Chapter 99

Trembling with fear, the women scrubbed their lips with desperate vigor, the brutal punishment stretching on until their mouths were raw and throbbing.

At last, Evelyn raised a hand, her voice icy. "That's sufficient."

The three women stood before her, their hair disheveled, makeup ruined, lips swollen and crimson from the relentless scrubbing.

Evelyn tilted her chin up, her gaze unyielding. "Do as you please—defend Lila, slander me again, even spread this little incident to anyone who’ll listen. But remember this: I won’t retreat."

With that, she turned sharply and strode away, leaving behind a suffocating silence.

The moment Evelyn disappeared, the women sagged in relief, their breaths shaky.

"Are you okay?" Lila rushed forward, her face a mask of false concern as she handed them tissues.

Felicity gave a weak nod, though her fingers trembled as she dabbed at her ruined lips.

"I'll live," she muttered, wincing.

Lila sighed dramatically. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I should’ve stopped her. Evelyn went too far."

Felicity shook her head. "It’s not your fault, Lila. We shouldn’t have spoken carelessly. Besides, we’re just unlucky Evelyn overheard us."

Another woman, still shaken, whispered, "Honestly, I’d rather endure this than have our families suffer the consequences."

Lila blinked, feigning ignorance. "What do you mean?"

"Lila, haven’t you heard what happened to the Reeves family?" Felicity lowered her voice, eyes darting around.

"What happened?" Lila’s tone was laced with false curiosity.

Felicity exhaled sharply. "Dylan was badmouthing Evelyn at a gala, and Mrs. Caldwell overheard. The Caldwells immediately cut all business ties with the Reeves family!"

Another woman chimed in, voice hushed. "It was that massive luxury resort deal. The Caldwells were ready to sign with the Reeves, but they pulled out the moment they heard what Dylan said. Now they’re searching for a new partner."

Lila’s face paled. She couldn’t believe it.

How could the Caldwells go to such lengths for Evelyn? Canceling a multi-million-dollar deal just to defend her? A wave of bitter envy crashed over Lila.

Why did the Caldwells value Evelyn so much? She was nothing but an illegitimate child of the Sterling family. Wasn’t it humiliating for them to associate with her?

Another woman added quietly, "After what happened to the Reeves, my father warned me to stay on Evelyn’s good side. He even suggested I befriend her—but at the very least, never cross her."

"Mine too," the third woman murmured. "Same exact warning."

Lila clenched her fists, her mind racing.

This wasn’t over.