Chapter 621
“Isn’t Eileen’s husband dead? She doesn’t seem that upset. Maybe Ruby’s the one who’s made her so heartless.”
“Most stepmothers are heartless, but how could Eileen not be? She doesn’t even seem to care about her biological mother.”
“From my point of view, Ruby’s daughter’s successful marriage is thanks to Eileen’s help. Eileen’s become so influential that she now oversees several companies.”
“In that case, Ruby must be powerful too. She turned her stepdaughter into a financial asset to secure advantages for herself and her own daughter.”
The rumors kept circulating, growing more malicious with each remark.
Eileen’s face tightened with anger. She noticed Ruby, clearly ready to confront the crowd, and quickly intervened.
Handing Gabriela over to Ruby, Eileen marched toward the gossiping group, her high heels clicking sharply against the pavement.
The sound of her footsteps caught their attention, and they quickly exchanged glances before falling silent.
“Listen up, it’s not very amusing to gossip behind my back,” Eileen called out from the stairs, her voice carrying down to the group below. She pointed to Ruby and added, “You must think very poorly of us, especially if my stepmother views me as nothing more than a source of income.”
With a smile, she continued, “Gossiping behind our backs is one thing, but now that we’re here, feel free to speak openly to our faces.”
One of the gossipers, clearly uncomfortable, replied, “Miss Curtis, please don’t put it that way. We live in the same neighborhood, and we’ll often run into each other”
“Are you suggesting that I’ll be too embarrassed to face you from now on?” Eileen interjected sharply. “Or is it that you’re too ashamed to face me after talking about me behind my back?” She paused, then added, “If you enjoy gossiping about me so much, how about I organize a meeting where I can share all my personal matters with you?”
The majority of those seated at the pavilion were affluent women from high society. Though their status was not quite on par with Eileen’s elevated position, they were older and couldn’t tolerate being addressed in this manner.
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The women exchanged glances, rose from their seats, and confronted Eileen with flushed faces, their voices filled with indignation.
“Eileen, the title ‘Miss Curtis’ we use for you is a sign of respect, not fear.”
“How dare you speak to us like this?”
“It’s clear your stepmother failed to instill any proper manners in you—”
Before the woman could finish, Eileen snatched a glass of water from the table and drenched her with it.
Eileen coldly retorted, “Though I was raised by my stepmother, I would never stoop to gossiping behind someone’s back. It’s truly enlightening to witness your shameless behavior today!”
She slammed the glass back onto the table with icy precision, causing the women to shudder.
“If I hear any more of this gossip, I will hold you accountable!”
With that, she turned on her heel and descended the steps. Eileen ushered Ruby into the car and drove them both back to their house.
Ruby stayed silent, and an unsettling quiet filled the car as they drove.
Once they parked, neither Eileen nor Ruby moved. Gabriela fidgeted with the buttons on Ruby’s clothes, occasionally making little noises.