SWNOVELS Chapter 1201-1220
Chapter 1201
At that moment, Romeo’s cell phone buzzed. He glanced at it and told the girl
next to him, “Excuse me, I need to take this call”
“Sure.”
As Romeo walked away, everyone turned their attention back to Arabella,
bornbarding her with questions.
“Mr. McMillian, how did you meet Mr. McMillian?”
“How did you manage to win over such a cold-hearted man like Mr. McMillian?”
Enter title…
“Can you share some tips with us? I have a crush on a guy too, but he seems
unattainable.”
“Yeah, teach us, please.”
In the corner of the design department, two girls sat quietly, one with long hair
and the other with short.
They didn’t join the crowd around Arabella, but instead watched the commotion
from a distance.
The long-haired girl twisted a pen in her fingers, her eyes coldly gazing at
Arabella, who was the center of attention.
“That woman is no simple matter. I heard she forced Irene, the HR director, to
resign, caused the vice president to be fired, and even turned Mr. McMillian’s
office upside down, causing a commotion in the entire company.
And Ms. Maria, who had connections with Mr. McMillian, also got fired.”
The short-haired girl gasped, disbelief etched on her face. She whispered, “No
way! Don’t the Paisley and the McMillian families have a long history of
cooperation? Could it be that this woman got jealous of Ms. Maria’s relationship
with Mr. McMillian, hence the office chaos and getting Ms. Maria fired?”
The long-haired girl harbored similar suspicions, so her gaze toward Arabella
was even more disdainful.
Just because she’s young and pretty.
“She’s getting ahead of herself just because she has Mr. MeMillian’s support.”
The long-haired girl continued to twist her pen, commenting indifferently,
“Anyway, when Ms. Maria was leaving, she didn’t look pleased. It seemed like
she was quite upset.”
“This woman seems quite terrifying.” The short-haired girl glanced at Arabella,
suddenly finding the beautiful exterior hiding a venomous character.
“Ms. Maria was just praised by Mr. McMillian last week, and so was Irene. She
was just promoted to HR director yesterday, and today she’s fired. Surely, this
wornan felt threatened by their capabilities and beauty, and thus eliminated
them. We shouldn’t be praising such a hypocritical woman.”
As the long-haired girl finished speaking, she suddenly got up and walked
towards Arabella.
The clicking of her high heels echoed rhythmically, growing closer to her target.
“Mr. McMillian just said that if we have any questions about design, we can
consult you.”
When addressing Arabella, the long-haired girl was not respectful enough.
Arabella looked up, sensing the hostility in the long-haired girl’s eyes. Was this
another admirer of Romeo?
The dozen or so employees surrounding Arabella noticed the challenge in the
long-haired girl’s eyes, and they couldn’t help but whisper.
“Sheila, what are you doing? Mr. McMillian is still here!”
“This is Mrs. McMillian, our guest. Don’t bother her with minor design issues.”
“Mrs. McMillian is just here to observe.”
“You should go back to your workstation.”
People were afraid that Arabella might be clueless about design, or that she
might not be competent enough and end up embarrassed.
After all, Sheila was exceptionally talented in design and had won several
international design awards in recent years.
She was an undeniable design prodigy.
And now, this prodigy was asking for advice from Arabella, a young woman.
“I happen to have a few new designs that I’ve just finished. Mrs. McMillian, could
you take a look and tell me if there’s anything that needs to be improved?”
When people saw Sheila’s attitude, they knew she wasn’t really looking for
advice, but rather, she was trying to put Arabella in a tricky situation. Chapter 1202
Arabella glanced up, “Your name is Sheila?”
“Yes.” Sheila tilted her chin slightly, as if waiting for Arabella’s guidance.
“The third place winner of last year’s Astronisia Design Competition, right?”
Everyone was surprised that Arabella even knew about this, even Sheila’s
haughty eyes showed a hint of surprise, “Have you been following this
competition?”
“You’ve regressed.” Arabella was flipping through the design draft in her hand,
her voice indifferent, “With your level last year, this year shouldn’t be like this.”
Enter title…
Just as Sheila was about to speak, Arabella picked up a pen next to her and
started making changes directly on the original draft.
“This dress’s shoulder lace is superfluous. Not many people can pull it off. If you
want to keep the lace, consider something like this.”
Arabella drew the new lace design, and the dress immediately looked more
refined.
“This way, it doesn’t look old-fashioned. Also, the waist section, which you think
is a major highlight of the dress, will make the wearer look bulky, as if pregnant.
If you want to win with waist design, consider these few types.”
Arabella swiftly sketched several waist designs on the draft, instantly making it
more eye-catching.
Everyone around was stunned. They hadn’t expected her to came up with so
many designs in such a short time, let alone her excellent drawing skills, which
were obviously professional.
Compared to hers, Sheila’s previous drafts were an absolute disaster.
“Your original color scheme is too oppressive. If you switch to these three
contrasting colors, it will look classy, fashionable, and eye-catching.”
Arabella sketched a few strokes again, and a chic, beautiful dress emerged on
the paper.
Sheila was so shocked that she couldn’t speak. She couldn’t believe that
Arabella could transform the dress into something so stunning.
She had thought her design draft was perfect and that Arabella wouldn’t be able
to find a single flaw.
But to her surprise, under Arabella’s alterations, her original draft was simply
trash.
Sheila couldn’t hear what Arabella said next. Her mind went blank until a round
of enthusiastic applause erupted from the crowd, and she slowly came back to
her senses.
Arabella had already finished modifying the draft and handed it to her.
Sheila didn’t know how she reached out to take it, or how she flipped through
these drafts, each page leaving her in awe.
One after another, people in the crowd were taking out their drafts, hoping for
Arabella’s guidance.
A few employees were still inquiring about Arabella’s identity.
When Romeo returned from a phone call, he saw his girl surrounded by people,
his gaze instantly softened.
“Mrs. McMillian, can you help me look at this? I always feel that there is
something wrong with these designs, but I can’t put my finger on it.”
“Can you look at mine? I drew several designs in one go when I was inspired
this morning, but now that I’ve calmed down, they seer mediocre. I don’t know
what the problem is.”
“I’m quite satisfied with my drafts, but I don’t know if they can be made more
stunning. Mrs. McMillian, could you please help me identify any shortcomings?”
People were asking Arabella for advice, and Arabella, with patience, picked up
her pen and helped them make improvements page by page.
“Oh my God, I never thought that the neckline could be changed like this, it’s so
beautiful”
“Having Mrs. McMillian make these changes, I suddenly feel I don’t deserve to
be a designer.”
“Mrs. McMillian, how do you have so many inspirations in your mind? It seems
endless.”
“Yeah, originally we racked our brains to come up with these, but after you made
changes, we realized these clothes could be designed to be so stunning.”
“Mrs. McMillian must be a big shot in the design world, right? Your level is even
better than many designers.” Chapter 1203
The last words seemed to slap Sheila right in the face.
Sheila felt a burning sting on her cheek, utterly embarrassed.
“Alright, I still need to take Mrs. McMillian for a tour in other departments, you
guys figure out the rest.”
Romeo’s words left the design department feeling a pang of loss. They hadn’t
had enough chat with Arabella.
“Mrs. McMillian, you should come visit the design department when you have
time.”
Enter title…
“The entire design department would love to invite you for an afternoon tea!”
“Exactly, next time you come, just say what you’d like to eat or drink.”
Arabella’s gaze softened, “Thank you.”
“We should be the ones thanking you. You’ve inspired us and made us realize
that we still have a long way to go in design.”
“Next time, I’ll definitely present more impressive works for you to see, Arabella.”
“Mrs. McMillian, see you next time.”
“You must come.”
Arabella nodded with a smile, surveying the crowd. Sheila was at the very back,
her face contorted with embarrassment.
“Sheila, could you step out for a moment?’ Arabella suddenly called out.
Everyone in the design department looked at Sheila. She had just offended
Arabella.
Now that Mr. McMillian was back from his call, Arabella was going to settle the
score with her.
Having won several international design awards in recent years, she dared to be
so reckless in front of Arabella.
She was still a young girl, a bit green.
Sheila was initially taken aback when Arabella called her out, but she quickly
composed herself. The clicking sound of her high heels on the floor wasn’t as
confident as before.
“Mrs. McMillian,’ Sheila stepped into the hallway outside the department, her
voice considerably quieter.
“Irene chose to resign.”
Arabella’s words left Sheila frozen on the spot, her expression a mix of surprise
and embarrassment.
“Deputy Manager Lou was taken away by the police because he had been
harassing female interns for the past two months, and they reported him.”
Sheila’s face turned even more sour. She hadn’t expected that Arabella had
heard every word she’d said to others just now.
“The person who turned Mr. McMillian’s office upside down was Maria, not me;
Arabella continued, “She was fired because she made a mistake, thought she
was clever, and spoke ill of others. Mr. McMillian didn’t take into account the
relationship between the McMillian and Paisley families and fired her. This goes
to show that nepotism doesn’t work in this corporation. What Mr. McMillian
values more is an employee’s personal abilities and character.”
Sheila was dumbstruck, unable to utter a word.
How had Arabella heard what she’d said to others from such a distance? And so
clearly!
“Mrs. McMillian.” Sheila didn’t know how to defend herself. She glanced at
Romeo, who seemed somewhat indifferent.
“Mr. McMillian- Sheila really didn’t know how to explain.
“Also, in last year’s Astronisia Design Competition, it was my vote that made you
the third place.”
At the time, Sheila and another contestant, Caroline, had a tie in votes. It was
Arabella’s crucial vote that made Sheila the third and Caroline the fourth.Chapter 1203
The last words seemed to slap Sheila right in the face.
Sheila felt a burning sting on her cheek, utterly embarrassed.
“Alright, I still need to take Mrs. McMillian for a tour in other departments, you
guys figure out the rest.”
Romeo’s words left the design department feeling a pang of loss. They hadn’t
had enough chat with Arabella.
“Mrs. McMillian, you should come visit the design department when you have
time.”
Enter title…
“The entire design department would love to invite you for an afternoon tea!”
“Exactly, next time you come, just say what you’d like to eat or drink.”
Arabella’s gaze softened, “Thank you.”
“We should be the ones thanking you. You’ve inspired us and made us realize
that we still have a long way to go in design.”
“Next time, I’ll definitely present more impressive works for you to see, Arabella.”
“Mrs. McMillian, see you next time.”
“You must come.”
Arabella nodded with a smile, surveying the crowd. Sheila was at the very back,
her face contorted with embarrassment.
“Sheila, could you step out for a moment?’ Arabella suddenly called out.
Everyone in the design department looked at Sheila. She had just offended
Arabella.
Now that Mr. McMillian was back from his call, Arabella was going to settle the
score with her.
Having won several international design awards in recent years, she dared to be
so reckless in front of Arabella.
She was still a young girl, a bit green.
Sheila was initially taken aback when Arabella called her out, but she quickly
composed herself. The clicking sound of her high heels on the floor wasn’t as
confident as before.
“Mrs. McMillian,’ Sheila stepped into the hallway outside the department, her
voice considerably quieter.
“Irene chose to resign.”
Arabella’s words left Sheila frozen on the spot, her expression a mix of surprise
and embarrassment.
“Deputy Manager Lou was taken away by the police because he had been
harassing female interns for the past two months, and they reported him.”
Sheila’s face turned even more sour. She hadn’t expected that Arabella had
heard every word she’d said to others just now.
“The person who turned Mr. McMillian’s office upside down was Maria, not me;
Arabella continued, “She was fired because she made a mistake, thought she
was clever, and spoke ill of others. Mr. McMillian didn’t take into account the
relationship between the McMillian and Paisley families and fired her. This goes
to show that nepotism doesn’t work in this corporation. What Mr. McMillian
values more is an employee’s personal abilities and character.”
Sheila was dumbstruck, unable to utter a word.
How had Arabella heard what she’d said to others from such a distance? And so
clearly!
“Mrs. McMillian.” Sheila didn’t know how to defend herself. She glanced at
Romeo, who seemed somewhat indifferent.
“Mr. McMillian- Sheila really didn’t know how to explain.
“Also, in last year’s Astronisia Design Competition, it was my vote that made you
the third place.”
At the time, Sheila and another contestant, Caroline, had a tie in votes. It was
Arabella’s crucial vote that made Sheila the third and Caroline the fourth.Chapter 1205
“My goodness, what did Mrs. McMillian say to Sheila? She’s crying her eyes out.
Should we go comfort her?”
“If Mrs. McMillian wants to give someone a hard time, it’s best for us to steer
clear. Let her sort it out on her own. After all, wasn’t she acting all high and
mighty in front of Mrs. McMillian just now? Chances are, she’s about to get
fired.”
Sheila spent a good while crying in the corridor before wiping away her tears
and returning to the design department as though she had regained her
courage.
Enter title…
Seeing her return, everyone scattered back to their workstations.
“Count me in the next time Mrs. McMillian treats us to lunch.”
Sheila’s sudden words took everyone by surprise and they all turned to look at
her.
“Lused to be so full of myself, thinking that winning a few big awards made me
special, acting all big and bad in front of you all. I’m sorry for causing you
trouble,’ Sheila suddenly bowed in apology. “From now on, we can all discuss
any design issues together.”
Everyone’s mouths fell open in shock.
Just what had happened to she? It was as though she had turned into a
different person.
What the hell did Arabella say to her?
Meanwhile, Romeo was taking Arabella on a tour of the finance department.
On the way, Arabella suddenly said, “Don’t fire her. Give her a chance to
change.”
Romeo was taken aback. “She made things difficult for you with her design
draft. She was arrogant and disrespectful. She had ill intentions.”
“It was just a little competition.” Arabella didn’t think it was a big deal. If she
didn’t value talent, she wouldn’t have brought up last year’s Astronisia Design
Competition. Given Sheila’s skills, her design this year shouldn’t have been so
mediocre.
“Did you get upset when I was away?” Romeo asked the girl beside him.
“No, didn’t you see? Everyone likes me”
Even Sheila, who had initially looked down on her, had eventually apologized.
Romeo mulled it over for a while before saying, “Fine, I’ll listen to you this time. I
hope she won’t let you down.
But with your guidance, McMillian Corporation’s new line for this quarter is
definitely going to be a hit. How should I thank you.”
Romeo caressed Arabella’s face and was about to lean in for a kiss.
Just then, the elevator doors opened with a ding. The head of the finance
department was about to enter, only to see Mr. McMillian caressing a girl’s face
as if about to kiss her, his voice seductive, his eyes filled with affection.
He was taken aback and quickly rubbed his eyes.
“Mr. McMillian” He quickly greeted, “I was just coming to find you. Here’s this
week’s financial report.”
Oh, my god, someone tell him what’s happening. Why was Mr. McMillian in the
elevator, acting so intimate with a girl as if no one was around?
“Do you usually not greet people?” Romec’s gaze fell upon him. “Call her Mrs.
McMillian.”
The head of the finance department clutched his heart, shocked for a moment
before stammering, “Mrs.MeMillian, h-hello. Welcome to the finance
department. I’ll show you both around.” Chapter 1206
When Arabella visited the finance department, she noticed that the financial
software they were using seemed a bit outdated. The interface wasn’t slick
enough, the layout was somewhat irrational, and it was lacking in detail
compared to the best financial software X1 on the market.
However, this software was developed in-house by the McMllian Corporation,
and was thus considered relatively secure.
“What’s up?” Romeo noticed her pause and followed her gaze.
“The software needs an upgrade”
Enter title…
At Arabella’s comment, the head of the finance department couldn’t help but feel
a surge of joy, but on the surface, he merely replied politely, “This is the latest
version.”
Though they found it inconvenient to use, the development of a new software
would require considerable resources, so they hadn’t raised the issue with upper
management.
“What issues did you find?” Romeo asked the girl beside him.
“The interface isn’t clean enough, the major functional modules aren’t
comprehensive, and the management structure is rather rigid. It fails to meet the
variable demands of the corporation, and its installation size is huge. This
results in slow operation speeds and it’s prone to freeze.”
As soon as Arabella finished her sentence, many of the finance department staff
around them began to nod in agreement. Spot on!
The software developed by McMllian Corporation was indeed outdated. They
had grievances for a long time, but didn’t dare to voice them to the higher-ups.
Mrs. McMillian just pinpointed the problem upon arrival.
They were just short of shouting, “Thank heavens, finally, someone has noticed
the shortcomings of this software.”
Romeo didn’t expect the girl to understand even these matters, and encouraged
her with an approving look. “Go on: “Just now, I noticed they don’t have a
feature for voiding vouchers. There’s no clearance feature, no cashier’s
signature feature, and I didn’t see a marking error feature in voucher review
either.”
The staff around her began to nod vigorously in agreement. Yes, yes, yes, these
were missing, and it was so inconvenient to operate that sometimes they felt like
flipping the table and smashing the computer!
A staff member was gazing at Arabella hopefully, her computer screen showing
a consolidated statement, with the cursor hovering over a certain part of it.
Arabella instantly understood, “In the voucher consolidation, there’s no data on
foreign currency. There are no statistics based on account types. Like asset
statistics, liability statistics, and so on”
The employee was so grateful she could have knelt down to thank her. She
hadn’t expected Arabella to be so sharp and spot the problem immediately.
These were the exact issues she wanted to bring up!
Arabella looked at Romeo, slightly puzzled. These were features that financial
software should include.
“Why hasn’t anyone raised these issues?” Romeo’s gaze swept over the
surrounding people. Usually, he was busy with decision-making matters and had
little insight into these details.
The staff were a bit nervous, but the finance department head defused the
situation with a laugh, “Everyone adheres to an ‘if it’s usable, use it’ princChapter 1208
Arabella followed Romeo through several departments until they halted their
half-day tour as Carl brought over the afternoon coffee.
On the other side, Serena was completely stunned by the WhatsApp message
that her best friend had sent.
[Serena, you know my mom is the Assistant Director of Procurement at
McMillian Corporation.]
[This morning, she saw Romeo with a girl, hand in hand, making quite a public
appearance at McMillian Corporation. By noon, they were seen lunching
together at the staff canteen.]
Enter title…
[My mom said the girl is stunning, top-notch looks, even prettier than us, and
around our age.]
[Turns out, Romeo’s mother even made it to the canteen to jain them for lunch.
They were chatting and laughing throughout, looking just like a family.]
[Serena, isn’t Romeo your fiancé? Why would he be with another girl? And she
even received his mother’s approval.]
When Serena saw these messages on WhatsApp, she felt a chill down her
spine as if she’d been dropped into an ice cave.
Although she knew the truth couldn’t be concealed forever, she didn’t expect the
day to come this swiftly.
What on earth had Arabella done to have Romeo openly parading her around
McMillian Corporation, even dining with her at the staff canteen as if eager to
publicize their relationship?
{I heard when she arrived at the corporation, the stunning Director of HR, Irene,
resigned willingly, and Maria, who had a great rapport with the McMillians, was
fired by Romeo. Is it because they were too beautiful, held high positions, and
threatened the girl’s status]
Serena read her friend’s message, her feelings in turmoil, and didn’t reply.
[Romeo is your fiancé, but there are hardly any photos of you two together. Did
something happen between you two? Does the engagement still stand?]
Upon reading this, Serena became angrier. She thought it over and decided that
concealing the truth wasn’t the solution. Hence, she composed a reply.
[Honey, I broke up with Romeo a while ago. Since our parents haven’t
announced it yet, we haven’t mentioned it to anyone. Now that he’s found
someone he likes, I wish him well. Don’t worry about me, I have a reliable
support system by my side.]
Just as Serena hit send, her friend sent over several messages, incredulously
asking about what had happened.
Seeing that her friend wouldn’t stop until she knew the whole story, Serena
explained, [Martin tirelessly pursued me and won me over with his sincerity.
That’s why I decided to leave Romeo for him.]
Her words were quite ambiguous, insinuating that she had been the one to
break up with Romeo.
Her friend was incredulous. Who would abandon the young and handsome
billionaire Romeo for Martin, who paled in comparison in every aspect?
[The higher the public regard for Romeo, the more critical they are of the women
around him. I don’t want to live my life wearing a mask of perfection. With
Martin, I can be myself]
[But what about Romeo? Did he agree to let go? You two grew up together.
Didn’t he try to retain you, instead of giving you up to Martin?]
Serena sent a sighing emoji.
[I was determined to break up, threatened him with never seeing each other
again. Perhaps he was scared, or perhaps I broke his heart. Maybe I moved on
too quickly with Martin, which is why he found someone new so soon, making
such a public appearance.]
Her friend suddenly understood, [Oh, I see. He’s trying to provoke you with his
new love, letting you know that he
could have any woman anytime he wants. No wonder the usually low-key
Romeo is so ostentatious this time, he’s trying to make you see.]
Serena sent a helpless emoji, [He knew your mother is the Assistant Director of
Procurement, knew about our relationship, yet still did this.]
[God, he’s so passionate. How could you bear to hurt such a good man?] Chapter 1209
The bestie couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for Romeo, mourning over
their lost love.
Upon seeing her friend’s conviction, Serena finally breathed a sigh of relief.
[Romeo is just like the unreachable stars. Being with him brings a tremendous
amount of pressure. My every move is under a magnifying glass and I don’t
want to live such a exhausting life.]
Her bestie interjected. [But he deliberately flaunts his new flame to provoke you,
indicating that he still loves you. He’s a great man, aren’t you considering going
back to him and becoming his wife?]
Enter title…
Serena, with an air of maturity, replied, [Our relationship has just evolved. From
engaged couple to good friends, the love and support we’ve given each other
won’t ever change. We’re not enemies, we will continue to care, support and
love each other in the future.]
When the atmosphere was right, Serena finally revealed, [Sylvia, I consider you
a good friend. That’s why I’m sharing this secret with you. You must help me
keep it. It can’t leak out. Once both our parents make the announcement, I’ll
personally talk about it.
[Don’t worry, I won’t say a word!) After sending this message, Sylvia couldn’t
help but worry about Serena’s feelings.
Upon learning that Serena was feeling a bit down and guilty after letting go, she
decided to call a few girlfriends and plan a surprise visit to the Collins family, to
lift Serena’s spirits.
After sending her message via WhatsApp, Serena thought she had perfectly
covered her tracks and quickly put away her phone, preparing for a nap.
Around four in the afternoon.
Several beautiful heiresses arrived at the entrance of Reflections Villa in their
luxurious cars.
Louisa had just returned from the hospital and looked a bit haggard from the
death at Crystal. Seeing so many girls, she was momentarily taken aback.
“Mrs. Collins, it’s me, Sylvia! Long time no see. Why do you look so worn out?”
“Did you not sleep well? I’m Antonia, don’t you remember me?”
“Hello, I’m Melissa.”
“I’m Nadia.”
“I’m Christine, sorry to disturb you again.”
Louisa took a closer look and realized these were all Serena’s besties, so she
quickly invited them in, ‘Come in and sit. I’ve been so busy these past few days.
I haven’t had a chance to catch my breath. It’s been a while. You all have
become even more beautiful.”
“Thanks for your compliment, Mrs. Collins.” The young heiresses replied with
radiant smiles as they followed Louisa into the villa.
Their drivers and luxury cars waited outside the gate.
“No, Mrs. Collins, don’t wake her up. We’ll just look around and when she wakes
up, we’ll chat a bit and then leave.”
“It’s a rare visit from you all. Stay for dinner tonight. Don’t be shy.” Louisa called
for a servant to serve them tea and snacks, kindly saying, “I’ll go upstairs and
change. I’ll be right back.”
“No, Mrs. Collins, you can go about your business. We’ll just stroll around the
garden.”
“You’ve added so many new species to your garden. It looks beautiful.”
“We’ll just take some pictures here, play around and wait. Please don’t worry
about us.” Chapter 1210
Upon Louisa’s departure upstairs, a few girls lounged in the garden, basking in
the sun and splashing in the water feature, snapping plenty of beautiful photos.
“Each visit is more impressive than the last. It’s far more beautiful than our
homes.”
“Later, how about we ask Serena to give us a tour of her walk-in wardrobe?
Maybe she has some unworn clothes or handbags that she’d be willing to gift
us.”
“Sounds great! Let’s do it”
Enter title…
At that moment, a car pulled up outside the mansion.
Romeo stepped out, opening the car door for Arabella, “Do we have visitors
today?”
Arabella glanced at the luxury cars parked at the entrance, with drivers waiting
inside, “It appears so.”
“I’ll stay with you in the garden for a bit and then leave.”
Romeo was hesitant to enter the main hall with so many guests inside, yet he
was reluctant to part from Arabella so soon. Seeing a white circular table in the
garden surrounded by chairs, he pulled one out for Arabella.
“when you have some free time, come visit my mother. She just mentioned on
WhatsApp, insisting I invite you over soon.”
“Maybe in a few days,” Arabella smiled, “Your mother has also mentioned it to
me.”
On the other side of the mansion.
Louisa descended the stairs after changing her clothes, just as she reached the
last step, her vision darkened, and she felt faint.
“Madam, are you okay?” Edith rushed forward to support her.
After a moment, Louisa collected herself and focused on Edith, “I’m fine,
probably just haven’t rested well these past few days”
The Temple family had been going through a rough time. She and Kenneth had
been at the hospital with Alger and Celeste, fearing they would do something
irrational.
Today, Kenneth suggested she come home to shower and rest a bit, but she did
not expect to suddenly feel faint.
“Thank God you were here to catch me.” Louisa said, leaning on Edith,
“Otherwise, I would have hit the floor.”
The consequences would have been unthinkable.
“Madam, you and sir haven’t been home to rest for the past few days. You both
look extremely worn out. What happened?”
“Alas, life can be so unpredictable,” Louisa sighed, unsure of where to start.
Edith tactfully refrained from asking further, “Shall I help you back to your room
to rest?”
“No, Serena is still napping. Her friends have come over. I should go and attend
to them.” Louisa insisted.
“With your current state, how can you entertain them?” Edith kindly suggested,
“They are all young girls, with you around, they might feel uncomfortable. Let
me serve them some coffee and snacks. Serena should be waking up soon, she
can keep them company. You should go rest, your health is important.”
“That makes sense.” Louisa considered. Realizing that the girls might not relax if
she was around, she instructed Edith, “Prepare plenty of coffee and snacks for
them, and invite them to stay for dinner later.”
“Alright, no problem.”
After seeing Louisa back to her master bedroom, Edith instructed the staff to
prepare refreshments, which she personally brought to the garden. To her
surprise, she spotted Romeo and Arabella from a distance and hurriedly walked
over to them.
“Mr. McMillian, Ms. Bella, when did you two get back? Please have some
refreshments.”
She served them first, then refilled the tray and proceeded to the group of girls.
“Edith, you are spoiling us with all these delicious snacks. Thank you so much!”
“Edith, long time no see. You look even younger now.” iple, so
as not to be wasteful”
“This isn’t about being wasteful or not, if the software is affecting work efficiency,
it should be changed.”
“In fact, it can be changed now.’ Arabella’s slender fingers clicked the mouse,
and then swiftly typed a series of codes on the keyboard.
Normally, altering backend data would require a password.
It would need the consent of Romeo, the person in charge of the software, to
proceed.
But Arabella was Alex, and this was not a challenge for her.
Her delicate fingers danced over the keyboard, and a series of codes quickly
came into view.
“The generated reports will be more concise and pleasing to the eye this way.”
After saying that, Arabella modified a few more programs, and then said, “And
this way, the accounts and vouchers will be clearer and more organized.”
Everyone was flabbergasted, they couldn’t believe that a problem that had been
troubling them for over a year had been solved in just a few minutes by Arabella.Chapter 1212
“Could use another.” Romeo eyed Arabella’s juice in her hand, “Feeling a bit
parched.”
Arabella glanced towards the juice in front of him, “Don’t you have one?”
“Yours tastes better.”
“Here you go then.” Arabella pushed her juice towards Romeo and picked a new
one for herself.
Watching his plans fall through, Romeo felt a wave of disappointment.
Enter title…
A smug smile played on Arabella’s lips as she watched him. Their interaction
was particularly irritating to the girls around, who found them unnerving.
After a while, Romeo got up to wash his hands in the main building. He had
been eating pastries and his hands were a bit greasy.
Arabella waited in the garden, leisurely sipping her juice and admiring the
garden view.
“She looks so smug. It’s infuriating!”
“Even if Serena could tolerate it, I can’t”
“She acts as if she owns the place!”
“What is she doing now?”
Suddenly, Arabella tore open a small packet and poured the powder inside into
Romeo’s cup.
“Did she just tamper with Romeo’s drink?”
“How dare she?”
“What is she trying to do?”
The girls rushed over, abandoning their tea and snacks, and chastised, “What
are you doing?”
Arabella looked at the people who had suddenly appeared before her, confused,
“Can I help you?”
“You dare to ask us if something’s wrong. What did you put into Romeo’s drink?
What are you trying to do?”
“You conniving woman. You’ve already taken so much advantage, and still want
more, delusional! Look at yourself!”
“We know you’re eager to be Romeo’s wife, but there’s no need to be this
desperate! To use such low tactics in Serena’s house to win over Romeo?
Where’s your dignity?”
From a distance, Romeo, who had just washed his hands, saw a message from
Arabella telling him to stay away.
Arabella lazily asked the flustered rich heiresses before her, “Are you Serena’s
friends?”
“Yes! We are Serena’s best friends!”
The girls stood indignantly in front of Arabella, as if to fight for justice for Serena.
Edith heard the commotion and was about to go check it out when Romeo
signaled her not to. He wanted to hear what these girls were up to.
“You haven’t explained what you put in Romeo’s drink. If Romeo knew about
your ambitions, he wouldn’t hesitate to kick you to the curb.”
“That’s right, Romeo despises girls like you who are manipulative!”
“Unlike Serena who’s so pure and noble”
“Coffee creamer, that’s all.” Arabella glanced at the unopened packets on the
table, “If I really had spiked his drink, he would be thrilled.”
With that, she cast a sly glance at the man in the distance.
Romeo smirked. This girl knew him well.
But to the girls, Arabella’s smile was shameless and audacious.
“How can you say such a thing?”
“Alright, even if you didn’t spike his coffee, don’t get too comfortable. The only
reason you’re with Romeo is because Serena let you!”Chapter 1213
“Don’t think you’re all that, keep your arrogance in check, and get off your high
horse.”
At those words, Arabella’s mind was flooded with questions.
Was she arrogant?
Did she think too highly of herself?
Hadn’t she been keeping a low profile?
“She gave Romeo up for me?” Arabella asked with a hint of amusement as she
looked at the young ladies in front of her, “Is that what she told you?”
Enter title…
“She didn’t say anything. Stop trying to trick us into talking!”
The young ladies stood together in silent protest, choosing not to give Arabella
any information.
Arabella leaned back, exuding an air of confidence, “Well, you might be
mistaken. Even without me, Romeo wouldn’t be with her.”
“You’re talking nonsense!” Sylvia was the first to retaliate.
“Nonsense?” Arabella raised her eyebrow, “Do you have any proof?”
“Sylvia, at this point, just tell her what Serena told you verbatim!”
“Let this shameless woman see that we’ve known all along, and stop putting on
an act for us.”
“Serena asked you to keep it a secret, so let me say it. It won’t be your
problem.”
“Yes, let Antonia say it.”
Antonia turned to Arabella, and without hesitation, revealed the truth.
“Martin relentlessly pursued Serena, and with his sincerity, won her over. That’s
why Serena gave up Romeo and chose Martin. Is that not true?”
They all looked at Arabella with an air of confidence, sure of their victory.
But to their surprise, Arabella laughed, “Is that what Serena told you? Who
would give up a billionaire to be with another man? Would any of you?”
Even though they all agreed that they wouldn’t.
“But Serena said, the more popular Romeo becomes, the more scrutinized the
woman by his side becomes.
She doesn’t want to live her life behind a perfect mask. With Martin, she can be
herself.”
“Do you believe that?” Arabella smirked at them, feeling a sudden wave of
sympathy for them being played by Serena.
“Serena insisted on breaking up, threatening Romeo with a lifetime of no
contact. So Romeo, who loves her but also has his pride, thought Serena and
Martin were moving too fast. That’s why he reluctantly sought you out, parading
you around in public.”
“In reality, he wanted to use you to make Serena jealous. To show her that he
could have any woman he wanted at any time. That’s why the usually low-key
Romeo, made such a high-profile appearance with you at McMllian
Corporation.”
“He wanted to show Serena. Don’t think that you have any charm that caught
Romeo’s eye? Compared to Serena, you’re miles behind!”
Arabella didn’t expect Serena to spin such a tale behind her back, and she
laughed even harder.
“What are you laughing at?”
The young ladies felt a sudden loss of confidence.
Arabella’s laughter made them feel like fools.
“Even though Romeo knew that the Assistant Director of Procurement is Sylvia’s
mother, and Sylvia is Serena’s good friend, he still deliberately brought you to
McMilian Corporation”
“This shows that he still loves Serena, and you’re just a substitute!”
“If it wasn’t for Serena’s threat of never seeing him again, Romeo wouldn’t have
let go of her hand and settled for you.”
Arabella’s laughter grew even louder, “Why don’t you ask why I’m in this
garden?”
“Yeah, why are you here?”Chapter 1214
“Romeo must have brought you here to provoke Serena, knowing well that the
McMillian family and the Collins family are on good terms. Hence, the Collins’
household staff wouldn’t dare to stop Romeo, let alone you.”
“And to think you had the audacity to come in, enjoying the tea and cupcakes
served by the Collins’ servants, while flirting with Serena’s fiance! Shameless!
You have no decency!”
“This is my home and Romeo is my fiance.” Arabella lifted her lazy gaze, “Aren’t
you supposed to be Serena’s best friend? Didn’t she tell you?”
Enter title…
On hearing this, those rich girls were stunned for a moment, before bursting into
laughter.
“This is your home? You even have the nerve to tell such a lie? I’ve seen
shameless people before, but never someone as brazen as you! Your audacity
is thicker than the walls of this mansion!”
“It’s a well-known fact that the Collins family and the McMillian family are
betrothed. How dare you claim that Romeo is your fiance? Are you ignoring the
fact that these two families are engaged?”
“The engagement still stands.”
Suddenly, a magnetic voice resonated from a distance.
Those ladies turned to see Serena’s brother, Hans Collins!
There he was, dignified and composed, striding towards them.
“Hans, it’s good that you’re here. Someone is blatantly claiming this as her
home! Come and make a judgment”
“She even says that Romeo is her fiance!”
“I’ve seen shameless people, but never someone this brazen. You should have
her thrown out!”
“No, she deserves to be taught a lesson to understand the consequences of
lying!”
Those ladies were confident that with Hans’ arrival, Arabella’s end was near,
they were eager to see her humiliated.
But to their surprise, the usually cold and stern Hans, suddenly called out
warmly, “Bella.”
Before they could react, they heard Arabella obediently respond, “Hans, what
brings you here?”
“I heard there was some trouble at home, so I came to check.”
Those ladies were dumbfounded, completely clueless about the situation.
Why was Arabella calling Hans so intimately?
And why was Hans being so gentle with her?
“What were you saying about my sister just now?”
As Hans looked at the girls, his gaze was as cold and indifferent as ever.
The girls were speechless, and in a daze, they stuttered, “She, she, she is?”
“My sister, Arabella Collins, my real sister.”
On hearing Arabella’s surname, coupled with Hans’ final words, the girls were
stunned.
How could this girl possibly be Hans’ biological sister?
Didn’t the Collins family only have one daughter, Serena?
When did they have another daughter?
But Hans, with his status and reputation, couldn’t possibly lie.
If what he said was true, then Serena must be aware of this girl’s existence!
But Serena had never mentioned this girl at all.
It was as if she was a stranger.
What on earth was going on?
“Sylvia, did Serena ever mention anything to you?”
“Hans, if this girl is your sister, then she must be Serena’s?”
“Sister.” Chapter 1215
Hans’s words left the ladies frozen in place once again.
Sylvia asked with disbelief, “Does Serena know about her?”
“Yes.” Hans’s firm reply shattered their last hope. “They live in the same house,
constantly in each other’s company.
“But, why Serena didn’t say that.” Sylvia’s voice trailed off to a whisper.
The other ladies were equally shocked. They couldn’t believe the truth they were
just told.
Enter title…
There was nothing more convincing than hearing the truth from a member of the
Collins family.
“Bella had been lost for eighteen years and only found her way back home six
months ago. For some reasons, we haven’t publicly revealed her identity yet.”
The ladies was taken aback by this revelation, stunned by the unexpected twist.
“Although Serena is not a blood-relative of the Collins family, we have treated
her like our own for the past eighteen years. She’s like family to us. So, on the
day Bella returned, with Bella’s consent, Serena was allowed to stay. They
consider each other as sisters.”
Arabella had been born first on their shared birthday, so she was technically the
older sister, while Serena was the younger one.
But regardless of their birth order, Arabella was the rightful heiress of the Collins
family, it was only natural that she was the older sister.
The ladies all looked at each other with shock and disbelief.
“Hans, are you telling the truth? Serena isn’t the real heiress of the Collins
family.”
“So, this girl standing in front of us is the heiress.”
“But Serena never mentioned anything about this.”
“She only said…”
“Said what?”
Though Hans had heard most of the conversation earlier, he wanted to hear it
again from them.
Sylvia, looking deflated, finally spoke. “So, Arabella is the true heiress. She’s the
one Romeo is engaged to, not Serena. If Serena knew this all along, why did
she claim that she was the one who rejected Romeo?”
The ladies couldn’t believe that Serena could tell such a big lie. Was it all for her
vanity?
“She wasn’t like this before. She was so innocent and kind-hearted. How could
she lie to us?”
“L still can’t believe it.”
“She said being with Romeo would place her under a microscope, and she
didn’t want to live her life like that.
“She said Arabella was just a temporary flame that Romeo found to provoke her,
to make her change her mind”
“It’s all fake. Serena lied to me.”
“She lied to all of us!”
Romeo had known that Hans was home. He had been watching as the girls
confronted Arabella.
Seeing how things had turned out, Romeo walked over to Arabella, his arm
around her slim waist.
“There was never any romantic relationship between Serena and me. Before
Bella returned, I rarely interacted with her. Even if Bella hadn’t come back, I
would never date Serena.”
Nothing could be more shocking than hearing Romeo himself debunk the
rumors.
So, Serena’s claim that Romeo was infatuated with her and unwilling to break
up was all a lie.
“So, she didn’t threaten to cut off all contact with you if you didn’t break up with
her.” Sylvia, clinging onto the last thread of hope, asked “Did she?”
“We were never in a relationship, so how could we break up?”
With this confirmation, the ladies felt their spirits deflate. They couldn’t believe
that Serena was capable of such deceit.
They had known each other for so many years and considered each other as
sisters.
But Serena had lied to them! Chapter 1216
When Serena woke up, the first thing she saw was a video message from
Sylvia, filmed in her own backyard.
In the video, Romeo and Arabella were acting cozy, looking every bit the
infatuated couple.
Serena’s mind reeled. Why was Sylvia at her house? Why was Arabella home
on a day she normally wasn’t? And why on earth was Romeo there?
After sending the video, Sylvia added a note: [Serena, you were napping and
didn’t see how deeply Romeo cares for you. He deliberately brought this girl to
your garden, showing off their closeness to provoke you, hoping to win you
Enter title…
back. Maybe you should reconsider returning to him. Seeing him like this, I can’t
help but feel bad for him.]
This was a disaster!
If Sylvia found out Arabella was actually the heiress of the house, and Romeo
was Arabella’s fiancé, then Serena’s true identity as the adopted daughter would
be revealed!
In her rush to get out of bed, tangled in the duvet, Serena fell and banged her
knee hard on the floor.
Ignoring the pain, she raced to the garden.
Not just Sylvia, but Antonia, Melissa, Una, Christine, they were all there!
Standing face to face with them were Romeo, Arabella, and Hans, looking as
though they were in a standoff.
Serena’s heart dropped. Did her best friends know her real identity? Why was
Hans there too? Had Arabella called him?
Serena’s mind went blank.
Just then, Edith came up to her and said, “Serena, Hans would like to see you.”
Only when she looked around, did she notice everyone’s eyes on her, their
expressions complex.
Serena felt weak, unsure of how she would get through this.
The last time she lied to her friend Delia, saying that Arabella had charmed
Kenneth and Louisa with her looks and good grades, becoming their
goddaughter and a part of the family.
But Chasel’s girlfriend Myrna had called her out on it. That day, Myrna not only
called Chasel, but also tricked her into going to Westerly College, saying Chasel
wanted to have lunch with her.
When she got there in the sweltering heat, there were Delia and her friends, and
Myrna.
She faked fainting on the spot.
But Chasel and Myrna saw through her, even suggesting Arabella should
examine her.
Eventually, the truth came out, and Delia and her friends stopped talking to her.
Should she fake fainting again this time? But Hans, being as astute as he was,
would undoubtedly see through her.
What should she do?
What should she do?
Out of all her brothers, Hans was the hardest to deal withhapter 1217
“Serena, Hans and Mr. McMillian are aware of everything. It’s best if you just
confess and stop fighting it.”
Edith’s kindly advice only served to make Serena clench her fists. Even a
servant dared to trample over her now?
“Serena, come here.”
From a distance, Hans called out to her, his expression cold.
Caught between a rock and a hard place, Serena knew her tricks wouldn’t work
anymore. So she mustered up the courage and walked over.
Enter title…
“Why did you lie?” Sylvia was the first to confront her as she approached. Her
eyes were tear-streaked, and she questioned angrily, “I’ve always considered
you my best friend, sharing all my secrets with you! In my heart, you’ve always
been a pure and innocent girl. Why have you changed so much?”
Antonia expressed her disappointment as well, “We know everything now,
Serena.”
“You’ve completely changed. You’re unrecognizable to us now.” Melissa also
asked, evidently disappointed, “When did you start to change? How did we not
notice?”
“It was not your fault that you were switched at birth,’ Una began, “Hans still
treats you like a sister, and you are still the lady of this house. Your living
standards and privileges have remained the same as before. There was no
need for these lies.”
“Yes, we used to envy your status, envying the limited edition designer clothes
in your closet, and how everything revolved around you like stars around the
moon. But we were not just after the benefits you could offer. We wouldn’t stop
being friends just because you’re not a Collins by blood.” Christine added.
Although they were indeed hoping to benefit from Serena today. Some limited
edition bags and shoes were hard to come by with their connections.
But for Serena, she had too many. More than she could ever wear or use.
Serena had often given them older models with tags still attached. Those were
limited editions, and they were more than happy to accept.
To them, it was a sharing between best friends. They too had given Serena
branded items.
Even though they weren’t as expensive as what Serena gave them.
Overall, even if Serena no longer had the ability to send them anything in the
future, their years of friendship were real.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have stepped in for her earlier, wanting to put Arabella
in her place.
“I’m sorry.”
Suddenly, Serena bowed deeply to them. When she raised her face, tears were
already at the corners of her eyes.
“lL actually guessed that you knew everything when I saw you standing here
from afar. To be honest, I feel relieved now. I’m glad I don’t have to lie anymore”
As Serena said this, she smiled sadly, tears streaming down her face.
“You may not understand how insecure, uneasy, and frightened I felt when
someone suddenly appeared who could potentially take away everything I had.”
Before Serena could finish, Sylvia cried out, “But what you enjoyed was her life!
You should give it back!”
The other girls nodded in agreement.
“Arabella didn’t ask you to return it. She let you continue to enjoy this life.
Shouldn’t you be grateful? Instead, you secretly slandered her. Honestly,
Serena, I’m very disappointed in you. We shouldn’t be friends anymore. Don’t
contact me.”
Sylvia turned to leave, but suddenly something seemed to occur to her. She
stopped, looking back at Serena.
Serena thought she had changed her mind.
But the next second, her gaze moved to Arabella, and she walked over to her,
bowing respectfully, “I’m sorry. I blamed you without knowing the whole truth. I
even insulted you. I was wrong.”
The other girls also apologized to Arabella one after another”””Chapter 1219
Serena was stuck in disbelief.
VO Fashion was a brand that ran neck and neck with Louis Vuitton and Chanel.
Their clothes were designed for the daughters of the upper crust, enhancing
both elegance and figure.
Their clothes were never sold in stores, but directly delivered to the homes of
the wealthy, for their personal selection.
Ordinary heiresses had no access to their clothes. It was only through Hans’
intervention that VO Fashion made an exception. They would send their new
Enter title…
collection to her every season, and only after her selection would they deliver to
the rest of the upper crust.
This privilege had once made her the talk of the town, the envied among
heiresses.
But now, Hans had taken away her pride and joy, and was planning to give it to
Arabella.
“Hans, listen to me.”
Serena was genuinely panicked this time. Not only was her privilege gone, her
allowance canceled, she was also told to confine herself to her room for
reflection.
But before she could finish speaking, Hans’ phone rang again. After answering,
he glanced at Serena, “I have to return to the office now. We’ll talk about it later
tonight.”
Serena felt a pang in her heart, she had a bad feeling something else was
coming her way.
“Edith, take her to her room for reflection.” Hans had urgent matters to attend to,
so he left immediately after giving his orders.
His words, however, caused Serena’s heart to sink even further.
“Serena, let’s go.”
Serena’s tears started to fall. Hans was treating her like a prisoner, ordering a
servant to quard her.
“Dont get too cocky!” Serena shouted at Edith before storming off to her room.
Edith was left bewildered. Serena really had issues that couldn’t be solved.
After returning to her room, Serena threw herself on the bed and cried her heart
out.
She still remembered the summer when Hans first came back home. She had
made apple crabs and pear birds, and turned strawberries into Santas for him.
Back then, the first thing Hans noticed wasn’t the fruit but her injured fingers. He
had not only ordered the servant to bring the first aid kit, but also showed
genuine concern.
He didn’t even criticize her for the ugly fruit platter, instead, he told her not to
bother herself with such matters in the future. When she won a piano
competition, he even asked her what reward she wanted.
Hans was so nice back then, he treated her like a beloved sister even when
Arabella first came home.
When did things start to change?
Was it when Arabella shined in a design competition, which made Hans, one of
the judges, see her in a new light?
It must have been, otherwise, why would Hans give Arabella a perfect score?
Then it was when Hans drove Arabella home after the competition and let her sit
in the passenger seat. That must have been when he started to treat Arabella
differently.
Because not just her, even Chasel, Clark, Sean, David, none of them had ever
sat in Hans’s passenger seat.
Arabella was the first exception.
But all these were trivial.
Serena wiped her tears, remembering when Hans first came home. On the
surface, he gave Arabella a four-leaf clover necklace, but secretly, he gave her a
black, gold-edged card!Chapter 1220
Hans also mentioned that when Bella spent all the money, he would wire more
into the account, encouraging Arabella to shop without any financial worries.
He even extended the offer to include all the other subsidiaries under Collins
Fashion. If Arabella had an eye for any of them, Hans would gladly gift them all
to her.
Furthermore, wherever Arabella wished to visit or whatever she dreamed of
doing, Hans promised to accompany her all the way.
It was since then, wasn’t it? Hans started to change.
Enter title…
Because that day when she asked Hans to go shopping with her, he initially said
he was busy. But moments later, he reassured Arabella with these promises.
A four-leaf clover necklace was something she had never received in her life!
Yet, Arabella not only received this precious necklace but also seventeen other
invaluable gifts from Hans!
He justified this by stating that he missed out on Arabella’s life for the past
eighteen years, so he wished to make up for it with those gifts. But he would
doubly compensate the missing companionship in the days to come.
Was it from that time that Hans began to change?
She remembered once when Hans bought Arabella an entire set of limited
edition lipsticks, claiming that Arabella could use them for work. When she
playfully accused Hans of favoritism, he simply brushed her off, saying she
didn’t need them.
It was clear she could have used them for attending parties or performing on
stage.
But Hans was blatantly partial!
There were countless instances like this.
In the past, she was naive, never questioning.
Now, when she looked back, each incident felt like an arrow piercing through
her heart.
How had she not noticed? Noticed how Hans had changed!
He had become biased, indifferent, and unsympathetic!
A long time ago, when their family visited their grandparents in the hospital,
Hans casually draped his arm around Arabella’s shoulders and started a
conversation with her.
When she reached out to hold Hans’ hand, he asked her to let go.
The difference in treatment was indeed stark!
Moreover, in the hospital, Hans told Arabella that she could focus on her college
studies while the fashion company’s affairs would be handled by Dean. Even if
Arabella was not working, her monthly salary would be paid in full.
At that time, half-jokingly, she expressed her envy, wondering when she would
be able to manage the company like her sister.
But Hans only remarked that she was too pampered from a young age to handle
company affairs.
Her parents echoed the same sentiments, noting her lack of management
experience due to her sheltered upbringing. They encouraged her to focus on
her studies and worry about the future later.