Chapter 14
After tidying up the office at Kayson Designs, Nora returned to Harmony Chateau, where Zoe was waiting by the front door, a look of eagerness on her face. As soon as she saw Nora, she rushed over to take her bag. “Nora, why are you home so late?”
Nora casually came up with an excuse, “There was a bit of traffic on the way.”
“I’ve told you before, you should really have your own personal driver. Anyway, come on–dinner’s ready.”
Julian cast a sideways glance at Nora, expecting to see her come home in tears, lamenting how Anita had made her clean out the office. Axel had already filled him in on the incident, but Nora had insisted he not intervene, so he hadn’t.
Now, observing her calm demeanor, Julian realized she wasn’t just putting on a façade; she truly meant it. This sister of his intrigued him more than he had anticipated.
At the dinner table, Caleb, Julian, and Wendy sat in silence, their forks resting on the table. It was only when Zoe gave the signal that they picked them up and began to eat, a practiced routine of deference in their home.
Nora hesitated for a moment before speaking up. “You don’t have to wait for me next time. I can eat by myself.”
“That won’t do,” Zoe insisted. “You’re the eldest daughter of the Harper family. It’s only right that we eat together.”
As she spoke, Zoe eagerly piled food onto Nora’s plate, forming a small mountain of dishes. “You absolutely have to try this!” she urged, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “I reached out to the former chef from the Martin family to find out about your favorite dishes. I really hope it’s to your liking.”
As the food touched her lips, a strange warmth spread through Nora’s heart. For the first time, she felt genuinely cared for by her family.
Across the table, Wendy sat, both ravenous and seething with jealousy. Zoe’s casual remark about Nora being the “eldest daughter” felt like a slap in the face. ‘A rural bumpkin like her is the eldest? Then what am I? Has my entire life been a joke? Just you wait, Nora!‘ Wendy seethed inwardly, her resentment bubbling just beneath the surface.
“Nora,” Zoe said, “we’re renovating the villa, so you’ll need to make do with the room upstairs for now.”
“Alright,” Nora replied.
After dinner, Nora made her way to her room upstairs. Just then, the sharp screech of tires sliced through the evening calm as a silver–gray Rolls–Royce glided to a stop in front of the estate. The door swung open, and a pair of long legs emerged, the expensive, custom–made leather shoes striking the pavement with authority.
The butler had barely finished announcing Andrew’s arrival when he strode into the living room, his demeanor icy and his voice deep yet polite. “Mr. Harper, Mrs. Harper, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I apologize for dropping by unannounced.”
It was Andrew’s first visit to the Harper home, and his sudden appearance took the family completely by surprise.
When Wendy spotted Andrew, she sprang up from the table, instinctively smoothing her hair and adjusting her clothes, a flutter of excitement bubbling within her. ‘He must be here to discuss the engagement,‘ she thought.
Caleb gestured warmly. “Please, take a seat. No need to apologize. After all, our families are bound by this engagement. It’s best for you and Wendy to get to know each other sooner rather than later.”
Wendy’s heart soared at his words. It seemed the Harpers had no intention of backing out of the engagement. The title of Mrs. Sinclair was still within her grasp.
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Chapter 14
Andrew settled onto the sofa, exuding a calm demeanor. He didn’t meet Wendy’s gaze directly, instead casting her a sidelong glance that barely concealed his disdain. Even Caleb picked up on it, frowning slightly. “Mr. Sinclair, if there’s something on your mind, feel free to say it.”
“Alright, let’s cut to the chase,” Andrew replied.
Upstairs, Nora recognized Andrew the moment he entered. Her heart skipped a beat; the possibility that he might have uncovered her identity and come to confront her sent a shiver down her spine.
She had been meticulous, even deleting the security footage from the previous night. There should have been no traces left. But Windiburg was smaller than she had imagined.
‘No way, I slept with Wendy’s fiancé?‘ she thought, a frown creasing her brow as a wave of unease washed over her. ‘So, he was Andrew Sinclair, the CEO of the Sinclair Group. If someone like him could be poisoned, then that family was far from peaceful. Marrying into that mess? Ha! Good luck to Wendy with that.’
Meanwhile, downstairs, Andrew gestured for Axel to step forward. Axel handed a manila envelope to Caleb and said, “Mr. Harper, these records prove that Wendy attempted to frame Mr. Sinclair last night at Beyond the Stars. She gathered a group of reporters to try to expose a scandal involving him.”
Axel finished speaking and stepped back. The room fell into an eerie silence.
Caleb opened the envelope, his eyes widening as he sifted through the evidence. “Wendy, you…”
Zoe snatched the documents from him, her fury boiling over as she scanned the undeniable proof. “Wendy, did you really do this?”
“I—I didn’t!” Wendy stammered, panic flooding her voice. There was no way she could admit to something like this.
“You didn’t?” Andrew shot back, his tone icy. “So, Wendy, are you saying I’m framing you?
“Damaging someone’s reputation out of malice? I’m the CEO of the Sinclair Group. If this hit the press, do you have any idea how much damage it could cause to the company? I could press criminal charges if I wanted.”
Wendy’s legs nearly buckled beneath her, and she clutched the sofa to steady herself, her breath coming in uneven gasps. “I… I…” she stammered, desperately scrambling for an excuse.
“I didn’t know it was you in that room! You’re my fiancé! Why would I ever try to frame you? I’m so sorry, Andrew. It was just a misunderstanding, I swear.”
Caleb and Zoe looked at Wendy, their faces etched with disappointment. In her frantic defense, she had indirectly confessed to her wrongdoing. Her actions were nothing short of disgraceful, and the Harper family would not tolerate such immorality.
Andrew raised an eyebrow. “Oh? So you weren’t trying to expose me? Then who, exactly, were you targeting?”
That question struck Wendy like a bullet. She knew she couldn’t confess to targeting Nora; doing so would mean immediate expulsion from the family.
Upstairs, Nora smirked coldly, grateful for Andrew’s unexpected arrival. Without him, it would have taken her much longer to uncover the mastermind behind the scheme.
‘Wendy, did you really think you could play dirty with me? You’ve just messed with the wrong person,‘ Nora thought, a sense of satisfaction washing over her.
“I–I was just… It was someone from my time abroad. She bullied me with some classmates, and I just wanted revenge,” Wendy sobbed, tears streaming down her face as she played the victim.
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Chapter 14
“Dad, Mom, I’m so sorry for bringing shame to the family. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I promise, it won’t happen. again!” Her tearful apology was so convincing that it was hard to believe she was lying.
Andrew, however, had no intention of dwelling on the matter any longer. He got straight to the point. “Mr. Harper, I’m not one to let things slide easily, and I hold grudges. I don’t think Wendy and I are a good match. Let’s call off the engagement.”
Wendy felt a cold chill wash over her, piercing straight to her heart. “No, Andrew, please! Don’t!” she cried, lunging toward Andrew in desperation.
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