Chapter 30
When Eliana and Hannah walked out of the private room, their moods were different–one wore a light smile of satisfaction after a hearty meal, while the other seemed to be unwilling to accept defeat.
On the way home, Hannah forced a smile and asked, “Ellie, I didn’t realize you were so close to Mr. Russell. Why didn’t you mention it before?”
tone,
Eliana glanced sideways at Hannah, replying in a cool tone, “If I had, would you still have brought me with you tonight?” “If I had, would you still have brought me with you tonight?”
Hannah’s eyes flickered as she pushed down her guilt. “Of company that you’ve
Corse I would. It’s a good thing for the earned Mr. Russell’s favor.”
Eliana replied with a soft smile, “Yeah, I didn’t expect Anthony to put me in charge of his entire engagement ceremony. I guess I didn’t let you down, huh?”
Hannah bit her lip, finally tasting what it felt like to be hoisted by her own petard.
Hannah assumed there was some hidden grudge between Anthony and Theodore, and that Anthony would naturally view Theodore’s wife in a negative light. That was why Hannah deliberately kept Eliana in the dark and brought her to dinner.
Hannah was waiting for the moment Eliana offended Anthony, so she could swoop in to fix the mess, earning Anthony’s admiration.
But in the end, Anthony showed nothing but favor toward Eliana, treating Hannah like she was invisible.
For someone like Hannah, who was used to being the center of attention wherever she went, the humiliation and sense of failure were sharp and bitter.
Eliana seemed oblivious to the storm gathering in Hannah’s eyes. In a relaxed tone, she asked, “By the way, if I pull off this project successfully, do you think the company might consider making me a full–time employee?”
Hannah sneered inwardly, but her face remained composed. “I’ll bring it up with Nolan when you pull it off.”
Eliana nodded thoughtfully. “OK, but when that time comes, please don’t use my age as a reason to doubt my capabilities. After all, I’m already married, old enough to have a kid soon.”
Hannah’s smile faded in an instant, and she blurted out, “Who told you that? Was it Nolan?”
Eliana laughed inwardly, ‘Even the man who loves her the most isn’t immune to her suspicion. She’s really a disaster.’
Still, Eliana didn’t want Nolan to take the blame, since she thought he was a good man. Eliana replied, “No, I overheard it by accident.”
Hannah thought with relief, ‘As long as it wasn’t Nolan. I can’t let the man I set my sights on slip out of my control.
Regaining her composure, Hannah tried to explain, “Look, Ellie, let me explain.”
“You mean justify yourself?” Eliana interrupted and stared at Hannah. “I really don’t get it, Hannah. You’ve always been better than me in everything since we were kids.
“Why do you still feel the need to push me down? Do you really hate seeing me do well, my dear sister?”
That final “dear sister” landed like a slap on Hannah’s face–bitterly ironic and cutting.
Later that evening, Eliana returned home with two heavy shopping bags in her hands. She had just reached out to press the
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Chapter 30
doorbell when a car horn sounded behind her.
Turning around, she saw Anthony stepping out of his car. He casually tossed the keys to a nearby security guard before walking toward her.
“Hi, Anthony. Done with work?” Eliana greeted him with a smile.
After several interactions, Eliana’s initial wariness around Anthony faded. Anthony left her with a good impression, and now that she was in charge of his engagement event, she felt comfortable talking to him.
Anthony glanced at the bags she was holding and smiled. “That’s a lot of food. Don’t tell me it’s all for Theodore?”
Eliana nodded. “Yeah, I figured I’d buy a bunch at once and stock up the fridge. That way, I don’t have to visit the supermarket every day”
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