The Ex and Her Riches

Evelyn excitedly showed Gwendolyn several evening gowns she had chosen off the costume rack.

She said, “I think all these look great, Gwendolyn. Which one do you think suits me more?”

Gwendolyn’s lips curled into the ghost of a smile while she replied, “Well, you have to try them on to see if they suit you.”

“Oh yes, you’re right.” Evelyn immediately turned to a female sales attendant and instructed, “Please send these gowns to the dressing room. I’d like to try all of them.”

“Of course.” The sales attendant carefully gathered the gowns Evelyn had picked out and headed to the dressing room.

Once the sales attendant left, Evelyn hooked her arm through the crook of Gwendolyn’s elbow affectionately and beamed at the latter. “It’ll be difficult for me to put on the gowns on my own. Can you come to the dressing room and help me?”

Gwendolyn did not accept or reject Evelyn’s request.

Evelyn took her silence for consent and dragged Gwendolyn into the dressing room.

She had no qualms about undressing before Gwendolyn at all, making it seem as though the two had been bosom friends for years.

Gwendolyn leaned against a wall and stared coolly at Evelyn. She demanded, “You didn’t summon me here just to select a gown for you. I don’t like to beat around the bush, and since we’re alone now, why don’t you get straight to the point?”

Evelyn’s hand froze momentarily in the middle of picking up a gown, though she quickly composed herself and continued to dress herself elegantly.

“Gwendolyn, I bet you’ve been dying to know about the patron who has supported my meteoric rise in the entertainment industry since my debut at nineteen years old.”

Evelyn continued cryptically, “Actually, two patrons have been helping me at the same time. That gave me a tremendous amount of power in the industry.”

Gwendolyn remained silent.

“You might have forgotten this, but I remember our first encounter. You were fifteen. We met in an alley, and you decided to care for me because you took pity on me. I liked you a lot

had heard the exact same words in

“So I secretly stole Kieran’s stimulant medication and invited you out alone. When you let your guard down, I stabbed the syringe in the back

I snuck a recording device here?” Gwendolyn asked as she clenched her fists in

covered her mouth and laughed, looking as bewitching as a minx. She boasted, “Of course not, or I would never have told you all of that! Think about it. Would Dad and our

our dear brother knew all about it from the beginning, and he

her anger

you guess?” Evelyn smiled darkly and whispered into

appeared on Gwendolyn’s

toward the mirror and

disdain in her gaze grew. “How does it feel to lose the trust of your beloved brothers, hmm? But what can you do? They’ve wholly accepted me into the family. Asher covered up my identity as an illegitimate daughter to help me become

was absolutely

Evelyn a cold glare. “Are you deliberately saying these things to agitate me? Well,

with her left hand, angling her head to receive a vicious

Slap!

dumbfounded. Her cheek

on a strict diet since entering the entertainment industry to manage her weight. Her frail

to lose control and affect the well-being of my baby? Hmph! You’re way off-mark. I’m not one to swallow all these indignities quietly. Who cares if you’re some precious princess? If you piss me off, I will treat you

a couple more slaps to get

not escape Gwendolyn’s grasp. Eventually, she shrieked, “Treyton! Help

jerked Evelyn’s head further back and spat sneeringly, “That man outside is the brother who has doted on me for over

suddenly filled Evelyn with a sense

Treyton charged into the

the dressing room curtain, Gwendolyn shoved Evelyn away and fell back

“Kiddo!”

as he flew to Gwendolyn’s side and pulled her into