Chapter 762: Apple

It wouldn’t be a lie if Belle said that her brief interaction with Penny had put her in a good mood. It made her feel a little better, considering she had stepped out of the party to breathe in some fresh air. So when Penny bid her farewell, Belle followed her figure with her gaze.

The smile on Belle’s face, however, slowly faded as she noticed a group of women walking past Penny. As the group drew closer, her smile completely disappeared.

"Well, hello there, Belle!" the woman in the middle, wearing a red silk dress, greeted her with a beautiful smile. "I was looking for you."

"It’s nice to see you again, Big Sister Belle," said the woman beside her, flashing Belle a sweet smile. The woman on the other side did the same.

"It’s nice to see you as well, Karina," Belle said as she slowly rose from the bench, only to realize she was barefoot, having thrown away her heels earlier. Even so, she didn’t let that realization affect her expression. "It’s been a while since I last saw you, and I must say... you’re still the same."

Karina, the woman in the middle, glanced down at Belle’s feet. "And you’ve changed a bit," she remarked, pursing her lips as if to stop herself from laughing. Meeting Belle’s gaze again, she added, "I mean, a lot. I’m not too sure if that is a good thing or not."

"Sister Belle, we were all surprised when we heard you were here tonight," one of the women commented excitedly. "It’s been so long since you left. We missed you!"

"And congratulations on your pregnancy!" the other one chimed in. "Even with your belly so big, you still look beautiful."

"That’s because Belle married a good man. I heard a man’s treatment of his wife shows on her face," Karina commented in a matter-of-factly. "How’s the marriage, Belle? I don’t see your husband around here."

Belle maintained her smile, though it began to falter as they mentioned her husband. She placed a hand on her stomach with restrained caution.

"Why are you looking for my husband?" she replied calmly. "Me being here should be enough."

Karina placed a finger on her chin and hummed thoughtfully. "Well, you’re right. An outsider attending the family gathering can be overlooked, but two? I don’t think so, right?"

Belle pressed her lips together and took a deep breath, forcing a smile. "It’s good to see you, Karina."

She then gave the other women a polite nod. "Riana, Jenny." She looked back at Karina. "I’m heading in. It’s quite late, and the head of the family might arrive at any moment. I heard he’s bringing his wife, the new matriarch. Let’s not leave a bad impression on her."

With that, Belle turned to leave. However, she realized she needed her heels. Huffing in irritation, she silently scolded herself for discarding them out of frustration. She should have known it was inevitable to encounter unpleasant people in a place filled with hostility. Even if she avoided them, they would find her.

"Sister Belle, you’re pregnant! I’ll get your heels for you!" Riana, the woman on Karina’s right, volunteered. "Don’t worry, I’ll get them!"

"It’s okay —" Belle stopped, realizing her little cousin had already darted off toward where her heels lay. She opened her mouth, then closed it, sighing as she kept a hand on her stomach.

"Belle, how’s your husband doing?" Karina asked suddenly, making Belle look at her.

Belle tilted her head and forced out a reply. "Good."

"Good?" Karina mirrored her nod. "That’s good, then."

"Does that mean the rumor that he’s being sued for tax evasion isn’t true?" asked Jenny, looking at Belle with feigned innocence. However, they all knew her gentle appearance didn’t reflect her personality. "I was worried when I heard that news. I mean, that kind of problem is... terrible. He might end up in jail if it’s true. Otherwise, he’d have to pay a fine, which shouldn’t be that bad, considering he’s well off, right?"

’Used to be,’was what Belle wanted to say.

Her husband might not have had the same standing as the Pierson Family, coming from humble beginnings. However, he was smart and had worked hard to reach the position he was in when he met Belle.

"Uh, Sister Belle?" Jenny tilted her head to the side. "What’s wrong? You don’t look too well. Did I say something wrong?"

Karina smirked, taking in the look on Belle’s face. Belle was no longer smiling; her eyes were full of bitterness.

"Sister Belle, why... oh my god!" Jenny gasped, covering her mouth dramatically. "Sister Belle, don’t tell me the rumor is true?"

"Jenny, don’t be like that," Karina hushed calmly. "Belle hasn’t said anything yet. She’s pregnant, so let’s not aggravate her with such slanderous accusations."

The corner of her mouth lifted into a sly smile. "There’s no way he’d turn out to be someone like that. Right, Belle?"

Belle slowly balled her hands into tight fists, glancing between the two, who smiled at her with subtle malice. She could see the amusement in their eyes. This wasn’t surprising. Bringing up the issue was just a way for them to hurt her.

Karina, especially, knew about it. That’s why she mentioned it—to wound Belle’s feelings.

’There’s no point in fighting them,’ Belle told herself. ’After tonight, I won’t see them again. So, there’s no point, Belle. They might laugh at you, but it doesn’t matter. I’m no longer in the position where...’

"Sister Belle, here are your heels! Catch!"

Suddenly, Belle heard Riana’s voice from a distance. She turned her head instinctively, but just as she did, she saw a heel flying straight toward her. Riana had apparently tossed the heel before yelling.

’Oh no,’was all that came to Belle’s mind, her body freezing, eyes widening in surprise.

The heel was about to hit her.

Karina and Jenny snickered as they stepped back a bit. Meanwhile, Riana chuckled as they watched the heel fly toward Belle. But just as they thought it would hit her, something struck it from the side, diverting its path.

Before they knew it, the heel landed a few steps away from Belle. Looking down, Belle furrowed her brows as she saw an apple roll to her feet.

"Oh no! My apple! It slipped!" Just then, Belle heard a familiar voice. Looking up, she saw Penny dramatically gasping in shock.