sitting next to Victor Vance, was the first to notice. Her jaw practically hit the floor.
Her exclamation drew every eye in the room to the pair. The music seemed to dim as everyone took in their ruined state. How does one go to the restroom and return looking half-drowned?
Felix rushed to Bella’s side, his face full of genuine concern. "What’s wrong? Did you slip? Are you hurt?"
Bella’s lip trembled. she threw herself into Felix’s arms, sobbing hysterically. "Felix... you have to help me... you have to settle this for me..."
Since Bella was Giselle's cousin, Giselle stood up and approached the group, her gaze shifting to Feifei. "Miss Feifei, could you explain what happened?"
Before Feifei could open her mouth, Serena pointed a shaking, accusatory finger at Chloe. "It was her! She grabbed our hair and forced our heads into the water!"
Feifei added a look of deep, performative heartbreak. "Chloe, I truly didn't expect you to become like this. Bella and Serena were just worried about you; they said a few concerned words, and you reacted with such malice. I'm so disappointed in you."
Bella wailed, looking like a broken bird. "She almost tore my scalp off! Sister-in-law, what did I ever do to deserve this?"
The trap is set. In the eyes of the room, Chloe is a cornered animal lashing out at "innocent" concerned friends. Felix is fuming, and the pressure is mounting on Xavier to discipline his wife. Chloe, however, is calmly stroking Liam Jr.'s back. Will she play her "entertaining show," or will Xavier decide this is the final straw for his patience?
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