Chapter 99

Chapter 99:
Terrified, the women scrubbed their mouths with renewed effort, the ordeal stretching on until their lips were numb and swollen.
At last, Belinda raised a hand. “That’s enough,” she said coolly.
The three women stood there, their appearances disheveled, their makeup smeared, and their lips red and swollen from scrubbing.
Belinda regarded them with a raised chin, her voice firm. “Do whatever you want—defend Kylee, badmouth me again, or even spread this little story to anyone who’ll listen. But make no mistake, I won’t back down.”
With that, she turned on her heel and strode out.
The three women exhaled shakily, relief flooding them as soon as Belinda was gone.
“Are you all right?” Kylee hurried over, her expression a mix of feigned concern and regret as she handed them tissues.
Jada nodded weakly, though her hand trembled as she dabbed at her mouth.
“I’m fine,” she said, wincing in pain.
Kylee frowned and said, “I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I should’ve stopped her. Belinda went too far this time.”
Jada shook her head. “It’s not your fault, Kylee. We deserved it for running our mouths. Besides, it’s just our bad luck that Belinda overheard us.”
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Another woman, still shaken, added in a low voice, “Honestly, I’d rather endure this than risk our families paying the price later.”
Kylee blinked, her confusion evident. “Your families paying the price? What do you mean by that?”
“Kylee, didn’t you hear about what happened with the Adams family recently?” Jada looked at Kylee, her voice low but curious.
“What happened?” Kylee’s voice was tinged with confusion.
Jada inhaled sharply and then spilled the details, saying, “Ryan was bad-mouthing Belinda at a restaurant, and it just so happened that Mrs. Thomas overheard him. Because of that, the Thomas family canceled the business cooperation with the Adams family right away!”
Another woman spoke up, her voice filled with disbelief. “Yeah, it was about that huge resort project. The Thomas family was all set to sign with the Adams family, but they canceled the deal immediately after the incident. Now, they’re looking for a new business partner.”
Kylee’s complexion drained of color when she heard that. She was in disbelief.
How could the Thomas family have gone to such lengths for Belinda? To think they would cancel a solidified partnership just to defend Belinda was beyond her comprehension! A surge of envy washed over Kylee, her thoughts racing.
Why did the Thomas family value Belinda so highly? She was, after all, just an illegitimate child of the Wright family. Didn’t it embarrass them to associate so closely with her?
Another woman added, her voice low, “After what happened with the Adams family, my father warned me to always keep on Belinda’s good side. If possible, he wants me to make friends with her, but at the very least, he tells me never to offend her.”
“Mine, too. My dad gave me the exact same advice.”
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