Skip to content
Novel Catalog
Chapter_220
Bonnie’s eyes were red and swollen, tears still clinging to her lashes as she stood there, deflated and helpless, like a wilted flower. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she felt utterly defeated.
Meanwhile, Yvette was busy returning a call from Flying Fish while washing her hands in the bathroom. Two heavily made-up women entered, gossiping loudly and clearly not caring that Yvette could hear them. They spotted her immediately, dressed in a duck-billed hat, and didn’t bother hiding their disdain as they whispered to each other.
“Do you think that girl would ever fight back if she got slapped? Winona really knows how to throw her weight around. Without the backing of the Chambers family or the Smith family, she’s now clinging to the Carter family. I heard she’s pregnant with Victor’s child. Once she gives birth, she’ll be set as the lady of the Carter family. I really envy her,” one of the women said.
The shorter girl, pulling out a red lipstick, nodded in agreement. “That girl has nothing. I took a closer look at her, and all her clothes were cheap. Winona is just picking on an easy target, isn’t she? She’s only so bold because she’s got her family to back her up. And Victor, he’s notorious for his playboy ways. My little sister was just at each other’s throats with him a while back.”
“True. Your sister seems to have some skills. I can introduce you to her if you want,” the other woman said as she tucked her lipstick away, eyeing Yvette, who, despite the hat, radiated an undeniable presence.
One of the women nodded generously. “Sure, I’ll introduce you when I get the chance. But we should hurry; Mr. Lester is still waiting for us. We don’t want to keep him waiting.”
After they left, Yvette’s expression turned colder. She dried her hands slowly, the pleasant warmth of the bathroom now feeling distant and unimportant. Inside the women’s clothing store, Winona sat on a plush sofa, rubbing her stomach nervously. Yulia was hovering over her, asking if she was feeling okay. The pointy-faced salesgirl stood nearby, offering tea and water, all eager to please.
Bonnie, on the other hand, stood off to the side, alone, wiping away her tears furiously. Her face was puffy, but she didn’t want to let anyone see her broken. She’d been pushed too far, but she was determined to be stronger, to never let anyone degrade her like this again.
Just as Bonnie made the decision to leave, Winona wasn’t about to let her slip away so easily. She called out, “Mom, don’t let Bonnie walk out like this! If anything happens to my baby, I’ll make her pay!”
Even Yulia seemed a little uncomfortable with Winona’s outburst, but she tried to maintain a diplomatic air. “Winona, let’s cool it for a second,” she said, her voice calm but firm.
The pointy-faced salesgirl, eager to please and clearly desperate for approval, jumped in immediately. “Mrs. Carter is right! If anything happens to your baby, she’ll be responsible. The baby in Mrs. Carter’s belly can’t be at risk!”
Winona nodded in satisfaction, letting the salesgirl’s flattery fuel her ego. Meanwhile, other customers whispered in the background, some feeling sorry for Bonnie, while others couldn’t help but think she deserved what was coming to her.
Bonnie’s fists clenched as she heard Winona’s words. How could Winona twist the truth so shamelessly? She could feel her face burning with both anger and embarrassment, but she refused to let Winona’s words break her.
The pointy-faced salesgirl now approached Bonnie with a look of superiority. “Miss, look at the dress you tried on. It’s dirty. You need to pay for it, or else this won’t end well. Or you can just kneel and apologize to Mrs. Carter, and then we’ll let it go.”
Winona, lounging on the sofa, looked on eagerly, her smug smile wide as she waited for Bonnie to break. The pointy-faced salesgirl snatched the dress from another salesgirl’s hand, then brushed her light-colored nail polish against the fabric, deliberately smudging it. “See? Look at the dirt. Who else could’ve done this if not you?”
Bonnie’s breath caught in her throat. Her mind raced—how could they be so malicious? She’d been careful, so careful with the dress. But there was no time to argue. Winona’s voice rang out, dripping with false sweetness. “Oh, look at you, Bonnie. Still in denial. I offered to buy you the dress, but now you’ll have to pay for it yourself. How much does it cost anyway?”
The pointy-faced salesgirl smiled, enjoying the moment. “It’s not expensive for Mrs. Carter—only 150 thousand dollars. But for you? It might be a stretch.”
Winona pretended to be magnanimous, her voice oozing false kindness. “Listen, Bonnie, I’m not trying to be a villain here. If you kneel down and apologize, admitting that you’re cheap, I’ll cover the cost of the dress for you. Otherwise, you might find yourself in trouble over this.”
Bonnie’s face turned crimson as rage bubbled inside her. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, a familiar voice cut through the tension in the room. “Who do you want to kneel to?”
Winona was momentarily caught off guard, but quickly responded without thinking, “Of course, it’s Bonnie.”
The voice belonged to none other than Yvette. As she stepped into the room, her presence immediately commanded attention. The onlookers, who had been whispering among themselves, turned to face her. Yvette, dressed in black pants and a duck-billed cap, exuded an air of authority that was impossible to ignore. As she lifted the cap, her face was revealed, and gasps rippled through the crowd.
Yvette strolled into the store with casual confidence, her hands in her pockets, exuding power. Bonnie, standing frozen beside her, felt a wave of relief wash over her. The fear that had been building in her chest slowly began to subside as she realized that Yvette was here—she was no longer alone.
Yvette walked up to Bonnie, her steps slow but purposeful. The crowd held its collective breath, sensing that something important was about to happen. “Alright, dry those tears,” Yvette said, her voice calm but firm. “Have I ever taught you to back down? People respect you when you stand your ground. And if they cross you, you don’t just let it slide.”
Bonnie wiped her tears with her sleeve, looking up at Yvette with a newfound sense of purpose. She felt like a child who had been wronged but now found the strength to stand tall, empowered by Yvette’s presence. “Winona’s pregnant; otherwise, I’d definitely go over and scratch her face.”
Yvette noticed the palm print on Bonnie’s cheek, and her expression hardened. “Who laid a hand on you?” she asked, her voice like ice.
Her gaze turned to Winona, whose nervousness was palpable. Yulia, standing quietly off to the side, looked between Winona and Yvette. She could see the fear creeping into Winona’s eyes, but Yulia knew there was nothing she could do to intervene. This was Winona’s mess, and she would have to deal with it.
Yvette turned toward Bonnie, her eyes softening momentarily. “You don’t let them break you. You’re stronger than this.” She then turned to face Winona, a chilling smile creeping onto her lips. “Who gave you the nerve to lay a hand on me?”
Winona’s heart raced. She remembered the past—the banquet, the events that had led to her losing everything. She thought she could bully Bonnie because she believed Yvette wasn’t around. But now, Yvette was standing before her, and Winona’s arrogance was melting away under her cold stare.
Yvette’s words rang out, calm yet dangerous. “You think you can walk around here, making people kneel for you? Let me remind you—you’re nothing without the people who back you. And right now, you’ve lost even that.”
Winona’s lips trembled, her entire body stiffening in fear. But there was nothing she could do. The moment had slipped out of her hands.
Bonnie looked at Yvette, her heart swelling with gratitude. With Yvette by her side, she finally felt like she had the strength to fight back.
Yvette turned her attention to the salesgirls, who were now cowering under her gaze. The pointy-faced salesgirl, once so bold, now couldn’t even meet her eyes.
The tension in the store was thick, but it was clear that the power had shifted. The once-intimidating Winona now seemed small, exposed. And Bonnie? She was no longer the girl who let people walk all over her.
As Yvette led Bonnie out of the store, the onlookers exchanged glances, whispers filling the air. It was clear to everyone that this was more than just a confrontation. It was the moment when the tables had turned, and Bonnie had finally stood up for herself.
Winona, left behind, could only watch as the crowd slowly began to disperse, her victory slipping through her fingers.
