At the top of the stairs, Tailsa caught sight of Bella Kennedy.
She discreetly glanced at Bella's hands, noting that her nails weren't long.
Silently, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Still, just in case Bella pulled something unexpected out of her bag, Tailsa kept a plastic shield within arm's reach.
She wasn't too worried, though.
"What do you want to say to me?"
Tailsa crossed her arms over her chest, trying to mask her nervousness.
To others, however, the gesture came off as provocative, especially since she was dressed in a tight, casual tank top that accentuated her curves.
Bella Kennedy, who lacked such "assets," immediately felt irritated when she saw the woman's full, round figure practically bursting out of her top.
Her face darkened as she asked coldly, "Did James propose to you?"
"So what if he did?" Tailsa shot back, standing her ground.
"Do you even know what kind of person he is?"
Bella Kennedy stepped closer, her tone sharp, as though she were scolding a misbehaving child.
Standing to the side, Ms. Morgan was worried Bella might actually lay hands on Tailsa.
She quickly stepped in between them, speaking softly to Bella.
"Miss, let's talk calmly. There's no need to get upset."
Seeing someone protecting her, Tailsa grew a little bolder.
"It doesn't matter who he is. All I know is that he's my man," she said coolly.
Although Tailsa had her own suspicions about James's background and knew she was out of her league, she refused to show weakness and calmly stated her position.
"Your man?"
Bella Kennedy felt her anger rise but tried to suppress it.
"Do you know he's got other women?" she asked pointedly.
"I know. So what? In the end, he'll marry me anyway," Tailsa said stubbornly.
"You've got no shame, do you?" Bella Kennedy scoffed, hands on her hips.
How could this woman remain so indifferent when her man was fooling around? It was as if she'd been brainwashed, completely devoted to that scumbag.
It made Bella Kennedy furious.
"I don't need shame. All I need is him," Tailsa shot back, fully intent on provoking her.
Bella Kennedy couldn't take it anymore. She practically yelled,
"Then call him here! I'd like to see who he'll choose to be responsible for!"
Ms. Morgan also thought it might be a good idea to call James back.
Situations like this were better handled by the person at the center of it.
As an employee, she didn't have much authority in a battlefield like this.
And as a proper manager, Ms. Morgan had zero experience dealing with messy love triangles.
She glanced at Tailsa, silently asking for permission.
But Tailsa shook her head.
The argument hadn't escalated to physical slaps yet. Calling James now would only annoy him, and there'd be no benefit to it.
If she wanted James to feel pity for her, she needed to put on a performance.
Stepping out from behind Ms. Morgan, Tailsa stood directly in front of Bella Kennedy and puffed out her chest.
"There's no need to call him. Anyone with eyes can see who he'd pick," she said, staring directly at Bella's less-endowed figure, her meaning crystal clear.
Bella Kennedy understood the implication immediately. Her face twisted with anger, and she snapped,
"You're shameless! Your man's out here ruining good women's lives, and you're standing here flaunting yourself like it's something to be proud of!"
Tailsa's temper flared in response.
"At least I have something to flaunt. Can't say the same for some people. And you think you can steal my man? What a joke."
"Who's trying to steal your man? Only a shameless idiot like you would treat that scumbag like he's some kind of treasure!" Bella Kennedy fired back.
"Oh, poor little girl. I take it you've never seen the good side of him? Oh, that's right, he probably doesn't care enough to show it to you," Tailsa said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Her words were cutting, and she even mimicked her mother's mocking, sing-song tone.
Bella Kennedy's lips trembled, her fury bubbling over.
She thought of how James had been cold and dismissive toward her, yet so attentive to these voluptuous women.
Her eyes reddened, overwhelmed with sadness and frustration.
Seeing that her young mistress was losing the argument, Asa, the loyal assistant, stepped in to defend her.
"Showing off just because you've got a little meat on your bones? How shameless. Do you know how many women Mr. King has outside? Way more than you, that's for sure," Asa sneered.
"And who are you?"
Unfazed, Tailsa faced off against both of them, her confidence unwavering.
"This is between me and her. Who asked for your input?"
"I'm just a humble maid, speaking on behalf of my lady," Asa replied with a smile.
"You think just because Mr. King proposed to you, you're actually going to marry him? Don't be so naïve. What makes you think you're good enough for him?"
Asa's words were like a dagger, striking at Tailsa's deepest insecurities.
Her biggest fear had been laid bare, and she nearly lost her composure.
Her face showed a hint of anger as she snapped back,
"Mind your own business. Who asked for your opinion?"
"It's not my business, true. I'm just reminding youâdon't mess with my lady. Otherwise, it won't just be Mr. King who suffers; you'll suffer too," Asa said smugly, using her mistress's power to intimidate.
The weight of Asa's warning brought Tailsa back to her senses.
She realized Bella Kennedy was someone she couldn't afford to provoke.
Seeing Bella's furious, puffed-up face, Tailsa started to feel nervous.
She swallowed the harsher words she'd been about to say.
Unlike the heroines in TV dramas, Tailsa didn't have plot armor.
If she pushed things too far, she might end up dragging James into troubleâor even losing the house and car she'd worked so hard to secure.
The thought sent a shiver down her spine.
Fear flickered in her eyes as she fell silent, trying to figure out how to salvage the situation.
The room grew eerily quiet, tension hanging heavy in the air.
The only sound came from the occasional chirp of cicadas outside.
Ms. Morgan, seeing the deadlock, reluctantly called James to inform him of the situation.
When James finally arrived, having rushed over in a freshly changed suit and chauffeured by a Rolls-Royce, he could feel the storm brewing even before stepping inside.
He walked into the living room to find Bella Kennedy sitting stiffly on one end of the couch, her face cold as ice.
Tailsa sat at the other end, equally stoic, projecting an air of elegance.
Meanwhile, Asa was busy secretly filming the villa on her phone.
As James approached, all three women turned their eyes toward him.
The tension in the room was palpable.
James took a moment to compose himself, weighing the pros and cons of the situation.
Turning to Bella Kennedy, he asked with a confused expression,
"What are you doing here?"
"Am I not allowed to come here?" Bella Kennedy shot back, her anger surging.
This scumbag had the audacity to stay calm after being caught two-timing. He was truly the worst of the worst.
Seeing James had arrived, Tailsa immediately put on a pitiful expression.
"Brother, you're finally here," she said, her voice full of grievance.
James strode over to the couch and plopped himself down right between the two women.
Wrapping an arm around Tailsa's waist, he spoke softly to her.
"What's wrong, my darling? Who's been bullying you?"
Hearing James prioritize her, Tailsa's earlier frustration melted away.
She glanced at Bella Kennedy but didn't say a word, her look clearly implying, It's her. She's the bully.
James caught the message.
Turning to Bella Kennedy, he scolded,
"Hey, are you out of your mind? Instead of attending class, you come to my house to harass my woman? What's your problem?"
Tailsa couldn't hide her delight at James's words and shot a triumphant look at Bella Kennedy.
But hearing James defend another woman made Bella's chest tighten painfully.
She glared at him, her voice trembling as she asked,
"How can you do this? How can you betray someone who truly loves you?"
James clicked his tongue, clearly irritated.
"And who are you to me? Why are you acting like you get a say in my life?"
Bella Kennedy had been in a foul mood ever since she arrived.
Hearing James's dismissive tone, she froze for a moment, her nose tingling as tears began to pool in her eyes.