Wennie Lane straightened up slightly and said, "Sophie might have some affection for you, but not as deeply as you think. Her insistence on marrying you is just a deliberate attempt to snatch away love and make Lily sad."
Adrian Gordon smiled vaguely and replied carelessly, "Did Lily tell you all this? Sophie isn’t that kind of person. She’s innocent and naive, occasionally a bit headstrong, but definitely not as scheming as you say."
Wennie Lane’s expression was indescribable, "You’re really... you seem smart, but when it comes to a scheming woman, your brain gets all fried like it’s been scalded."
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Adrian Gordon looked at us with a dark and displeased face, a bit unable to maintain his composure.
He turned to leave, but Wennie Lane wasn’t going to let him off so easily and continued, "Sophie has been jealous of Lily since childhood, can’t stand seeing Lily having anything good. Whatever Lily fancies, Sophie has to take it. If she can’t take it, she’ll find ways to destroy it—in Sophie’s eyes, you’re just something Lily wants, oh no, you’re not even a thing."
"Wennie Lane, I’m warning you to watch your words! Our families inevitably deal with each other in business, don’t go too far!" Adrian Gordon finally couldn’t hold back, turned back, and sternly rebuked.
Wennie Lane wasn’t afraid of him and continued leisurely, "I’m kindly reminding you, why are you getting so angry? These words aren’t something I made up; they were said by Sophie and her mother in the hospital room and overheard by my aunt. If I wasn’t seeing you getting played around, I wouldn’t bother to meddle."
My heart skipped a beat, is that really the case?
Adrian Gordon glanced sideways, "Do you think I’ll believe this one-sided story? You’re just trying to sow discord between Sophie and me."
Wennie Lane looked exasperated and waved her hand at him, "Fine, go ahead, I’m just being tactless today, I deserve it!"
Seeing her attitude, Adrian Gordon’s expression noticeably softened, perhaps wondering whether he believed her.
Just then, his phone rang.
Adrian Gordon took out his phone and answered, "Hello, Sophie... Mm, I just got off work, on my way to the hospital."
After hanging up, Adrian Gordon looked at me, hesitated to speak.
A moment later, he shifted his gaze to Wennie Lane, his expression slightly more amicable, "I know Lily has been staying at your place these days, thank you, please take care of her."
I was extremely surprised.
His attitude changes like the wind, is he sure there’s nothing wrong with him? This text is hosted at novel★fire.net
Wennie Lane was also baffled by his words and mockingly said, "Who do you think you are to command me?"
Adrian Gordon was so ridiculed that his face turned livid, spat out, "Unreasonable", and stormed off in a huff.
Only a few people stayed in the company for overtime, witnessing the scene, each looking at me with sympathetic eyes.
I told everyone to go home and not overwork.
I followed Wennie Lane downstairs and got into her car.
"Wennie, were those things you said earlier true?" I fastened my seatbelt and curiously asked.
Wennie Lane kept her hands on the steering wheel and perked up upon hearing the question, "Of course they’re true, you think I’m inciting discord?"
Wennie Lane glanced at me and explained, "Did you forget? My aunt is the head of the oncology department, and Sophie is in her department. She accidentally overheard Sophie chatting with your stepmother yesterday."
I was surprised, finding it rather amusing.
"I always thought Sophie truly loved Adrian Gordon. After all, she dared to confess her love in front of so many people on her eighteenth birthday—I admired her bravery." I still vividly remember that scene, with many people cheering for her.
Wennie Lane snorted coldly, "I reckon she originally just wanted to steal your man, but ended up acting so deeply that she got caught up in her act herself."
I was left speechless, with nothing to say.
"Adrian Gordon may say he doesn’t believe it, but I bet he has his doubts. Watch, they’ll soon have a falling out. My aunt mentioned that cancer treatment is very painful, and Sophie causes a scene in the hospital every day. The doctors and nurses have changed over and over, but none can handle her. How deep can a man’s love for a woman go, how much can it endure? Besides, they might not even be true love."
I nodded, "Now that you mention it, I suddenly understand why Adrian Gordon came to reconcile with me today."
He probably couldn’t take Sophie’s antics anymore and was reminiscing about my qualities, fantasizing about finding comfort from me.
Wennie Lane sternly said, "Don’t you go soft-hearted and return to him again, or I’ll cut ties with you!"
"Don’t worry, I’m not that shameless."
Right now, I’m so busy with company matters that there’s no room for love and relationships, especially with a man who once betrayed me.
Seeing my sigh, Wennie Lane knew what I was worried about and comforted me, "Don’t worry about the online trolling, I’ve already found someone to help handle it, and I promise the heat will drop within two days."
"Really?" I was pleased and curious, "Who did you find?"
"You wouldn’t recognize the name even if I told you, but it’ll be handled well, rest assured."
I’ve been working non-stop these past few days, mentally and physically exhausted, so I didn’t ask further and merely added, "If you need money to grease the wheels, just let me know."
"Of course, I’ll do the running, but I can’t afford to chip in money." Wennie Lane responded with a smile.
I smiled, sincerely appreciating, "Wennie, it’s great to have you with me..."
We’ve known each other for over a decade, and Wennie Lane has helped me greatly; we’re not sisters, but better than sisters.
Wennie Lane found some influential figure with quite the capabilities. Sure enough, within two days, the online criticism against me almost disappeared.
Simultaneously, the entertainment industry and officialdom were hit with successive negative news stories, capturing public attention instead.
To thank my best friend, I picked out several sets of this season’s new collections and sent them to her.
Every cloud has a silver lining.
What I didn’t expect was that this public opinion uproar unexpectedly boosted my company’s brand recognition significantly.
Some netizens, who initially intended to cause trouble at the flagship store, were unexpectedly impressed by the high-end design, careful selection of materials, and reasonable pricing compared to international luxury brands, transforming from haters to fans and recommending our products to others.
Even bags, shoes, and accessories received a wave of praise, leading to a significant sales increase.
Sitting in my office, listening to the report from the marketing manager, I couldn’t suppress the smile on my face.
Any publicity is good publicity, and my career soared after ditching the jerk, with fortunes rolling in. It’s truly satisfying.
The office door was knocked, and Cherry came in, excitedly saying, "Ms. Lily, good news!"
My eyes lit up, "What other good news?"
Cherry handed over a note, explaining, "The housekeeper from Carter Manor just called the customer service department. Old Madam Carter is turning sixty next month and wants to invite you to tailor clothes for her—asking if it’s convenient for you. If you agree, call this number to arrange a visit, and they’ll send a car to pick you up."
Perplexed by what I heard, I asked, "What Carter Manor? Who’s turning sixty?"