Chapter 101:


    ? ? ? ? ?Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Rachel had meticulously nned a garden party.


    Most of the guests were women from Rachel''s elite social circles. Thoughughter and casual chit-chat filled the air, beneath the polished surface ran an undercurrent of subtle power ys and negotiations. The women, all smiling, knew each other, at least on the surface. No one let their guard down, each interaction carefully measured.


    Rachel kindly handed an elegant velvet box to Mrs. Reyes. “I couldn''t attend your birthdayst time, so here''s ate gift. “I hope you don’t mind.”


    Mrs. Reyes epted the box with a practiced smile, her fingers sliding over the soft fabric. “Rachel, you shouldn''t have done that,” she said, letting out a lightugh. She opened the box and inside was a delicate ne whose diamond centerpiece caught the afternoon sun and threw bright sparks of light in all directions.


    “My goodness,” Mrs. Reyes eximed, her eyes wide with genuine surprise. “This must have cost a fortune, Rachel. You are too generous.” Mrs. Reyes admired the piece and put it back in the box with a pleased expression.


    Rachel then turned to Mrs. Reyes''s little son and patted him on the head.


    She pulled out a limited edition toy from behind her, its shiny packaging catching the boy''s attention.


    The boy barely looked up from his tablet game as he took the toy from Rachel''s hand.


    Mrs. Reyes'' smile faltered for a moment before she turned to her son, her tone now firm. “Ted, what do you say to Mrs. Gray?”


    But the boy didn''t answer. Grabbing his new prize, he ran off without even looking back. Mrs. Reyes forced a lightugh, her smile now a little strained. “I''ve spoiled him so much. “I’m sorry.” Raquel’s smile remained polite. “Don''t worry.


    He looked back at the fence, a hint of worry creeping into his calm demeanor.


    Where the hell was Alice?


    When Alice finally arrived, she thought about sending a message to Caden, warning him to keep his distance today; After all, appearances were everything in her world, and misunderstandings could spread like wildfire. But to her surprise, Caden had not yet arrived.


    She looked around, but there was no sign of him. After a moment of hesitation, she shrugged and headed for the party.


    Inside, a group of women were huddled together, their conversation animated, with bursts ofughter echoing throughout the garden.


    Rachel had casually mentioned that Alicia wasing, and naturally, the conversation turned to her.


    "I only found out she was married when Joshua proposed! Can you believe they had been married for two years? He kept it pretty secret."


    “What makes Miss Bet so irresistible to men?” another woman mused, her voice dripping with disdain.


    “I can''t tell if Joshua hid her because she''s a precious treasure or a humiliating disgrace!” Mrs. Reyes giggled, a high-pitched sound that cut through the air. “Every man likes to tell what he has. If his wife is beautiful and talented, why wouldn''t he show her off to the world? Just look at Lilliana… can youpare her to Alicia?”


    The previousments had been scathing, but Ms. Reyes'' words were the icing on the cake.


    The others shared their sentiment, their giggles bubbling with a kind of cruel amusement.


    “Poor thing,” someone muttered, snickering. “She got dumped, her heart was broken, and now she''s struggling to make a name for herself in showbiz. Just when she’s trying to move on, her past is brought up and the inte rips her apart.”


    Anothermented: "I saw her a while ago, her face and figure were fine I guess. So why doesn''t she attract any men?"


    "If she was so pretty, they would have taken her away already. Nowadays, it''s all about filters and special effects. Who knows what she looks like without makeup."


    They chuckled, enjoying his disappointment.


    Only Rachel remained silent, her eyes darting around nervously. She had seen Alice not far away, hovering within earshot.


    In truth, Alice had heard every word.


    When theughter died down, Alice made her move. With a graceful stride, she approached the group with a ss of wine in her hand.


    He stopped next to Mrs. Reyes and, with a silent clink, clinked his ss against Mrs. Reyes''s.


    Mrs. Reyes turned slowly, her smug smile faltering as she saw Alicia standing next to her.


    Alicia wore a champagne-colored silk dress, the delicate straps of which framed her soft shoulders. Her skin glowed under the soft light and her lightly made-up face showed a serene, almost mysterious smile.


    She had a captivating elegance, like a rare flower in full bloom amidst a garden of thorns. In short, Alice was simply stunning.


    Mrs. Reyes blinked, evidently surprised.


    Part of her wondered if Alice had heard her cruel jokes, while another part of her couldn''t help but admire how wless Alice looked, even up close.


    Far from the image they had painted moments ago, Alice was beautiful.


    She looked even more stunning than in the videos.


    “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Reyes.” Alicia''s smile was warm and radiant, enough to light up any room. “And what, may I ask, has made youugh so much?” Her tone was gentle, but there was an undeniable edge beneath it.


    Mrs. Reyes, momentarily lost in her own thoughts, blinked as Alicia''s question brought her back to the present.


    For a split second, a trace of worry flickered through her mind, but it disappeared just as quickly. After all, Alice was a woman dealing with her own burdens, with hardly any support to fall back on. What did she have to fear?


    A slow, deliberate smile spread across her face as she replied, “Oh, Mrs. Bet, have we made too much noise? “You must have heard our conversation.” The words were condescending, a clear attempt to dismiss Alice as insignificant.


    Alice''s smile did not fail. "I''m afraid not," she said lightly. "Perhaps your voice has be softer with age, making it difficult to hear. Would you mind repeating that for me?"


    There was a great silence in the room, as the spectators focused their attention on theing confrontation.


    Alice''s voice was as soft as ever, without a hint of hostility showing on her face.


    However, Mrs. Reyes''s expression darkened.


    Women who married rich men tended to rely on their looks, and Ms. Reyes was no different. Her biggest insecurityys in her fading beauty. At her age, not even the best cosmetic procedures could disguise the passage of time.


    She hated being reminded of this. Being called old in front of so many people, especially a younger woman, was an insult she couldn''t stand.


    Fury shed across his face and he mmed the table, making the tes rattle. “Alicia Bet, do you know who I am?” I have grownled.


    The outburst didn''t even affect Alicia''sposure, but it caught the attention of Mrs. Reyes''s son. His eyes locked on Alicia and, without thinking, he lunged at her like an enraged bull.


    “Don''t you dare bully my mother!” he roared, lunging at her at reckless speed.


    Alice blinked, her expression almost amused, as she calmly lifted the hem of her dress and ducked. The movement was graceful, fluid, almost like a dance.


    However, the wine ss trembled in his hand, its contents swirling precariously, as if it had a mind of its own.


    Then, with a cruel twist of fate, the wine jumped out of the ss, sshing directly into Mrs. Reyes'' face.


    Meanwhile, the boy, unable to stop his momentum, skidded across the grass,nding face first with a loud thud.


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