Chapter 360
My Mute Bride
Chapter 360 Best Friend Is a Derogatory Term âYou donât have to deal with this matter any longer. Iâll take care of it.â Ryan threw a glance at Jolly before his gaze fell on Rachel. âMiss Hudson, Jolly is only being criticized by the public because of her endorsement deal with Hudson Pharmaceuticals. I hope you wonât begrudge her a few days of rest.â
Rachel agreed. âItâs not a problem. I plan on letting her go on a break for half a month while public interest dies down.â âHalf a month is too short. Give her a month.â
Ryan demanded staunchly, which startled everyone else.
Jolly frowned and retorted, âWho are you to decide on my behalf? What could I possibly do with a monthâs break?â
âGo on a holiday. You can follow me to Switzerland for a month.â
âNo way!â
As soon as Ryan said that, Leroy, who had been quiet the entire time, immediately disagreed. He glared at Ryan as he firmly denounced the suggestion.
Rachel and Jolly were taken aback by his sudden interruption. But soon enough, Jolly remembered the feud between Leroy and Ryan. In the end, it was all because of a woman!
Ryan commented icily, âYou have no say in what we do. Who do you think you are?â
Leroy snapped back. âWho do I think I am? Maybe Iâm nothing to the great Mr. Sutton, but how can you treat Jolly this way? Is she just an object to you? Is she just a thing that you can bring around with you wherever you go?â
âSheâs my fiancée!â Ryanâs answer echoed around them as he declared it resolutely.
Jolly would usually stir up a storm if she heard Ryan saying that, but this time, she shrunk behind Rachel as she muttered, âOh no⦠Chris, the endorsement deal might go sour!â
When Jolly reached out to Leroy about the endorsement deal, she never even mentioned that she was acquainted with Ryan, let alone the fact that she used to be his fiancée. Leroy only agreed to the endorsement deal after Jolly had spent all her time and effort into developing a âfriendshipâ with him.
At a time like this, how can you still be thinking about the endorsement deal with Leroy? Rachel was speechless.
Ryan was still talking. âBoth of our families agreed to the marriage, and even the Carter Family elders also approved of the marriage. She, Jolly Carter, is my fiancée. Apart from her parents, there is no one else in this world who is more qualified to deal with this on her behalf than me.â
After an awkward silence, Leroy snorted.
Jolly anxiously murmured by Rachelâs ear. âWhat is he laughing about? Has he been driven mad by anger?â
Rachel rolled her eyes before hushing Jolly. âCanât you keep quiet for a bit?â
Leroy gave Jolly a look, but she quickly avoided his gaze. She looked up toward the ceiling with feigned innocence, saying, âOh wow, the weather today really is quite nice.â
Rachelâs lips twitched. There must be something wrong with this womanâs brain!
Leroy continued, âI think Jolly doesnât agree with what you just said. Unfortunately for you, Mr. Sutton, it seems like your feelings are unrequited.â
Ryanâs expression immediately changed.
As for Rachel, she was rather astonished by Leroy.
Leroy was only a minor celebrity, but he dared to defy a powerful and influential man like Ryan. With such principles, Leroy was undeniably a respectable man!
âJolly, leave with me at once.â Ryan did not respond to Leroy. Instead, he turned to Jolly and came to grab her by the arm.
However, Jolly instinctively avoided his hand, and she huffed, âWhy should I leave with you? Tell me whoâs scheming behind my back.â
âI already told you that Iâll deal with it!â Ryan refused.
âThis is my business, and I donât need you to butt in!â Jolly insisted.
âJolly Carter!â Ryan barked out.
âWhy are you raising your voice at me? Do you think Iâll be scared of you?â Jolly was beside herself with anger by now, but suddenly, a thought flitted across her mind and she glared at Ryan. âDonât tell me that itâs you who did it!â
Rachel was flabbergasted by Jollyâs reaction. How did she even jump to that conclusion?
Jolly wagged her finger at Ryan as she continued her accusation. âRyan Sutton, is there something wrong with you?! Are you trying to ensure that Iâll never be able to make it in Riverdale? Is that why you did such a deplorable thing?!â
âI did it?â Ryanâs face was red with fury. âIn your eyes, I am someone whoâd do such a thing?â
âAre you not? What wonât you do for the sake of getting what you want?â Jolly snapped back.
âI donât have the time to argue over this nonsense with you. Leave with me right now. Iâm taking you back to the Carter home. Letâs see how youâre going to explain this to your parents.â Ryan suppressed his anger and grabbed Jolly once again. âCome with me!â
âYou even tricked my parents?â Jolly felt even more furious now.
âSheâs not leaving with you!â
Leroy jumped out and quickly held onto Jollyâs other hand. It was like a tug-of-war, with each man pulling Jolly from either side. No one could keep a straight face at such a sight.
Rachel felt like her presence was very unnecessary, but the three of them were blocking the door and she had no means of leaving.
Was this going to turn into a battlefield?
âLet go!â
Ryan stared at Leroy with an icy expression. âIf you donât let go, then I promise you that your name will not appear on screen anymore. You will never work in the entertainment industry ever again.â
âYouâre threatening me? Sorry to disappoint you, but I detest being threatened by someone else the most!â
Jolly looked back and forth between her left and her right. Her mind was a puddled mess.
Right at this moment, Justin opened the door and walked in. When he saw the tussle between Jolly, Ryan, and Leroy, he frowned and stood there at the doorway looking at the three of them. âRyan, Iâm afraid I canât let you take Miss Carter with you.â
âWhat are you trying to do, Justin?â
Justin replied, âWhy donât you tell Miss Carter who the mastermind behind all this is?â
Everyone was taken aback by Justinâs words.
Rachel was the first to react. âYouâre right. Mr. Sutton, you should know who it is, right?â
Ryanâs brows were tightly knitted, and his handsome face now wore a frigid expression.
Jolly despised it the most whenever he acted this way. âSay something! Who is the one whoâs scheming against me? Iâll make them pay!â
âI will deal with it.â
Again, this was all Ryan would say.
Jolly had always been hotheaded, and she no longer had any patience for this. She swung off both their hands and hissed at Ryan, âSo you donât want to say who it is? Do you think no one else would know if you donât say it?â
After saying that, she turned to Justin and asked, âYouâve figured out who it is, right?â
Judging by what Justin said when he entered, it was obvious that he knew all the details by now.
Rachel also looked toward Justin as she waited for his answer.
Justin nodded lightly before glancing at Ryan. âI think itâs better that you tell Miss Carter yourself. If you still plan on hiding the truth from her, then itâll just backfire on you, and you wonât get your way with either one of them.â
However, Ryan still did not speak.
But it seemed to have dawned on Jolly, as she calmly asked, âIs Estelle Dolton the one who did this?â
Ryanâs eyes shook a little.
When Rachel heard that name, the lightbulb in her mind instantly lit up! Estelle Dolton? Thatâs Jollyâs ex-best friend, Ryanâs ex-wife, and Leroyâs ex-girlfriend. That woman has an awkward relationship with all three people here. Thereâs no one else in Riverdale who hated Jolly as much as Estelle did, even though she had no right to hate Jolly at all!
It has to be her. There is no other possible answer.
Ryan now felt a little alarmed. âJolly, Iâll make sure everything is resolved properly. Youâ¦â
But with a resounding clap, a stinging slap fell on Ryanâs right cheek. As for Jolly, her eyes were still and emotionless, which was all the more frightening for everyone.
âThis slap is meant for Estelle, but since youâre so willing to help her clean up her messes, then you can take it for her. This way, I donât have to bother looking for her, since youâre willing to suffer on her behalf.â
Rachel was also shocked.
To Jolly, âbest friendâ was a derogatory term.