Rowena had carried a torch for Allan since she was a child. Gia, eager for prestige, had always dreamed of seeing Rowena married into the powerful Shaw family. But Raymond had been stubborn, clinging to the old promise made with Adah’s mother, never giving Rowena even a glimmer of hope.
When word finally spread that Allan and Adah had ended their engagement, Rowena and Gia had hardly contained their joy. From that moment, their days had been filled with endless scheming, every plan aimed at helping Rowena win Allan’s heart.
Yet just minutes earlier, the sight of Allan chasing after Adah had sent envy seething through both Rowena and Gia. Anyone paying attention could see Allan was the one pursuing Adah. Still, Rowena twisted the truth, casting Adah as the desperate one, refusing to let go.
“I have no idea who that woman is,” Gia remarked, waving the question away, never linking that gorgeous woman to Adah. “I know every prominent family in Ublento, and she’s not one of them. With a face like that, she must have crawled out of some corner—certainly not from any family that matters.”
Adah’s beauty was undeniable. Graceful, poised, and elegant, she easily outshone the so-called debutantes filling the ballroom. At first, Rowena had been panicked, thinking Adah belonged to some powerful clan and fearing she could never compete. But Gia’s careless dismissal brought relief. Rowena assumed Adah was just a nobody—pretty, maybe, but lacking any real background or standing.
“She’s nothing but a gold digger. I can spot her type a mile away,” Rowena sneered. “Those women think a little charm will land them a fortune. The nerve of her, trying to hook Allan! She’ll regret ever setting foot here.”
Gia gave Rowena’s hand a pat of approval. “Don’t get involved yourself. Let me find someone to take care of it. You need to keep up your image as the graceful dancer and the refined young lady. Don’t let Allan see you as anything less.”
“I understand. Grandma, you always treat me so well,” Rowena replied sweetly, linking her arm through Gia’s.
Gia’s face lit up with pride. “You’re my greatest accomplishment. Once you marry into the Shaw family, the whole Norris clan will bask in your success. How could I not treasure you?”
: ν?
Rowena basked in her imaginary victory, her eyes glittering with satisfaction. As she savored the moment, she could not resist another jab at Adah. “Grandma, Adah hasn’t shown her face at home in ages. Who knows what unsavory company she’s been keeping? If she stirs up any trouble out there, it’ll reflect badly on all of us. Honestly, I worry about what people will think.”
Gia’s face hardened, her tone turning cold. “That girl is just as low and shameless as her mother ever was. I only dragged her out of that backwater for Raymond’s sake, since he insisted on honoring the engagement. But now the engagement is finished, she’ll never again use the Norris name to her advantage. Tomorrow, I’ll call the papers myself and make it clear—she’s no longer part of this family.”
A cruel smile pulled at Rowena’s mouth. The idea of crushing Adah beneath her heel, of watching her lose everything, was pure delight.
Back when they were little, Adah had been the darling of the family, admired for her charm and grace. Rowena had spent years seething, plotting how to take that shine away.
Now, Adah had been reduced to nothing more than a girl from the sticks, someone Rowena considered beneath notice. But even then, Rowena could not bear to let Adah be.
Rowena lived for moments like this. Even if Adah was stripped of everything, forced to beg on the street, Rowena would make sure Adah never forgot her place—kicking Adah while Adah was down, just for her own pleasure.
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