Chapter 232
Harper sneered, “I want him to take it out on me. I’ve been trying every way to leave him lately, but then it hit me that the little bitch is his weak spot.
“If I can make her suffer, Ashton will definitely cut all ties with me in a fit of rage, just to prove his devotion to her.”
Despite her worries about Harper, Eliana admired her boldness. “Harper, you’re so brave.”
Harper grinned and said, “Pfft, I’ve seen it all. Don’t sweat it.”
Seeing her about to go find Cathy, Eliana immediately said, “I’ll go with you.”
Harper laughed. “That’s my girl!”
After searching for a long time, they only found Ashton. Standing in the shadows, Harper mumbled, “Where’s that little bitch?”
Eliana shook her head. “I don’t know. She was still here when I left just now.”
“She probably went off to have fun somewhere,” Harper said, about to take Eliana’s hand, when she noticed a few wealthy ladies heading their way.
Harper quickly ducked out of sight to avoid being spotted by Ashton, thinking, ‘If I get caught by him before I even see Cathy, all my efforts will be in vain.
At this moment, Eliana found herself completely surrounded.
One of the ladies started, “Mrs. Russell, I’ve long heard of your reputation but never had the chance to meet you. My husband works at customs, and many of Mr. Russell’s goods go through his inspection.”
Another lady added, “Mrs. Russell, your skin is flawless. What’s your skincare routine?”
Someone else chimed in, “Skincare routine? Please, Mrs. Russell looks no older than 20 years old. She’s in the prime of her youth.”
Another one said, “20? I’d say 18 at most.”
Eliana thought, ‘Seriously? 18? That’s not even the legal marriage age for heaven’s sake.’
The chatter quickly caught Ashton’s attention. To avoid exposing Harper’s whereabouts, Eliana swiftly steered the ladies away. But when she glanced back, she realized that Harper was already gone.
At that moment, one of the ladies asked, “By the way, Mrs. Russell, would you be interested in joining our social club?”
Eliana quickly snapped back to attention. “Sorry, what?”
“It’s a monthly gathering where we drink coffee, chat, do some flower arranging or painting together–things like that.” That actually sounded like a nice way to relax and unwind.
“The annual membership fee is 40,000 dollars. That’s just a drop in the bucket for you, isn’t it, Mrs. Russell?”
“Exactly. Mr. Russell dotes on you so much. I heard he was just kissing you by the outdoor pool.”
’40,000 dollars a year? No thanks, I’m out,‘ Eliana thought, her interest instantly gone.
Just then, a burst of enthusiastic applause came from the deck. Eliana took the opportunity to change the subject. “It’s so lively over there! Wanna go
deck. check it out with me?” she asked, already heading toward the
Seeing this, the other ladies didn’t press her about joini
their gathering. After all, they were the ones hoping to get close to her.
As Eliana stepped onto the deck, she caught the host announcing, “Thank you all for your applause. Now, let’s welcome Ms. Delilah Wren to play a piece
for us.”
1/3
10:33 Wed, 25 Jun
Chapter 232
‘So it’s her,‘ Eliana thought to herself.
The same Delilah who had been clamoring to marry Theodore had already swapped her sexy bikini for an elegant evening gown. With a young man who looked somewhat like her escorting her by the hand, she gracefully made her way to the piano and took her seat.
After flashing a polite smile at the crowd, Delilah placed her long fingers on the piano keys and began to play with effortless grace. In the next moment, the notes drifted out like a breeze over the ocean, riding the waves and gently flowing into everyone’s ears.
Among the onlookers, some people whispeted, “I heard Ms. Wren graduated from the best music conservatory abroad. Just listening to her play the piano tells me she’s truly exceptional.”
“Absolutely,” an heiress, Annabelle, chimed in. “Look at her poise and think of her family background. Honestly, I think Mr. Russell really got a raw deal by marrying a girl from an ordinary family.”
Someone nearby cautioned, “Careful what you say. If Mr. Russell hears that, you’ll be in trouble.”
But Annabelle just shrugged. “What’s the big deal? I’m just being honest. Everyone knows that when Eliana married him, her father’s company was already on the verge of bankruptcy. She’s just a gold–digger, that’s all.”
As the music ended, Delilah stood up to thunderous applause. Her eyes gleamed with mischief as, thanks to her tall frame, she easily spotted Eliana in the crowd. Delilah’s eyes sparkled slyly, and she beckoned the host over with a crook of her finger.
The host scurried over like an eager puppy. Still, before he could speak, Delilah snatched the mic and purred into it, “I’ve heard Mrs. Russell is a multi- talented virtuoso, and she’s someone I’ve long admired. Would you do us the honor of playing a piece tonight?”
Everyone followed Delilah’s gaze and quickly spotted Eliana.
“Mrs. Russell, since that’s the case, why not come up and play something for us? Show us your skills.”
“Yeah, Mr. Russell keeps you hidden away so well that we’ve never had the chance to see your talents.”
Eliana was rendered speechless. She thought, ‘What a load of crap. Delilah had just gotten back to the country, so where did she hear that I was some graceful, multi–talented icon?
‘Admired me for ages? Please. And who was the one who blasted me with a water gun earlier. Wasn’t that her too?‘
Glancing at the crowd egging her on, Eliana realized Delilah had clearly backed her into a corner with no escape.
“Surely, Mrs. Russell, you can play the piano, right?” Annabelle covered her mouth in mock surprise. “Oh please, piano is so easy. I could play it when I was five. I’m sure you won’t let us down.”
Her words hung in the air. Though no one dared to chime in, odd looks flickered through the crowd. Seeing this, Eliana took a steadying breath and replied firmly, “Who says I can’t play? I’m just deciding what piece to play.”
Hearing this, Delilah shot a dismissive glance at the thick stack of sheet music on the piano and sneered, “There’s this entire collection right here. Come on up and take your pick.”
Eliana lifted her chin, her gaze sweeping over the people in front of her before settling on Delilah. She said coolly, “Sure.” As her words dropped, a sudden burst of applause erupted behind her.
She turned to see three men+Theodore in the lead, flanked by Ashton and Felix–clapping for her, having appeared out of nowhere.
Their entrance instantly stole the show. All eyes were drawn to them; the men were coveting their wealth and status, while the women were swooning over their striking looks and presence.
After a brief moment of surprise, Delilah smiled and said into the microphone. “Theodore, you’re just in time. Your wife just volunteered to perform on stage. Why don’t you be our judge and rate both our performances later?”
Chapter 233
