?


    Juan''s indifference surprised Shelia.


    Joe came up and said, ''Miss Miles, pleasee with me upstairs to change."


    Shelia lowered her head and replied softly, "Okay."


    As she turned to follow Joe, Juan''s voice cut through the air. "Remove your makeup too."


    Her heart lurched. "But..."


    "You''re still a student, Shelia. This mature and shy makeup doesn''t suit you,'' interrupted Juan.


    His words stung, and she felt a pang of bitterness. She had spent hours perfecting her makeup, hoping to impress him.


    ''Is it so unbearable?'' she thought.


    "Is the dress really that bad?" she asked Joe, seeking some form of validation.


    Joe looked back at her, his expression nd. ''Mr. Nichols prepared this dress for his wife."


    Shelia was shocked by the revtion. "But the gatekeeper said it was sent by you for me."


    "That must have been a mistake inmunication," Joe replied, his tone cold. "Miss Miles, you weren''t supposed toe today."


    The words hit Shelia like a p, leaving her feeling mortified and out of ce.


    Across town, Debra was in her apartment preparing her resume. Erica said, "Juan asked you to apany him to the banquet. Why didn''t you go? You could''ve gathered some intel.


    Debra shrugged, a sense of disgust washing over her at the thought of Juan''s intense gaze. "I didn''t feel like going, "she replied.


    Erica frowned, puzzled. "It''s fine if you don''t want to go. But why give this opportunity to Shelia? The attendees are all influential business owners. She''s just a college student."


    It felt out of ce for her to appear at such an event.


    "Juan likes her," Debra replied nonchntly. "I''m just granting his wishes."


    ''Since Juan likes Shelia so much, he naturally prefers Shelia to be hispanion.''


    Over the past few months, Juan had made his preference clear, parading Shelia around at every social event.


    His actions were ostentatious, as if he wanted the whole world to know that the woman by his side was Shelia. ''Juan must be out of his mind to bring along Shelia this time.''Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Unlike Shelia, Debra would not be at his beck and call.


    Her phone rang, disrupting her thoughts. She had been on sick leave for the past few months, not even going to school. Every few days, Jordan would call to check on her, but calling at thiste hour was a first.


    She answered the phone, expecting Jordan''s usual inquiries, but instead, she heard his angry voice. "Debra, what are you thinking? You''re Juan''s wife. Why did you give in to a mistress?"


    "What are you talking about?" Debra said, puzzled.


    "Juan unting around with Shelia everywhere is one thing, but tonight, he brought her to such an important asion."


    Debra realized what was going on. As part of the Potter family, Jordan should have received the invitation and been at the banquet even though their rtionship with Juan was tense.