Chapter 114



Sarah’s scar had mostly healed, yet it retained a ghastly appearance. Previously, Sarah despised wearing bangs, finding them unflattering. Now, they served a practical purpose—to conceal her flaws. With her vanity wounded, she buried her feelings of bitterness.

“I’ve paid a heavy price, while Kallie escaped any consequence. I promise not to pursue her any further, so please, don’t hold a grudge,” Sarah pleaded softly.

Jake looked at Sarah, whose expression was a blend of pity and frustration, and cut straight to the point. “This was never about Kallie. You had no right to come after her. I only urged you to back off in time. Why would you think your actions were in my interest?”

Sarah faltered, her words tumbling out hesitantly, yet she pressed on, saying gently, “I noticed you turned down Miss Simpson’s invitation. She’s my friend, you know, and now you’re skipping her gatherings? Casting everything aside, you and Kallie are bound to split eventually. Wouldn’t it be better for us to start something then?”

Jake’s face grew icy. “There was never an ‘us’ to begin with. Sarah, drop these delusional ideas, or I’ll have to take steps to distance myself even sooner.”

Refusing to accept his words, Sarah raised her voice, calling out to Jake as he walked away. “What about everything we had? You always favored me over Kallie. I can’t believe you felt nothing!”

Jake kept on walking.

Suddenly, a realization dawned on Sarah. A smile crept across her face even as tears streamed down her cheeks. “I get it now,” she murmured, her voice tinged with disbelief. “You were just being affectionate with me to make Kallie jealous, weren’t you?”

It all fell into place. The pieces suddenly fit together, and Sarah belatedly grasped this harsh reality. But why? She loved Jake more than anyone else. What was so special about that wretch Kallie?

Sarah looked up once more, but Jake was nowhere to be seen. All that remained for Sarah was deep-seated bitterness. She blamed them for driving her to act desperately.

The storm of public opinion had subsided, much like the storm the previous night. It seemed overwhelming at the time, yet by morning, it felt as though it had never occurred.

Today marked the day of the banquet. Kallie noticed that the rumors of her allegedly pushing someone down the stairs had vanished, which left her puzzled. But she soon understood why. Jake was likely trying to avoid attention since Miss Simpson’s event was today.

Even without Jake’s help, Kallie was confident she could have vindicated herself. Today marked her return. Her reputation would be restored with Donovan’s help with the surveillance footage.

Downstairs, Sarah was packing, apparently ready to depart. Kallie found this odd but chose not to inquire. Disagreements among couples were common. Whatever problems Sarah had with Jake were none of her business. After changing, Kallie went downstairs and saw Sarah still there.

Sarah was instructing the servants to load her belongings into the car. Upon noticing Kallie, Sarah approached her with a grin. Despite the smile, Kallie always sensed an underlying malice in Sarah.

Instinctively, Kallie stepped back, eager to maintain distance.

Sarah, seemingly cheerful, broke the silence. “You’re heading to the Simpsons’, right? How about we go together?”

Kallie shook her head, her expression icy. With a sarcastic laugh, she signed pointedly that she could manage on her own.

Sarah replied, “Make sure you’re okay with your decision. You might regret it later.”

Sarah glanced at the small gift box in Kallie’s grasp and couldn’t resist a jab. “Is that what you’re planning to give Miss Simpson? I must remind you that Miss Simpson is quite distinguished and lacks for nothing. Please, choose something less garish or inappropriate.”

Kallie signed with disarming directness, mockingly expressing her gratitude for the heads-up.

Sarah asked, “And the clothes I selected for you? They’re a bit worn, I admit, but I thought they fit you to a tee.”

Kallie pointed at the trash can by the door, indicating the clothes in question were right there.

For a moment, Sarah’s face tightened. She sniffed indignantly, then spun on her heel and stormed off.

Jake had no intention of attending the banquet today. Sarah had practically commandeered all the vehicles for her own use. It was an overblown response, really.

Kallie saw through Sarah. Sarah would never miss an opportunity to put her in a bad light. Kallie opted to take a taxi, deeming it the most straightforward choice. The significance of her decision seemed minimal at first.

Despite Hazel’s earlier reassurances that Miss Simpson was not one to stir up trouble, Kallie harbored doubts about the simplicity of the situation. Unfortunately, her instincts proved accurate. The moment she approached the door, an obstacle arose.

The waiter at the entrance scrutinized the invitation Kallie extended, his demeanor shifting noticeably. “I’m sorry, but this invitation is a fake, and quite poorly done at that. It lacks Miss Simpson’s seal,” he stated, his tone apologetic yet firm. “You’ll need to verify this with Miss Simpson if you wish to enter.”

The waiter’s voice carried, drawing the attention of nearby guests.

“A fake? How mortifying,” one murmured under his breath.

Another guest leaned in, whispering, “I recognize her from somewhere, but can’t place her.”

A third voice chimed in, not bothering to lower her voice, “Don’t you know? She’s the foster daughter of the Reeves family and the one involved in the incident with Miss Miller a few days ago. I heard she got caught with her lover by Miss Miller.”

“Oh my goodness, she seems so sweet and lovely, yet her intentions are so cruel.”

“Yeah! She somehow convinced Jake to marry her, apparently with Roderick pulling the strings behind the scenes, pressuring Jake into agreement!”

“Her story was all over the web, and then, just like that, nothing. It must be her lover’s work.”

“Now, here she is at Miss Simpson’s gathering, likely trying to fix her tarnished image. Yet, Simpson never invited her. She is even clutching a counterfeit invite. How humiliating.”

Mocking whispers swirled around the room, all sounding exceedingly harsh and unwelcome.

Kallie’s complexion whitened a shade, and she clenched her fists.

Kallie analyzed the situation, trying to pinpoint what had gone wrong. Three invitations arrived together, and Hazel was the first to sort them out. It wasn’t like Hazel would purposely hand her a fake invitation, especially since Hazel couldn’t distinguish the genuine from the false.

It pointed to only one conclusion: all invitations were fake. No matter which one Hazel passed to her, embarrassment was inevitable today.

But several questions arose. How did Sarah manage to walk in so effortlessly? Could the previous knowledge of the fake invitation be the reason Jake stayed away? It seemed both Jake and Sarah had known the truth for some time but kept silent about it.

Kallie could grasp part of the situation. Sarah’s intentions were obvious—embarrassing her on purpose. But Jake? What was he implying?

Kallie feared to ponder any deeper.

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