Ch. 991..1000
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 991
Flee
“Mr. Greene, I have bad news! The Specialized Forces have sent their men here!” His subordinate barged into the room in a frenzy.
“The Specialized Forces?” The news was so shocking that Daniel collapsed to the floor as he began to break out in a cold sweat.
Usually, the Specialized Forces only investigated corporations located in Jadeborough. This was because their main headquarters were also based in the same location. Hence, they rarely handled matters in Horrington.
When the Specialized Forces were first established, Daniel made sure to keep a low profile, as he didn’t want to attract their attention. However, as time passed, he assumed they would not inspect other corporations outside of Jadeborough. Hence, Daniel revealed his true colors and made reckless decisions.
Who knew that these online articles had incited the Specialized Forces to come knocking at his door?
Who on earth leaked it to the internet? These articles are all filled with the most nefarious deeds! Even if only one of the articles was published, it would be enough to cause my demise.
“Who is the culprit behind this?” Daniel was infuriated that the veins scattered across his forehead had protruded. Judging from his crazed appearance, it was clear that he was beyond livid.
“Mr. Greene, please calm down!” The subordinate tried to soothe Daniel’s temper. “Let us form a plan first. They are currently at the entrance. It looks like they plan to capture us for interrogation.”
Finally, Daniel seemed to regain his senses. With the help of his subordinate, he rose to his feet. “Block them! We can’t let them step foot inside.”
In the past, every suspect captured by the Specialized Forces had spilled the beans once they were interrogated.
Even if Daniel could withstand their secretive methods of questioning, there was no guarantee that his subordinates would not betray him.
“You need to make sure that they are stopped,” Daniel stressed.
“Yes, Sir!” Without another word, the man rushed to carry out Daniel’s orders.
In the blink of an eye, he instructed all the guards to stall the Specialized Forces.
As soon as he relayed the message, his phone vibrated with another incoming notification. It was another breaking news article about the Greenes.
In haste, Daniel’s subordinate hurtled upstairs to report this news.
As Daniel scanned the article, he realized it was about that time when he ordered his men to kidnap Arielle at Jadeborough University.
The man who had exposed this incident was none other than the mercenary he hired.
In the video, the mercenary was dressed in a hospital gown. There was a dazed and empty look in his eyes as he recounted the incident.
After the video ended, footage from Jadeborough University’s surveillance cameras was also released. The high-quality footage clearly depicted Daniel’s car leaving Jadeborough University. Worst yet, his face was also captured in the video.
With such glaring evidence against him, Daniel had nothing left to defend himself.
Promptly, Daniel’s legs gave way as he nearly crumpled to the floor again.
Similarly, his subordinate was also stricken with panic.
After all, the incident regarding the loss of workers’ lives could be compensated with money. They could also find a few scapegoats to take the blame for the illegal transactions of guns and drugs.
However, if Daniel was charged with attempted murder, there would be no way left for him to escape because the surveillance footage depicted Daniel’s face in it.
“Mr. Greene, what do we do?” his subordinate mumbled fearfully.
All of a sudden, a light bulb lit up in Daniel’s head.
“I get it now! Vinson must be the one behind all this. That b*stard has been keeping tabs on me ever since he found out I tried to kidnap Arielle!”
“Mr. Greene, now isn’t the time to figure out who the culprit is! We need to think of an escape route. The guards won’t be able to hold them back for long!”
Meanwhile, loud yells echoed from the entrance. “Please stop resisting and cooperate with our investigation. We will have to force our way in if you do not open the door!”
“Mr. Greene!”
“Let’s flee first!” Daniel clenched his jaw in determination. “Since this is the second floor, we can jump out of the bedroom window.”
“Yes, Sir!”
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 992
Knack For Seducing Men
With that, both men quickly locked the bedroom door and leaped out of the window.
Unfortunately, Daniel was not as agile as his subordinate. The heavy fall caused him to sprain his waist.
“Mr. Greene!” His subordinate scurried over to help him as the duo stumbled to the road and hailed a taxi.
Once they entered the car, Daniel finally remembered about Cecilia and Wendy.
With lightning speed, Daniel dialed Cecilia’s number.
Back at Jadeborough University, the charity auction was drawing to an end. Right now, the buyers were heading backstage to pay for their bids.
Since all attendees were required to put their phones on silent mode throughout the auction, Cecilia missed Daniel’s urgent call.
Deep down, Cecilia was resentful of the sculpture that she had bid. Even so, she could not go back on her word because doing so would humiliate Wendy.
Left with no choice, Cecilia headed backstage to pay for the sculpture, with Wendy tagging along.
Along the way, Wendy could not help but ask, “Mom, has Mrs. Nightshire changed her mind?”
Immediately, a dark look loomed across Cecilia’s face. “Despite our best efforts, she remains as stubborn as ever. When I return, I’m going to have a chat with your dad. He’ll teach the Nightshires a lesson!”
“What?” Wendy was aghast by Cecilia’s words. “It’s fine if you threaten her, but you shouldn’t actually take action! If you do so, Mrs. Nightshire will make my life a living hell once I marry Vinson.”
“Relax, I’ll buy a mansion in Jadeborough for the two of you. This way, you don’t have to see Susanne on a daily basis. You won’t be pestered by her, too. Besides, what can she do? As time passes, she will simply forget about this incident.”
Despite Cecilia’s response, Wendy was still unconvinced that this was the best way to deal with Susanne.
However, she recalled the times when Arielle had repeatedly put her to shame. Susanne only had eyes for Arielle now.
Aside from brute force, there would be no other way to convince Susanne.
“All right,” Wendy agreed with Cecilia’s plan as she nodded, albeit rather reluctantly.
When they arrived backstage, Wendy instantly caught sight of Aaron.
Although Aaron had to pay a hefty sum of one hundred million, he didn’t even bat an eye. Given his nonchalance, it seemed like one hundred million was merely a number instead of a price tag.
Similarly, Aaron caught Cecilia’s attention. With a hushed whisper, she asked, “Wendy, when I came to visit you, I heard that he’s also a student enrolled in the preparatory class. Why haven’t I seen him before? Is he well-off?”
Upon hearing that, Wendy felt conflicted. “I’m not sure. You shouldn’t pay him any mind,” she replied with a shake of her head.
“Why? It won’t hurt to be acquaintances with him if he’s from a rich background.”
Without waiting for her daughter’s response, Cecilia began to head toward Aaron.
“Hi there,” Cecilia called out, only to notice Aaron approaching Arielle.
Cecilia came to an abrupt halt with a puzzled look on her face.
As such, Wendy seized this opportunity to block Cecilia’s path. “Mom, he only has his sights set on Arielle. He even humiliated me with money. It’s best if you ignore him.”
I can never forget how he disregarded me when I tried to give him a tour around the library.
“That wench! She has a true knack for seducing men.” Cecilia quickly took out her phone, intending to snap a picture and send it to Susanne.
Coincidentally, Daniel called her again.
To her surprise, Cecilia realized that Daniel had left countless missed calls.
What on earth happened? Why is he looking for me so urgently?
Nevertheless, Cecilia rejected his call and aimed her camera toward Arielle and Aaron.
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 993
Shameless Woman
In this auction, Arielle had purchased an antique vase for ten million. Marcus was the one who had donated this vase.
Although Arielle didn’t have much interest in antiques, she purchased this vase in an effort to help Teddy and the rest rebuild their village.
Just as Arielle was going to pay for the vase, a tall and muscled figure blocked her path.
Startled, Arielle lifted her gaze, only to meet Aaron’s eyes.
When she noticed the man raising his hand, Arielle instinctively flinched backward as she was afraid that he was planning to harm her.
However, Aaron merely opened his palms.
Looking down, Arielle noticed a black jewelry box in Aaron’s hands.
“What is this?” Arielle asked, dumbfounded.
“It’s a gift for you.” Aaron winked mischievously as he opened the box to reveal its contents.
The hundred million necklace he had bought in the auction earlier was nestled inside.
“Now that we’ve finally met each other, do you still like me?” The corners of Aaron’s mouth curved into an alluring smile, a playful glint in his eyes.
His actions had drawn the attention of nearby onlookers. When they saw Aaron giving Arielle the necklace, they were astounded that their eyes nearly bulged out of their heads.
Isn’t that necklace worth one hundred million? How could he give it away so easily?
Wendy, who was amongst the onlookers, widened her eyes in utter disbelief.
Despite spending so much money on the necklace, he didn’t keep it. Instead, he’s giving it to Arielle just because they finally met? What is his relationship with Arielle?
Similarly, Arielle was also taken aback by Aaron’s extravagant gift.
However, she quickly regained her composure. Shaking her head, she uttered, “Thank you for your gift, but I must apologize. It is too expensive. I can’t accept it.”
“I bought this especially for you. In my eyes, you are the only person worthy of this necklace.”
Arielle could not help but frown. “I’m sorry, but I still can’t accept your gift. I don’t even know you.”
“You don’t know me?” Aaron said with a hurtful pout. “Despite our countless intimate interactions, I can’t believe you still insist that we are strangers. Kitten, you are wounding my heart.”
Hearing this, Arielle flushed with anger. “Don’t spout nonsense! I have never even met you before!”
“We’ve never met?” Aaron leaned forward and blew at her ear to tease her. “Arielle, I’ve searched for you far and wide. Do you know how much it pains my heart to hear that you can’t recognize me? Aren’t you going to take responsibility for hurting my feelings?”
“What are you saying?” Aaron’s antics were driving her up the wall. With an icy gaze, she glared at Aaron and said, “I’m warning you, if you continue to babble on with your nonsense, I won’t hesitate to call the police!”
“The police?” Aaron was unfazed by Arielle’s threat. “Go ahead. In fact, I was planning to do the same thing too. I’m going to lodge a report against a certain kitten who had abandoned me after she provoked my feelings,” he replied with a nonchalant shrug.
Unable to restrain her frustrations any longer, Arielle sent her fist hurtling at Aaron’s face.
However, Aaron’s reflexes were much faster than hers, as he had anticipated her movement. In the blink of an eye, he caught her arm before she could hit him. Aaron yanked her toward him, causing Arielle to lose her balance and fell into his arms.
“Kitten, I’ve been waiting for you for several days now. Now that I have found you, I won’t let you out of my grasp again,” Aaron whispered. Although Arielle was the only one within earshot, their intimate position caused many onlookers to misunderstand their relationship.
“I can’t believe this!” Cecilia’s plan to snap a picture was long forgotten. “Arielle, aren’t you involved with Vinson? How could you flirt with another man in broad daylight? Susanne and Vison would be speechless if they saw you acting like a shameless woman!”
“Shameless woman?” Aaron’s eyes narrowed dangerously as a menacing look twinkled in them.
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 994
Wendy Chickened Out
Initially, Wendy wanted to give Arielle an earful as well, but she chickened out when Aaron’s sharp gaze shifted toward her.
Just as Wendy tried to stop her mother, Cecilia opened her mouth.
“Did you know that my daughter, Wendy, was almost engaged to Vinson? During their engagement, this b*tch barged in and ruined everything! You must not be aware of her devious nature. Don’t be fooled by her sweet appearance. She is nothing but a sheep in wolf’s clothing!” Cecilia remarked heatedly.
In an attempt to escape from Aaron’s arms, Arielle struggled and tried to squirm her way out.
Nevertheless, her efforts were futile. Aaron’s iron-like grip rendered her utterly immobile.
Upon hearing Cecilia’s words, Arielle came to a halt as she tried to defend herself. Before she could open her mouth, though, she heard Aaron’s cold voice echo in the air. “How noisy. Slap her.”
The moment Aaron gave the order, two guards in sleek black suits seemed to materialize out of thin air.
Before Wendy and Cecilia could react, one of the guards grabbed hold of Cecilia while the other lashed his palm across her cheek without hesitation.
Slap! The sound was so loud that it echoed in the air. Promptly, silence descended over the entire backstage area.
The guard’s slap was so strong that Cecilia’s head was whipped to the side. It took her several moments before she could regain her composure.
Wendy was the one who reacted first.
“Mom!” She hurried forward, wanting to rescue her mother from the guard’s grasps, but when she locked gazes with the bodyguard’s bloodthirsty glare, Wendy’s entire body froze up in fear.
It feels like he’s going to eat me alive.
Unable to move an inch, Wendy could only cry out pathetically, “Mom…”
“Listen up! If I ever hear you say such disgusting things about Arielle again, I’ll cut your tongue off!” Aaron thundered.
It was then Cecilia snapped back to reality.
Stinging pain flared across her cheek. When Cecilia caressed her face, she could feel it growing swollen from the blow she had endured. “D-Did you just hit me?” Cecilia questioned in a shrill voice.
“Oh? Have you not learned your lesson yet? I guess I’ll just have to teach you another one.”
Aaron glanced at his bodyguard again, and without warning, the guard sent his palm across Cecilia’s cheek.
The blow this time was much stronger than the last that Cecilia coughed, causing crimson blood to splatter across the floor. Along with her blood, a white tooth fell out of her mouth.
“Mom!” The grisly sight left Wendy anxious. Casting a glance toward Marcus, she pleaded, “Mr. Brown, please help!”
Throughout his entire life, Marcus had never witnessed such a shocking scene. When he heard Wendy’s desperate plea, he finally snapped back to his senses.
“Aaron, what on earth do you think you are doing! Instruct your men to let her go at once!”
Aaron scoffed and tilted his head to signal his men to stop. Following Aaron’s cue, the two bodyguards let go of Cecilia and vanished as quickly as they came.
Their sudden disappearance left the onlookers utterly tongue-tied.
The moment the guards let her go, Cecilia fell to her knees.
Finally, Wendy rushed forward to check on her mother. “Mom, are you all right? Your tooth…”
Remaining in her position on the floor, Cecilia kept quiet.
Wendy was panicking so badly that she didn’t know what to do in this situation.
Even though the incident had attracted a large crowd, most of them did not pity Cecilia at all.
“Serves her right for insulting my goddess!”
“Don’t you think something is going on between Arielle and Aaron, though? Look at how close they are.”
Their whispers knocked some sense into Arielle as she started struggling again. “Let go of me this instant!” she exclaimed furiously.
“Nope. Not gonna happen. What are you going to do, then?”
The sensual intonation of his words stirred up even greater misunderstanding amongst the gathered crowd.
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 995
Locked In A Face Off
Arielle was thoroughly infuriated by him.
Gritting her teeth, she tried to stomp on Aaron’s foot with full force. However, the latter seemed to have read her mind as he dodged her incoming attack.
When Arielle missed, a pink blush dusted her cheeks. “Let me go!” she roared.
Marcus also stepped forward and tried to help Arielle. “Aaron, how could you act like this on a school campus? Let go of Arielle right now!”
Aaron’s brows pinched together into a frown. Just as Aaron opened his mouth to reply, a gust of frigid wind swept through the area.
Swiftly, Aaron pushed Arielle out of the way as he dodged backward.
In the next moment, a sharp dagger hurtled through the air where Aaron once stood before embedding itself into the front wall.
If Aaron had not avoided this attack, the dagger would have pierced his heart.
Everyone was taken aback by the scene.
Was the slapping incident not enough? Where did this dagger come from?
The moment Aaron sensed the attack, he had his hackles raised. Swiftly, he looked in the direction where the dagger had come from.
After gaining her long-awaited freedom, Arielle quickly backed away from Aaron before turning in the same direction, too.
Immediately, she caught sight of a broad-shouldered man who was dressed entirely in black. There was an icy look gleaming in his dark eyes.
This intimidating man was none other than Vinson himself.
Instantly, Arielle’s eyes lit up with joy. “Vinson!”
In big steps, Vison crossed the room. “I’m sorry I’m late,” he murmured softly.
When Vinson addressed Arielle, the coldness in his eyes was replaced with affectionate warmth.
The woman shook her head. Vinson’s presence alone made her giddy with joy. I thought he was still in Horrington.
“It’s you.” Despite the smile on Aaron’s face, his eyes were devoid of any amusement.
Vinson shifted his attention back to Aaron again. This man is a stranger.
Narrowing his eyes, Vinson questioned, “Who are you?” A domineering aura began to surge from his body.
“Me?” Aaron smirked and sneaked a glance at Arielle as he spoke. “I’m her man.”
Promptly, Vinson’s mood took a drastic turn.
With lightning speed, Vinson lunged forward and clamped his hand around Aaron’s throat.
When the latter noticed how quickly Vinson had closed the distance between them, disbelief flitted across his eyes.
Vison’s speed was frighteningly fast that even Aaron, who had been trained in martial arts ever since he was young, could not keep up.
How is this possible?
“Do you want to repeat yourself?” Vinson spat with clenched teeth. Mercilessly, he tightened his vicious grip around Aaron’s throat. It seemed like Vinson was moments away from snapping his neck.
The throbbing pain finally caused Aaron to return to his senses.
Despite the dangerous situation, Aaron did not even flinch. “As expected of the famous Mr. Nightshire. Your skills are impressive, but are you sure you can escape unharmed if you kill me here?” Aaron goaded him with a smug grin.
“I don’t know. Can I?”
When Vinson tried to make his move, a large group of bodyguards surrounded him in the blink of an eye.
“Do you really think you can stop me with these men?” Vinson sneered.
All of a sudden, a group of troops from the Specialized Forces rushed in.
As two groups confronted each other, the tension in the air was so thick that one could slice it with a knife.
Including Marcus, everyone else who had gathered in this area was at a loss for words.
With the appearance of the Specialized Forces, this face-off had escalated into something much deadlier than a mere fight.
“Mr. Nightshire, please keep in mind that you are on school grounds.” Marcus reminded. “C-Can’t you settle this somewhere else?”
As Marcus spoke, he looked at Arielle pleadingly. “Arielle, please say something.”
If both men engaged in a fight, this battle would have a negative impact on Jadeborough University’s reputation.
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 996
Shocked
Arielle understood Marcus’ concern. Thus, as much as she wanted to clarify things with Aaron, she hesitated and went to Vinson instead. “Let him go first, Vinson. You shouldn’t do this in a school, no matter what.”
Eyes flashing with hostility, Vinson looked as if he had completely lost control.
Having no other choice, Arielle could only pretend that she was injured. Drawing in a deep breath, she groaned, “Ouch! That hurts…”
His spine stiffening, Vinson finally loosened his grip on Aaron and turned over to hold her. “Where were you injured?”
Arielle immediately grasped his hands, shaking her head. “I wasn’t hurt, but please pull yourself together, Vinson. We’re in a school.”
Hearing that, Vinson clenched his teeth unwittingly. He could not believe he had just been carried away by his concern for her and had gotten fooled instead.
By the time he turned back toward Aaron, the latter had already moved almost ten meters away from him but was just as unwilling to back down.
“I’ve heard a lot about you, Vinson Nightshire. Now that we’ve finally met, then let’s show each other what we’ve got!”
“Mr. Aaron!” His subordinate immediately hurried forward, whispering into his ear, “Vinson’s not just any other man. We can’t go head-to-head with him lest he discover our true identity. Think about the big picture! Since we’ve already done what we came here to do, then let’s get out of here now.”
Aaron was truly reluctant to do that.
It had not been easy grabbing hold of Arielle this time. He had even been thinking of bringing her straight back to Turlen with him.
He absolutely refused to leave just like that!
“Please, Mr. Aaron!” His subordinate’s eyes were red with desperation as he went on urgently, “We really have to leave now. Don’t forget that you still have another task!”
Hearing that, Aaron had no choice but to grit his teeth. He then waved his hand, signaling for them to leave.
However, Vinson stopped them from leaving.
“Stop them! Bring them back to the Specialized Forces!” came Vinson’s command suddenly.
The men from the Specialized Forces immediately charged forward to surround Aaron and his men.
However, in the same instant, Aaron retrieved an unknown object from his pocket and tossed it on the ground. A thick, yellow gas immediately rose from the ground and filled the air.
“Cover your noses!” Arielle called out at once, and those present instantly heeded her advice.
However, by the time the yellow gas dissipated, Aaron and his men were already nowhere to be seen.
Even Vinson, who was standing beside Arielle just a moment ago, had vanished as well.
Despite that, Arielle knew he was not abducted but had gone after Aaron instead, as she had heard his footsteps hurrying after them earlier.
Marcus was utterly stupefied.
“What on earth just happened? Is someone shooting a film here?”
“It was a smoke grenade. Not the type typically used by the military but custom-made in Manchernius,” Arielle explained.
“Will it cause any side effects?”
Arielle shook her head. “No. It’s just a colorless and odorless gas. It could cause weak hands and feet if too much is inhaled, but the effects should go away soon.”
Hearing that, Marcus hurriedly ordered everyone to open the windows backstage.
“This student… I can’t let him stay here anymore. I should make a police report. Yes, that’s what I should do!” he muttered as he pushed a window open.
“Don’t worry. I don’t think he’ll ever appear here again. Besides, there’s no need to go to the police. The Specialized Forces are already here,” Arielle responded.
Marcus froze for a moment and then scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed. “Gee, look at me.”
“This isn’t the time to worry about that chap, Mr. Brown. We should be reassuring the others instead,” Arielle reminded.
Only then did Marcus realize most of the students backstage had just been frightened out of their wits by what had just happened.
Students nowadays were mostly raised in protective bubbles. How many could possibly have experienced such a terrifying event before?
Even Wendy was still slumped limply on the floor next to her mother, unable to overcome the shock.
In fact, it was hardly a shortcoming on her part. After all, Vinson’s and Aaron’s auras were indeed exceedingly powerful and perhaps too much for ordinary people to handle.
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 997
Penniless Wendy
Marcus hurried off to comfort the students.
As for the Specialized Forces, some of them had gone after the vanished men after the gas cleared, while others stayed back to protect Arielle.
Under the guidance of Arielle, the remaining squad members began helping to reassure the students as well.
Even though the incident that just happened was indeed frightening, it was, after all, not a gunfight or actual combat. Thus, with the combined efforts of Marcus and the Specialized Forces, the students’ and their parents’ emotions soon began to stabilize.
The atmosphere backstage eventually returned to normal. After giving a stern warning, the members of the Specialized Forces classified the recent incident. Thus, no information about it was leaked to the outside world.
Once the order was restored, Arielle suddenly remembered the reason she had headed backstage and went to make her payment.
After she made the payment of fifteen million, she approached Marcus, carrying the vase in her hands.
“I’m returning this to you, Mr. Brown.”
“Didn’t you just win this at the auction?” Marcus asked, bewildered.
Arielle shook her head. “I just wanted to contribute to the charity event. You and I both know that the Southalls are to blame for the state of that village. Even though I’m not technically a member of the Southall family, I still hope to do something to make up for it.”
Nodding, Marcus accepted the vase and praised, “I was right about you, Arielle. I made the right call back then when I decided to let you attend our school.”
Before Arielle could respond, Wendy’s voice rang out. “Oh, cut the pretense!”
Arielle turned toward her with narrowed eyes and intentionally rubbed salt into her wounds. “What was that? Did your mother get her tooth fixed already?”
“Y-You!” Burning with rage, Wendy gnashed her teeth so hard she nearly crushed a few.
Just then, Cecilia could be heard mumbling, “How is that possible? Are you sure it’s not your problem? It’s impossible this card couldn’t be used.”
Surprised, Wendy gave up mocking Arielle and strode toward her mother instead. “What’s wrong, Mom?”
Cecilia frowned. “They said this card isn’t working.”
After having been disgraced so grievously just now, she was merely hoping to regain some dignity by making a huge payment with her card.
Never had she expected the attendant to inform her that her card was unusable.
“How could that be?” Wendy was just as puzzled. “Isn’t this Dad’s secondary card?”
“Maybe there’s not enough balance in it?” the attendant asked instinctively.
“That’s impossible!” Cecilia denied it outright. “Unless Greene Corporation has gone bankrupt, this card would never run out of credit!”
The attendant spread her hands before her. “Well, in that case, I have no idea what went wrong, then. I swiped it many times, but the payment just wouldn’t go through. Do you have another card?”
Gritting her teeth slightly, Cecilia fished another card out of her purse and placed it on the desk.
“There! Use this!”
That was her own card. It contained a significant amount as well, but Daniel had no idea it existed.
“I’m sorry, but this card can’t be used either.”
“Huh? How could that be possible?” roared Cecilia, glaring at him, wide-eyed. “Are you deliberately sabotaging me?”
In his perturbation, Cecilia almost let slip on her Horington accent.
However, her outburst instantly attracted the attention of those around her, and heads swiveled toward her at once.
The attendant caught on to her insinuation, and his expression darkened as well. “Why would I want to sabotage you? The card just doesn’t work. Look for yourself!”
He held the machine toward them, and Cecilia and Wendy both leaned forward to look at it, only to find that the attendant was speaking the truth.
“No way! This can’t be right!” Cecilia was practically jumping in rage as she spoke.
Sneering, the onlookers began murmuring among themselves.
“Haha! Wendy and her mom just bid against our goddess for that sculpture, but now they don’t have enough money to pay for it. I swear, I’m gonna die laughing!”
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 998
Shut Up
“My God! What an embarrassment!”
“Do you guys remember how Wendy was just jeering at Arielle for bidding for something she couldn’t afford? Well, I just saw our goddess paying fifteen million without batting an eye! Looks like Wendy’s the one who’s really feigning affluence after all!”
The students from the preparatory class shook their heads in disdain.
“Tsk! Tsk! Our goddess just spent fifteen million on a vase for the sake of charity, unlike that mother-and-daughter duo, who cared only about challenging our goddess despite not having any money! What a disgrace indeed!”
Sharp-eared, Cecilia had no trouble overhearing those gossips and immediately bellowed in anger, “Shut up, all of you!”
“There’s no way our family can’t afford fifteen million,” Wendy stated coolly as well. “This machine’s definitely broken.”
The attendant shook his head. “No, I’m sure it’s fine. Arielle just made a payment of fifteen million a moment ago. Don’t you have another card?”
Arielle again!
Her fist clenched tightly, Wendy reached into her purse and whipped out her own card.
“Dad’s probably contracted a few big projects this month and used up all the credit limits. Here, Mom, use mine instead.”
Cecilia nodded in agreement, unable to find a better explanation for what was going on. “All right. Let’s use yours for now.”
Thus, Wendy nodded and confidently extended her card to the attendant. “There you go.”
The attendant reached for it expressionlessly. After performing a series of actions on the card machine, he returned it to Wendy again.
“I’m sorry, but your card was the same.”
“W-What?” Wendy’s face became dark as thunder, and her voice turned cold. “Are you sure you didn’t make a mistake? How could my card not work as well?”
She knew for a fact that there was more than a hundred million in that card.
The attendant shrugged. “I don’t have the answer for that, but I did try that card twice with the same result. Do either of you have a spare card?”
Wendy’s jaw tensed as a wave of panic surged in her chest.
She had a sudden premonition that something had gone wrong with their family business.
However, she brushed that thought aside as quickly as it came.
After all, Greene Corporation was considered one of the most accomplished businesses in Horington. What trouble could they possibly face all of a sudden?
“No, my card is definitely fine. Besides, I haven’t even been spending much this month, so there’s no way it’s hit the credit limit. Please try it again.”
However, the attendant was already fed up with it.
“I just told you. I tried twice, and it still didn’t work. If neither of you has another card, then why don’t you step aside and give your bank a call to find out what went wrong? At least others could make their payments while you’re at it.”
Wendy had never been embarrassed because of money in her life before.
She glanced at her mother peevishly. “What’s going on, Mom?”
It was then that Arielle stepped in. “Why don’t you swipe my card? Then we’d know if it’s the machine’s problem.”
Wendy loathed Arielle with a passion. The thought of accepting her money was revolting to her.
However, she did want to find out if the machine was indeed being faulty.
Thus, the mother and daughter merely exchanged a glance, silently agreeing with Arielle’s suggestion.
A pleasant smile came upon the attendant’s face when he saw that it was Arielle. “Sure. Let’s try Arielle’s card, then.”
With that, he quickly ran through the same series of actions on the card machine again.
Seconds later, a long beep sounded from the machine, and the payment went through at once.
“Looks like the card machine works fine.” Arielle turned to Wendy with a half-smirk. “Now you owe me fifteen million, Wendy Greene. Don’t forget to pay me back, all right?”
She had not offered her help out of kindness. Far from it, she had done so with the sole intention to disgust Wendy.
That mother-and-daughter duo simply did not know how to watch their mouths, and it had finally gotten on her nerves.
Just as she had expected, the moment those words were uttered from her mouth, a look of plain disgust washed over Wendy’s face at once.
Seeing that, Arielle felt her mood instantly lifted.
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 999
She Did It To Disgust Her
Stomping her feet angrily, Wendy pointed at Arielle’s face, reprimanding her, “How dare you! You were deliberately doing that to disgust me, weren’t you?”
“Of course,” Arielle admitted openly. “It was your own fault for not having any money in your card, or I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do so.”
“You!” Wendy was so mad she could barely catch her breath.
Thoughts flashed through her mind—how Arielle had slapped her mother and caused her to lose a tooth, how she herself had been forced to submit to Arielle time and time again, how she had been nicknamed a “nutcase” because of Arielle, and how Arielle was taunting her in front of everybody right now.
There was so much rage built-up in her that she simply could not suppress it anymore. Taking a large stride forward, she raised her palm and swung it toward Arielle’s cheek.
However, Arielle caught her hand mid-air.
Wendy merely stared at her, utterly stunned. She knew how much force she had used, and Arielle should not have been able to seize her wrist so easily.
Nevertheless, it just happened.
She immediately struggled to break free from Arielle’s grasp, but she soon realized her efforts were completely futile under Arielle’s powerful grip.
“Trying to hit me?” Arielle sneered.
Narrowing her eyes, she swiftly raised her other hand and landed a tight slap on Wendy’s face instead.
Not only was she already a woman with incredible physical strength, but she deliberately put her might into that blow as well. With that, Wendy’s cheek immediately swelled up with redness before everybody’s eyes.
“How dare—” Wendy immediately started to scream, but before she could get another word out, Arielle had landed another hard smack on her cheek.
Caught unawares, Wendy accidentally bit down on the insides of her cheek, and blood began dripping down the corner of her mouth at once.
Seeing that, Cecilia immediately hurried toward her.
However, she had barely taken two steps when two men from the Specialized Forces stepped forward to stop her, holding her back by the arms on both sides.
“Now, listen carefully!” Arielle swept her gaze across Cecilia and then turned back to Wendy, going on frostily, “I used to put up with your sh*t only because there was a reason to do so, but that reason no longer exists now. So, if you ever dare to disrespect me again, I will slap you over and over again until you stop. Do you understand?”
“Y-You—”
Arielle immediately cut her off with another smack. “I asked, do you understand?”
“I—”
Slap!
Another brutal slap hit her face.
“Don’t talk. Just nod.”
Wendy was unable to break free, nor was she able to strike back.
Face burning with pain and humiliation, she could only nod in submission.
Satisfied, Arielle finally retracted her hand. Shaking out her palm, which was sore from all that slapping, she turned to Marcus innocently. “You saw that I was only defending myself, didn’t you, Mr. Brown?”
Marcus decided to take Arielle’s side. “Yes, indeed, you were. How could you hit her, Wendy?”
Huh?
Wendy stared at him, flummoxed and speechless.
A smile graced Arielle’s lips. Her mood was indeed significantly improved.
Then she approached Marcus, stating earnestly, “Although I was only defending myself, it looks like Wendy’s injuries are much more severe than mine. So, to make amends, I’m willing to leave this school on my own account.”
Marcus’ eyes widened in shock. “L-Leave this school? B-But Arielle, you only struck Wendy in self-defense. There’s no need to quit school because of that.”
“I’ve made up my mind, Mr. Brown. I’ll come over to sign the paperwork tomorrow.”
Marcus stared at her, utterly perplexed. “W-Why are you doing this, Arielle?”
Wendy was just as dumbstruck.
What is she trying to do? Was she just attending this school for fun? She’s leaving now that she’s had enough of it?
“I only came to this university to experience university life again. Now that I’ve gotten what I came for, then it’s about time for me to quit this place,” Arielle responded mildly.
Wendy listened in stupefaction, unable to believe her guess was correct after all.
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 1000
Dropping Out
“Are you sure you really want to drop out?” Marcus asked, thoroughly heartbroken.
Arielle nodded. “You must have forgotten that I’d graduated from Maxwell University previously. There’s really no need for me to complete my studies here.”
Marcus understood it perfectly, but he could not help feeling sorry to see her go.
After all, Arielle was a student of unmatched brilliance. If only she graduated from Jadeborough University, the school’s reputation would definitely be greatly enhanced.
Instantly guessing Marcus’ concerns, Arielle immediately smiled, adding, “Don’t worry, Mr. Brown. Jadeborough University will always be my alma mater as well.”
“All right, then,” said Marcus, visibly relieved. “I’ll go over the paperwork with you tomorrow.”
Arielle responded with a nod. Then she turned to Wendy, asking, “I’m dropping out of this school from tomorrow onward, but you still owe me fifteen million. When do you plan on paying me back?”
Wendy was struggling to process the fact that Arielle was quitting school after having had enough fun when she suddenly heard herself being reminded to pay back her debt.
Humiliation shot through her heart once again.
Enduring the searing pain on her cheeks, she burst into anger. “I didn’t ask for your help just now!”
“Oh?” Arielle cocked an eyebrow. “Is this your attempt to deny what just happened?”
Indeed, that was Wendy’s intention. However, it was not so much because she was reluctant to see her money go. She just wanted Arielle to feel the pain of spending more than she could afford as well.
Wendy figured whatever money Arielle had, she had probably only gotten it before Henrick was imprisoned, and it should not have been that enormous an amount either. Added to the fact that she had just made two payments of fifteen million each, there should not be much left anymore.
However, just as Wendy was about to offer her sculpture to Arielle as a gift, the onlookers began sneering at her again.
“Isn’t Wendy simply shameless? Forget the fact that she doesn’t have the money, but now she’s also trying to deny having borrowed it.”
“She even pretended as if she was rich during the auction, insisting on bidding against Arielle for the sculpture. I wonder which acting school she attended that turned her into such an actress.”
“Even though she’s wearing perfume, it won’t cover that nasty stench of a b*tch that’s coming off her…”
Wendy’s face immediately darkened.
These people must be blind!
Arielle had just slapped her in front of everyone. Not only had none of them helped her, but even Marcus, the principal, sided with Arielle and claimed that her actions were only self-defense.
Although it had been Wendy who started it, Arielle had not suffered even the slightest injury. Instead, it had been Wendy herself who had been so brutally slapped that it hurt for her to even speak normally.
This isn’t fair!
Wendy’s eyes reddened with fury, and she secretly decided that once she got out of this place, she would ask her father to hire an assassin to kill Arielle, once and for all.
However, all eyes were on her in the present moment, and she had no escape. Thus, she changed her mind, retorting coldly, “I wasn’t trying to deny anything! All I meant is that I don’t need your help! Here, I’ll transfer the amount to you right now!”
She figured her card might be unusable for whatever reason, but she should not have any problem doing a fund transfer with her phone.
“Give me your bank account details!” she demanded in an angry tone.
Shrugging nonchalantly, Arielle showed her the QR code on her phone.
Although fifteen million meant nothing to her, she was not going to let Wendy get away with even a single cent of her money.
However, several seconds soon passed, but Wendy was still operating her phone, looking immensely annoyed. For some reason, beads of cold sweat had formed on her forehead as well.
Arielle could not help but feel puzzled and began to wonder if it was possible that Wendy seriously could not even afford fifteen million, which to her was far from a considerable amount.
In the next instant, Wendy simply lowered her phone, her expression stiff. “The internet connection’s not stable here. I’ll transfer it to you later.”
Arielle became even more suspicious.
With narrowed eyes, she took advantage of the moment when Wendy was still distracted and quickly snatched Wendy’s phone out of her hand.
“What are you doing? Give me back my phone, Arielle!”
Wendy immediately leaped forward to grab her phone, but it was too late. Arielle had already seen the words displayed on the screen.
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