Chapter 131

Chapter 131:

The atmosphere in the marketing department felt noticeably cliquish. As they made their way to the restaurant, a group showered Teresa with compliments. Once they arrived and settled into a private dining room, they insisted that Teresa place her order first.

“By the way, who’s covering the bill tonight?” Madisyn asked nonchalantly. It was clear that the company wouldn’t be footing the bill for this welcome dinner.

“We’ll split the cost equally,” announced Liza.

Lᴀtｅst chᴀptєrs in g𝑎lnovels.𝒸ο𝑚

The mood in the room shifted immediately. This restaurant was known for its steep prices, and if they divided the bill, each person would pay at least four or five hundred dollars. With that amount, they could treat themselves to a more enjoyable meal elsewhere.

“Liza, I just remembered I have something urgent to take care of at home. I’ll need to leave now,” one colleague said hesitantly.

“Liza, I just realized I still have some work to finish. I’ll need to excuse myself.”

Soon, several others followed suit, eager to leave.

Liza, the deputy director, felt annoyed as she looked at them. Were they really that clueless? Did they not understand who Teresa was? It was a rare privilege to have dinner with the president’s sister, yet they were acting so ungrateful.

“Hey, don’t go!” Liza was surprised to hear Madisyn stepping in to stop the exodus.

Madisyn flashed a smile and said, “Don’t forget who Teresa is. Do you really think she’ll let us pay the bill? For her, this is just pocket change.”

She turned to Teresa with a knowing look.

Teresa felt a cold shiver run down her spine. She glanced at the menu—each dish cost at least two hundred dollars. With so many people at the table, the total would easily run into the tens of thousands. She was just an ordinary woman, not some heiress with money to burn. How could she possibly afford such an extravagant meal? Madisyn was such a snake! She was just trying to stir up trouble!

But Madisyn’s words had already planted the idea in everyone’s minds. They might not have the money, but Teresa was different. After all, she was the president’s sister—surely this amount was nothing to her.

All eyes turned to Teresa, filled with expectation.

Madisyn sipped her tea slowly, her eyes fixed on Teresa, waiting for her response. She knew full well that Teresa couldn’t afford the bill. Pretending to be the president’s sister was one thing, but this was a whole different level of bluff.

“It’s my treat,” Teresa finally declared.

Madisyn was so shocked she nearly choked on her tea. Teresa had actually agreed!

Teresa forced herself to unclench her teeth, masking her anxiety with a haughty expression and a hint of disdain in her eyes. “It’s just a bit of money,” she said coolly. “I’ll cover the bill. Enjoy yourselves.”

The room erupted in applause and cheers. “Wow, Teresa, you’re amazing!”

“Thank you, Teresa!”

Liza, eager to impress, chimed in with over-the-top praise. “Teresa isn’t just beautiful; she’s incredibly generous too. We’re so lucky to have her in our department.”

Teresa waved off the compliments casually. “Enough with the flattery. Just order already,” she said, as if she were unbothered by the whole situation.

But Madisyn noticed the subtle detail that the others missed—Teresa’s fingers were gripping the hem of her suit tightly, a silent indicator of the stress she was under.

The room buzzed with excitement again, everyone piling on the compliments. Teresa, despite the pressure, seemed to be soaking it all in.

Just then, Madisyn’s phone buzzed with a message from Andrew.

“Aren’t we supposed to have dinner together this evening?”

Madisyn quickly replied, “I wish we could, but I have to attend a last-minute dinner. I’m working at Edge Entertainment now, and they’ve called for a gathering.”

“Do you need me to pick you up afterward?” Andrew asked.

“That would be great,” Madisyn responded. “I’ll let you know when it’s wrapping up.”

After sending the message, she put her phone away and smiled to herself.

As dinner was winding down, Liza suddenly pointed out, “Teresa, where’s your necklace?”

Teresa instinctively touched her neck, startled. “What? Maybe I left it in the restroom.”

“Don’t worry, Teresa, I’ll check for you,” one of the colleagues offered, hurrying off to the restroom. Moments later, she returned, her expression puzzled. “It’s not there, Teresa. Are you sure you didn’t leave it somewhere else?”

Teresa felt a flicker of confusion. She went to the restroom herself to double-check, but the necklace was nowhere to be found.

But she shrugged it off. “It’s fine. No big deal.”

It wasn’t a genuine item anyway—just a well-crafted replica.

But Liza wasn’t about to let it go that easily. “Teresa, I know that necklace. It’s a limited edition, practically one-of-a-kind. How could you let it go when you lost something so valuable?”

“Well…” Teresa began, but before she could think of an excuse, someone else piped up. “I saw Madisyn head to the restroom right after Teresa.”

Everyone’s eyes shifted to Madisyn.

Unfazed, she continued eating, deliberately slow under their watchful stares. Finally, she set down her fork and looked up. “I didn’t see anything,” she said calmly.

Liza, her tone dripping with disdain, shot back, “Don’t lie. You were the only one who went to the restroom after Teresa. How dare you lie like that?” Her voice grew more accusatory. “You must’ve realized how valuable Teresa’s necklace is and decided to steal it. Isn’t that right, Madisyn? I suggest you hand it over now. A necklace like that could land you in jail for years.”

Madisyn’s eyes flickered with amusement as she caught Teresa’s gaze. “Really?” she replied, her voice laced with irony. A fake necklace could land her in jail? The idea was absurd. With a faint smile, she added, “Even if I did take it, I doubt I’d be seeing the inside of a jail cell. Isn’t that right, Teresa?”

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