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Chapter_40
Whitney quickly scrolled through the latest entertainment gossip about Stella, her eyes glancing over at her friend, Tiana. “Tiana, let’s head upstairs. Can you get us a private suite?” she asked, her voice calm but purposeful.
Tiana didn’t hesitate. Without a moment’s thought, she was off, heading straight for the club manager. It was no easy feat to secure a private room without a reservation, but with some well-placed cash, she managed to get a room for an hour.
However, Whitney’s intentions for the private suite remained a mystery to Tiana. Whitney sat down, her expression unreadable, as she logged into a burner account and sent a message. Within minutes, the sound of sharp, clicking heels echoed down the hallway. Stella, who had previously claimed to be too busy, now hurried in with a tight smile on her face.
“Monica, has Kyler arrived yet?” Stella asked, a polite mask covering her true feelings. But as she stepped inside, her face immediately froze, the warm smile fading to an icy expression. Even Whitney felt a hint of discomfort seeing Stella’s sudden shift in demeanor.
Tiana, looking both pale and out of breath, was the first to confront her. “Stella, whose name did you just call? Since when are you friends with Monica? Do you have any idea what she did to Whitney?”
Stella snapped back to reality, quickly putting the pieces together after reading the atmosphere. Her eyes cooled, and she turned toward Whitney with a cold smirk. “You always were the sharpest among us,” she said, her voice now laced with disdain.
“Why betray me?” Whitney’s question was direct, cutting through the tension in the room.
Leaning against the wall with a casual stance, Stella’s fake smile was gone, replaced by a hardened expression. “Why do you think, Whitney?” she shot back, her voice dripping with scorn. “Standing by your side now, I feel embarrassed. You’re not worth it anymore.”
Tiana’s face twisted with hurt and confusion. “Stella, why have you become like this?”
“People change,” Stella replied with a shrug. “I’m on the rise, and Whitney is spiraling down. There’s no such thing as forever friends. Among the Valentine sisters, the rising star is Monica, and I’m just weighing the pros and cons. Aligning with you would only tarnish my image. Don’t blame me for making the smart choice.”
Weighing the pros and cons, huh? Whitney’s eyes turned cold, her heart sinking with the realization. “Did you delete my files from my computer? Did you leak my designs to Monica step by step?”
Stella stiffened at the question but quickly scoffed. “Did I? You have no proof.”
Tiana, livid with anger, stepped forward, her voice rising. “You’ve been using Whitney’s trust to sabotage her career! Now, the news is painting her as a plagiarist. Do you want to ruin her life?”
“If it wasn’t for Whitney’s trust, how could I have achieved my goals?” Stella responded, her tone indifferent, even as she sided with Monica. Just then, Monica entered, wearing her usual smirk.
As Monica approached, she flashed Stella a smile. “Stella, Director Kyler will give you the lead role. You’re on your way to becoming the next big thing in Hollywood.”
“Thank you, Monica,” Stella said with a nod, her words dripping with insincerity.
Tiana could no longer contain her disgust. “But there’s a catch,” Monica said, turning toward Stella with a mocking gleam in her eye. “You need to prove your loyalty. Slap Whitney right here and drive her out. The Royal One Club isn’t a place for a washed-up has-been like her, and I’m sure you’ve wanted to do that for a while now.”
Stella hesitated for a moment, her face tightening with unease. She glanced at Whitney, then took a reluctant step forward. Before she could act, Tiana intervened, stepping in front of Whitney and delivering a slap to Stella’s face.
“Stella, I can’t believe you were about to hit her. I’m so disappointed in you. From now on, our sisterhood is over,” Tiana said firmly, her voice shaking with emotion.
Stella seethed, her hand going to her cheek. “You naive fool, how dare you slap me?” she spat, her fury evident.
Whitney’s gaze sharpened as she rose from her seat, stepping up to Stella. “Touch Tiana again, and I won’t hold back.”
Stella’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Whitney. “Is it not your fault I’ve become like this? When you were the darling of high society, knowing my family was struggling, you could’ve helped me. With a little push from you, I could have been a star by now. But you talked about hard work, as if that meant anything in Hollywood. You can’t stand to see me climb over you, so fine, I’ll step over you without a second thought.”
Tiana was furious, her voice rising in anger. “You blame us for not helping enough when it was Whitney who got you into the industry! You repay kindness with betrayal, and now you’re following Monica, thinking you’ll rise with her?”
The atmosphere was on the verge of exploding when Monica, clearly enjoying the spectacle, signaled for one of the socialites to fetch the club manager.
Monica thought to herself, a wicked smile playing at her lips. If she could humiliate Whitney enough, coupled with the plagiarism accusations, the scandal could ruin her completely.
“Ms. Valentine, what seems to be the problem here?” The manager arrived swiftly, his voice polite but tense.
Monica pointed arrogantly toward Whitney and Tiana. “Those two rabid dogs over there, do they have a reservation? Why are they hogging the room? I have my eye on this room for dinner.”
The manager immediately signaled for security to remove them. “They have no money, no status. How did they even get in?”
Tiana, indignant, shouted back, “I made the reservation and paid you. Are you pretending not to recognize me now?”
The manager, sensing Monica’s influence, did not dare acknowledge them. “Tiana, this is the Royal One Club. Your family doesn’t have VIP status here. Please take your disgraced friend and leave immediately!”
Monica chuckled, enjoying the scene. “Sis, even the club manager saw the news about your plagiarism scandal today.”
Whitney and Tiana were being dragged toward the door, their faces a mixture of pain and humiliation. Tiana shielded Whitney’s face, hoping to avoid more negative press.
Suddenly, a cold, masculine voice cut through the tension. “What’s all this commotion about?”
Whitney stiffened, recognizing the voice and the presence before she even saw the man. Her lips pressed together, a mix of dread and disbelief flooding her thoughts.
The man, wearing a silver mask, exuded a chilling, authoritative presence. His tailored black suit highlighted his imposing figure, and his aura was one of unmistakable power.
The manager’s eyes widened, and he immediately trembled. “M–Mr. Li…” he stammered.
The man’s gaze flicked to him, his eyes narrowing, and the manager clamped his mouth shut, visibly frightened. The security holding Whitney’s arm instantly loosened his grip.
Monica and Stella stood frozen, their eyes wide in disbelief. The whole scene fell silent in an instant.
Parker, with his sharp gaze hidden behind glasses, surveyed the room, his expression unreadable as he turned his attention toward Whitney.
