Chapter 23
Joanna turned around and saw Margot standing there with her agent.
Dressed in a white dress with soft, delicate makeup, Margot had that perfect blend of innocence and alhire. Her dark hair cascaded down her shoulders, but the mockery in her eyes as she looked at Joanna was anything but pure.
Joanna sighed internally. Why is it that no matter where I go. I always run into her!
At this point, she was seriously starting to wonder if Margot had her tracked. She had no interest in seeing her, yet somehow, she kept showing up like an unwanted ghost. It was beyond irritating.
Joanna shot her a cold glance and said flatly, “Miss Caldwell, who I choose to buy gifts for is none of your business. Maybe you should focus on your own issues instead!”
“It seems like you still haven’t locked down Howell. Otherwise, why hasn’t he divorced me yet?”
That struck a nerve. No matter how much effort she put in, Howell still seemed indifferent to her. She had no idea what was holding him back As she heard Joanna’s taunt, Margot’s expression darkened.
“Don’t be so smug, Joanna Howell will divorce you, she said icily.
“Oh. I’m counting on it. Joanna replied with a smirk. “After all, wouldn’t it be humiliating to keep parading around with the label of mistress? You know, back in the old days, women who destroyed marriages were drowned in pig cages.”
You
Before Margot could lash out, her agent, Cecelia, stepped in with a frown “Ms. Osborne, we’re all civilized people. Saying things like that makes you look incredibly unrefined. And you keep calling Margot a mistress–that’s slander. We could sue you for that.”
Joanna let out a laugh, as if she had just heard the most ridiculous joke. “Sue me? Go ahead, I have plenty of evidence. But are you really the ones talking about class!
“You come barking at people the second you see them like a pack of rabid dogs. Is that what you call refinement?”
The moment the word dog left her lips, Margot’s face twisted with rage. She turned to Cecelia and snapped, “Cecelia, don’t lower yourself to her level. Engaging with her just makes us look cheap.”
Joanna let out a soft chuckle. “Perfect, because I have no intention of wasting my time with you either. If a dog bites me, I’m certainly not going to bate in bark”
She thought, First a pig, now a dog
Margot’s anger
flared. “Who the hell are you calling a dog?”
Joanna’s expression remained calm. “Whoever responds first, obviously.”
“You–You’re unbelievable Margot fumed. Then, as if trying cufflinks she’s holding–III take them”
to reassert control, she turned to the sales associate and said, “Excuse me, pack up the
Joanna smiled, unfazed. “Sorry, but these cufflinks are already mine. She glanced at Margot and added. “You really should work on that habit of yours—always trying to take things that don’t belong to you.
“It’s not a good look. But since you seem to like secondhand goods, I’ll gladly hand over Howell. These cufflinks, however, are staying with me.” With lui, sir gestured to the sales associate to wrap them up.
“Do you even know how much those cufflinks cou?” Margot sneered. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she subtly opened her phone’s recording app and pressed record. “Are you sure you should be spending money so recklessly? What if your sponsor isn’t happy about it?”
wrong? Are you
Joanna let out a light laugh, her expression amused. “Why would he be upset? The more I spend, the happier he gets. What’s w jealoust 1 mean, I get it–Howell is stingier than Scrooge. I totally understand your frustration”
It was true–Dexter and Philip encouraged her to spend lavishly every day. She thought, ‘Buy, buy, buy!”
Margot frembled with rage. “You’re shameless! Absolutely disgracefulr
She wondered, “How could someone talk about having a financial backer with such confidence, as if it were something to be proud of?”
1/3
12.00 PM
Chapter 23
“You flatter me. I could never compete with you; Joanna replied coolly.
another glance, she handed her card to the sales associate. “Please pack this up quickly. She had no interest in wasting another second dealing with these two.
Without sporing
Cecelia frowned and couldn’t help but snap. “Ms. Osborne, don’t you think you’re going too far!”
12
Joanna arched a brow. “This is too far? Weren’t you the ones who started this? I don’t pick fights, but I don’t back down from them either. So do yoursrbors a favor–stay out of my way. I can’t promise I’ll be this patient next time.”
Margot clenched her teeth, seething. Every time she ran into Joanna, she somehow ended up on the losing side, completely unable to outmaneuver her
Cecelia was just as frustrated. Unable to lash out at Joanna directly, she turned on the sales associate instead. “Are you blind? Look at this woman- she looks completely broke!
“Not even wearing designer brands! How can you sell her those cufflinks! Aren’t you afraid of ruining your store’s reputation?”
The sales associate way taken aback. They simply sold to paying customers–whoever could afford it got it
Besides, while Joanna’s clothes didn’t bear any flashy logos, the quality was undeniable. The fabric alone spoke of luxury, the kind only bespoke tailoring could provide.
Yes, all of Joanna’s clothes were custom–made. Dexter had arranged for an entire wardrobe designed specifically for her, so naturally, they didn’t carry any visilile brand labels. She thought, Some people really let their ignorance show.
Straightening her posture, the sales associate replied firmly. “Apologies, miss, but we don’t discriminate against our customers” Cecelia was fuming, but the
there was nothing she could do
Joanna couldn’t be bothered to engage
Margot’s mood was completely soured.
any further. She simply took her packaged cullinks and walked our without a second glance.
She had come to the mall today to pick out a gift for Howell as a thank you. After her car broke down last night, he had taken care of everything for her. This was supposed to be her excuse to get closer to him.
She b
hadnt experted to run into Joanna–and worse, she had tried to put her down but ended up getting completely shut down instead.
She thought, “Why is that bitch so confident now? Isn’t she about to become a discarded woman! Where does she get the nerve to act so untouchable‘ But whatever. Soon, nour of this would inalter
Because now, she had proof of Joanna’s affair. Margot smirked. She couldn’t wait to let Howell know. She had recorded everything–Joanna had prantically adimitted to having a rich barker.
She thought, ‘Let’s see how she talks harr way out of this one. Not long ago, Joanna had accused her of being a mistress. “Well, soon, everyone will know who the realelicater in!
Feeling triumphant, Margot picked out a tie fe
for Howell.
ue him down. The meaning fitted her intentions perfectly
She had heard that when a wou gave a nu a tie, it symbolized her desire to the h After leaving the mall, she checked the time and told Cecelia to head back while she made her way to Howell’s office, She knew he hadn’t left work μετ
orning, when lar called her about her car, he lead casually mentioned he had a meeting in the afternoon and would likely be working late This was thar perler tapportianity.
Carrying larr carefully
she arrived at hus conjuny.
ptimists all recognized re–she had been here plenty of times before. By now, everyone simply assumed she was Howell’s girlfriend, After all, wealthy men having a condidante or two was hardly surprising
The rumors about joanna’s supposed altair hund died down, and with time, people had forgotten all about it. So now, djdrit seran out of place at all.
She didn’t bother ccalling ahead and instead went straight up to his office. But Howell was still in a meeting
She made lienself comfortable bu his office, waiting for him to returne
when Mar
Margot walked in, it
12.00 PM
As she idly glanced around, something on his desk caught her eye–a classic wooden box with an intricate design,
Curious, she reached out and lifted the lid.
