Ch. 101..110

Chapter 101

Alice looked around her and said doubtfully, "I also remember this being Dylan's place, Grandma. I don't think we've come to the wrong place."

"In that case, how do you explain the flowers? I thought we were in our own garden."

Alice reminded her, "Grandma, there was a commotion at Dylan's place that day. Amos seemed to have bought a large number of potted flowers on Dylan's orders."

Tilly nodded. "Oh yes, I forgot about that. It simply isn't like Dylan to buy so many flowers, though."

After all, Dylan was not one to care much about flowers.

Tilly and Alice exchanged glances.

If it wasn't Dylan's taste, then it would be Kendall's.

Dylan actually changed his yard for Kendall's sake!

"Grandma, are we still proceeding with the visit?"

Alice intently watched her grandmother's expression for any changes.

Tilly was frustrated, but she had nowhere to vent. After all, her grandson was disabled.

Kendall was looking after him now, and it was a good thing for him to be satisfied.

She couldn't meddle in how Dylan treated Kendall.

What if Dylan completely recovered, though?

Tilly heaved a long sigh and said, "We're here already, so we might as well enter."

The two were about to go in when Dylan and his brother walked out. Yoseph was pushing Dylan out in a wheelchair.

Kendall was away to deliver the chicken soup to her mother, and she even took the day off so that she could be with her parents back home. She would depart from the Parker Residence with Kelly tonight, for they would be attending Yasmine's birthday celebration at Zorn Mansion.

She even packed the evening dress she would be wearing tonight.

"Grandma, Alice."

Yoseph greeted Tilly first.

Tilly had a loving expression on her face as she nodded, returning the greeting. She was especially comforted to see Dylan and Yoseph getting along.

"Are you going out, Dylan?"

Tilly asked her eldest grandson.

"I just finished breakfast, and I'm thinking of going out for a walk. Do you have something to talk to me about, Grandma?"

Dylan was quite serious even when dealing with his own family, which was why people found him difficult to get along with.

"What are you saying, child? Can't I visit you just because I want to?"

Dylan pursed his lips, silent.

Ever since his temper grew worse, the servants didn't like working at his place anymore, and even his own family rarely visited him. Even though the reason mainly lay with him, Dylan still didn't feel too good about it. The more upset he got, the more likely he was to lash out at people.

"Where is Kendall?"

Tilly pretended to ask casually.

"She has taken some time off."

Dylan replied in a low voice, "Her foster mother got into an accident, so she took the weekend off to go to the hospital and take care of her foster mother."

Tilly nodded. "Her foster mother raised her for twenty-five years and was very devoted to her efforts. Hence, it's only natural for Kendall to take care of her foster mother when she gets into an accident."

Alice agreed. "She still has this sense of obligation, which is slightly better than Kelly."

Kelly didn't want to go back to her biological mother and never really contacted the woman. She obviously regarded her biological mother with disdain, and she only chased after the benefits she could reap from her foster parents.

"Dylan, you've got yourself so many flowers—"

While Tilly spoke, she paid special attention to Dylan's expression.

"They look good."

Dylan said in a low voice, "Don't you think that the flowers liven up the space? It's not so dull anymore."

Tilly smiled. "Yes, yes, it's much livelier now. It does look nice like this, and you can admire a whole yard of flowers as soon as you go out the door. Your mood will improve greatly."

When she noticed that Dylan's expression was still icy cold, she knew that he didn't want to discuss the subject further, so she said caringly, "Yoseph, take your brother out for a walk. I'll go back and rest. I'm quite old now, you see. I'm already tired from walking this short distance."

The three siblings knew Tilly was lying, but none of them exposed her.

After seeing their grandmother off, the brothers continued walking.

The brothers walked for a bit outside, then it was time for Dylan's rehabilitation. When he was working at it, save for the workers at the rehabilitation center, no one else was allowed to be present. He didn't want anyone to see him struggling and falling just after a few steps.

After spending the afternoon in rehabilitation practices, Dylan was exhausted, and his expression was foul.

Everyone took extra care not to dally about or pass by in front of him, Amos included.

It wasn't until evening when the sun set into the sea did Dylan adjust his emotions after some rest. He called Amos over.

"Young Master Dylan."

"Has Alice departed?"

Alice would also be attending the banquet at Zorn Mansion tonight.

Amos hastily replied, "Not yet, but she'll be leaving soon."

As a butler, Amos would pay attention to everything that was happening in the house.

"Okay."

Dylan responded, but he didn't say anything more.

Amos didn't know what he was thinking. Since Dylan wasn't going to talk, Amos didn't dare ask either, so he could only leave quietly.

After thinking for a bit, Dylan took out his phone and called his sister up. When Alice picked up, he said, "Alice, I'll go to Zorn Mansion with you."

Alice was surprised. "Dylan, are you saying that you want to visit Zorn Mansion and celebrate Yasmine's birthday?"

Before this, Dylan rarely attended banquets, so much so that if anyone could get Dylan to attend their banquet, they would feel extra special.

After the incident, Dylan didn't even attend the banquets his own family held, let alone events that other people organized.

"Yes."

Dylan continued, "Please prepare a gift for Yasmine's birthday on my behalf. Anything will do. It doesn't have to be too expensive, so just take whatever you can find. The less effort you put into it, the better. Don't make her think I have feelings for her."

Just like Laura, Yasmine also liked Dylan.

The only difference was that Laura always had a secret crush on him and never confessed to him. However, Yasmine had been pursuing him for a long time, and she finally backed off after Dylan's incident.

She also stopped liking him because he was disabled.

"Dylan, all the gifts I've prepared are expensive. If you want me to prepare a cheap one on such short

notice, where am I supposed to get that?"

With her head aching, Alice then asked, "Dylan, can't you be more precise?"

He pursed his lips and said, "Never mind, I'll prepare it myself. Come over, and we'll leave together."

"Okay," said Alice readily.

After ending the call, Dylan called Amos over and instructed, "Find the cheapest vase in the house and give it a quick wipe before wrapping it up. It's a present."

Amos was stunned, but he recovered his senses and hastily answered, "Understood."

Who was Dylan giving this vase to? What was more, he had to find the cheapest one too.

"Young Master Dylan, all the vases in the house are antiques," Amos said tentatively.

"Get an unused vase from Peter and wipe it clean. Then, all you have to do is wrap it up."

Amos was speechless.

Peter was one of the gardeners under the Colemans, and he was in charge of tending to the plants. His vases, compared to those in Dylan's house, were extremely cheap!

Did someone offend Dylan, and was he sending this vase to mock them?

"Get going!"

"I'll prepare it right away."

Amos didn't dare make any more guesses as he hastily went to prepare the gift.

 

Chapter 102

At the Parker Residence, Charlotte helped her daughter put on some light makeup, then took a few steps backward to look at her.

"What do you think, Mom? Your daughter is pretty, isn't she? People always say that I picked the best features from you and Dad."

Adam and Charlotte were quite the lookers during their youth, so if Kendall picked their best features, she'd look gorgeous as well.

Since young, whenever anyone saw Kendall, they would tell Sally that the little girl was especially good-looking. They even said that she would win if she entered beauty pageants when she grew older.

Every time, Sally would say that she wouldn't ask Kendall to join any pageants. She just wanted Kendall to grow up healthy and strong, as well as live a good life.

Charlotte smiled. "Of course! My daughter is pretty. If you wear that Cartier necklace I gave you, you'll look even more stunning."

Kendall's smile was meaningful. "Mom, you've given me so much jewelry that I fear Kelly might become jealous. You can give her that necklace later; I think she'll love it."

When she attended the banquet at Zorn Mansion in her past life, Yasmine had drenched her in wine from head to toe. Yasmine had picked on her at Kelly's request, but it was also because of the Cartier necklace she had been wearing.

After the incident, Kelly told Kendall that Yasmine liked the necklace very much, but Charlotte had

bought it first. At the banquet, when Yasmine saw Kendall wearing that necklace, she got mad and poured wine all over her so that she would be disgraced in public.

Charlotte thought for a while and said, "Yes, that works too. I'll give Kelly the necklace later. Kendall, stand up and walk a few steps for me."

Kendall, who was already in her evening dress, stood up and took a few steps for her mother to see. She said smilingly, "Don't worry, Mom. I won't disgrace you."

"The clothes make the man. My daughter dresses up wonderfully and is also a beauty. I'm very comforted to see my daughter so beautiful, a-and already married too."

Charlotte's voice was filled with reluctance to let go when she said the last few words.

Dylan didn't hold a grand wedding for Kendall, and he didn't even make it known to the public that they were married.

If it weren't for Kendall who insisted on it, Charlotte would've definitely knocked on Dylan's door, demanding him to hold a grand wedding for her daughter.

Kendall knew that her decision to marry Dylan would bring sorrow and longing to her parents apart from shock. She hastily walked back to her mother and put an arm around her mother's shoulders.

"Mom, I'm living well right now. I mean it."

"How well can it be? You married in secret, and you can't hold a wedding. I can't even watch you walk

down the aisle in a wedding gown!"

She continued, "Alright, let's not talk about that. We can't change our surroundings, so we'll try and get used to them. Kendall, it's on you to make your life better in the future. Even if your dad and I want to help you, we cannot interfere too easily."

Kendall had married into the Coleman Family, and it was a difficult family to interfere with.

"I'll go check on Kelly."

Charlotte removed Kendall's arm, which was wrapped around her shoulders, then turned around and walked away.

As Kendall watched her leave the room, she even lifted a hand and rubbed her eye.

"Mom, I'll be happy while protecting you at the same time. Believe me," Kendall murmured.

As soon as she came back, she grabbed this golden opportunity named Dylan and married him before getting her parents' permission. She didn't do it to be rude, though. Compared to the tragedy in her past life, she did it just to be free of that tragedy.

Just then, Charlotte knocked on the door to Kelly's room.

Kelly answered the door in her evening dress. Seeing that it was Charlotte, she smiled immediately. "Mom."

"How are the preparations going, Kelly? You're ready to leave, I hope? Kendall is all ready to go now."

As Charlotte entered the room, she said gently, "Kelly, I'll accompany you and Kendall there. Kendall isn't very familiar with those people, so do look out for her."

Kelly said nicely, "Mom, I'll take good care of Kendall, and I'll also introduce her to more of my friends."

Kelly was a little troubled, though. "However, I've tried getting Kendall to join our circle, but she is always hanging out with Amelia, Mom. Even though the Taylors are quite well-off, Amelia changes her heart too easily. She fawns over every man that looks slightly better than the rest, and she even takes photos of them without their permission and tapes the photos up in her room."

She added, "Mom, our circle isn't too big, but it isn't too small either. If Amelia secretly takes photos of a man who happens to be one of our boyfriends, who would be okay with it? Especially knowing that Amelia prints the photos and adds them to her collection?"

After staying silent for a long while, Charlotte said, "Amelia's habits are concerning, but she is very good to Kendall. If Kendall can get along with her, I don't want to stop her from making friends. Still, you have a point. I'll talk to Kendall and tell her to stay with you while keeping clear of Amelia in the future."

After all, Kendall was Dylan's wife now.

Dylan was disabled, but he was handsome regardless.

If Amelia encountered Dylan, secretly took photos of him, then added the photos to her collection, Kendall wouldn't like it either.

"Mom, I'm only saying this for Kendall's sake."

Charlotte took her daughter's hands and patted them while saying lovingly, "Kelly, I know you're doing this for Kendall. I won't blame you."

When she noticed that the necklace on Kelly was too small, Charlotte said to her, "Your necklace is quite small. I have a new necklace with me, and it'll look good on you. You can have it. You'll definitely catch everyone's attention if you wear it to the banquet."

Kelly hastily thanked her, whereas Charlotte got up and went to Kendall's room to fetch a rectangular box. Then, she passed the box to Kelly.

When Kelly opened the box, she saw that it was a Cartier necklace, and she loved it immediately. She took the necklace out and smiled as she said, "Mom, I love this necklace so much. It's so pretty! Thank you, Mom!"

"No need for thanks. You're my daughter, after all. Come, I'll help you put it on."

Charlotte took the necklace from Kelly's hands and helped her put it on. Then, she took off the necklace Kelly was originally wearing.

Kelly looked at herself in the mirror. She felt that she looked even more elegant now that she was wearing this necklace.

She was the heir the Parkers had invested in, and she was raised with so much love and care that she already looked charming enough. No matter what jewelry she wore, she would look splendid at any

function.

"Kelly, even though it's Miss Zorn's birthday banquet tonight, and she's the main star of the show, it doesn't affect the process of you making friends and establishing connections. If you meet a decent man, you have to grab the opportunity."

Charlotte straightened out her foster daughter's dress and said gently, "Don't be affected by the Whittle Family. Mrs. Whittle's actions are simply too outrageous, and their family isn't suitable for you and Kendall at all."

"I know, Mom. I won't think too much about that incident with Mrs. Whittle."

Jackson said that he would also be accompanying his mother to attend the banquet at Zorn Mansion tonight.

Kelly wondered if his arm still hurt.

"You're a clever and capable girl, so I'm not too worried about you. All right, it's almost time for you and Kendall to go. We wouldn't want Miss Zorn to accuse you two of being late, would we?"

 

Chapter 103

Kelly smiled and said, "Mom, I'm on good terms with Yasmine. She won't make a fuss."

Still, she went to fetch her exquisite wallet and stuffed her phone in it.

Charlotte smiled and kept quiet.

However, she had her own thoughts.

Kelly had taken Kendall's place and received the best education since young. She lived a luxurious life and was better than Kendall in every aspect.

Now, Kendall could only befriend people like Amelia, but Kelly could be best friends with one of the people with the highest net worth in Orapolis, Yasmine.

Charlotte found it unfair. If Kelly and Kendall were still close to each other like they had been last year, Charlotte would simply rest assured. However, now that she knew Kelly was trying to plot against Kendall in every possible way, she couldn't bear it.

She had her own reasons for agreeing to Kendall's suggestion to give Kelly the Cartier necklace so that Kelly could wear it to the banquet.

Kendall didn't know about it, so she must have offered it out of tolerance.

But now, Charlotte understood something.

When Charlotte chose the necklace in the first place, Yasmine also had her eyes on the same

necklace. The former had bought it first, so even though Yasmine didn't say anything, the dissatisfaction was clear in her expression.

Yasmine had been spoiled by her family, for she always got what she wanted. No matter how much that necklace cost, she would try to get her hands on it as long as it was something she liked. If she couldn't get it, she wouldn't forget about it so easily.

What would she think when she saw Kelly wearing the necklace she wanted but couldn't get?

Meanwhile, when Kelly saw Kendall all decked out, she was shocked. She never thought that this country bumpkin would look so stunning after putting on an elegant evening dress.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something wrong with me?"

Kendall mischievously asked Kelly on purpose.

"No, it's because you're too pretty—even I am shaken by your beauty. Kendall, you should dress up more often. You are quite decent in many ways, but you're too mindless with your clothing. Mom and I give you so many branded clothes, but you never wear them."

Smiling, Kelly took Kendall's hand. "Look at you now; you look so amazing! If anyone calls you a country bumpkin tonight, I'll tear their mouths open!"

Kendall snorted deep down. When others called Kendall a country bumpkin, Kelly would only feign ignorance and stand far away from her, allowing the others to keep insulting her.

She had always trusted Kelly in her past life, but she eventually met a tragic ending.

This time, Kelly would never have the chance to hurt her with others' hands.

"Let's go."

After Kelly praised Kendall, she took the latter's hand to lead her downstairs. However, Kendall retracted her hand. She didn't look forceful at all as she calmly and proudly descended the stairs.

Since they were both wearing evening dresses and high heels, they didn't drive the car themselves. The Parkers' driver was in charge of taking the sisters to Zorn Mansion to attend the banquet.

Yasmine's birthday banquet was held there. Zorn Mansion, much like Coleman Mansion, took up a large plot of land. Despite the countless famous figures in the business field throughout Orapolis who had been invited, it didn't feel cramped at all since it was being held there.

Zorn Holdings owned an entertainment company. To celebrate the precious Yasmine's birthday, the Zorns arranged for several famous singers to join the festivities, and they would be performing on stage as well.

Tonight, Zorn Mansion was filled with prominent people in business, as well as many beautiful women.

As the star of the show tonight, Yasmine hadn't made her appearance yet. She was still picking out an evening dress in her room.

She went to Laura's store to fetch some of the dresses she had picked out beforehand. Every dress was beautiful, and she thought herself absolutely stunning in every single one of them. She couldn't

choose as every dress was valid.

At that moment, Brian knocked on the door and went in.

He was the fourth son of the Zorn Family, Yasmine's biological elder twin brother, and also the vice president of Zorn Holdings.

"Yasmine, you haven't changed into your dress yet. The guests are filling up the place. You can't hide in the room forever."

When Brian saw that his sister hadn't changed into her dress, he was exasperated as he said, "Are you dissatisfied with the dresses? Shall I ask someone from Laura's store to deliver more pieces?"

"Brian, you're just in time. Come and help me decide which dress to wear. I want to be absolutely stunning and become the center of attention."

Yasmine dragged Brain forward and asked him to help her make the choice.

"You don't know which one to choose, eh?"

Brian smiled as he said, "No matter what clothes you wear, you'll be absolutely stunning. You'd even become the center of attention."

Still, he picked out a dress for her. "Yasmine, why don't you wear this one?"

"Alright."

Yasmine trusted her brother's judgment and happily took the dress with her to change.

When she emerged after changing, Brian whistled a few times and praised, "My dear sister looks amazing. I'll have to stay with you tonight so that I can be your guard and ward off your admirers."

Yasmine blushed. "Brian, stop pulling my leg."

Her birthday banquet was held so grandly because it also doubled as an event for her to choose a suitable husband.

She had liked Dylan before and kept pursuing him. Even though Dylan never responded to her pursuits, her family allowed her to continue in her efforts, and they even helped create opportunities for her to be alone with Dylan, hoping that they could have a union with the Colemans.

Unfortunately, something happened to Dylan, and he immediately fell from heaven into hell.

To a man, the inability to make children was the same as ending up in hell.

Yasmine still couldn't let go of her feelings for Dylan, but she refused to marry him and be childless her whole life. When she knew that Dylan gave Kendall special treatment, she went mad with jealousy. However, she still allowed her family to make arrangements for her. That way, she might be able to pick a good young man from the upper-class society of Orapolis during the banquet tonight.

She could probably find someone on par with Dylan.

Perhaps it could be someone like the head of the Mendelson Family, Frank Mendelson.

As soon as Dylan met with that incident, Yasmine had her eyes on Frank. However, that man was similar to Dylan in more ways than one—he was terribly difficult to get close to.

Fortunately, Frank was attending her birthday banquet tonight.

"Brian, do you think Dylan will come?"

Yasmine asked expectantly.

"Yasmine, with Dylan like that, you should stop thinking about him. Who cares if he turns up or not? If he's here, are you going to stay with him the whole night? He cannot give you happiness anymore, so just forget about him as soon as you can."

Brian fell silent for a bit, then added, "Dylan won't be here. He never liked attending banquets in the past, much less now."

Yasmine was extremely disappointed.

She was greedy; she had her eyes on Frank, but she couldn't let go of Dylan either.

It would be best if she could have both men. Even though Dylan was lacking, Yasmine would still gladly gaze at and admire his face.

"Yasmine, Frank will be here. It's a rare chance, so don't let this opportunity go to waste."

The Mendelsons and the Colemans were sworn rivals. Even though the Zorns weren't involved in the war between the two companies, due to Yasmine's liking toward Dylan, the Zorns were slightly more

supportive of the Colemans.

This time, when they invited Frank to Yasmine's birthday banquet, it was a sign of goodwill toward the Mendelsons. Frank had accepted the invitation, so it was the beginning of a partnership between the two companies.

 

Chapter 104

Of course, the Zorns were cunning enough. They would never really partner with the Mendelsons before Yasmine truly married into the Mendelson Family.

They had to secure an escape route, after all.

"I got it, Brian."

Yasmine nodded, then smiled as she said, "Brian, I need to put on makeup as well, so you can go downstairs first. Please tell me if Kelly has arrived or not."

Brian said, "There are so many people welcoming the guests, so why should I go to the door to wait for her personally?"

Despite that, he was already turning around and getting ready to walk out.

"You're so stubborn with your words! Be careful, for someone might come in and swoop Kelly away. I think she's getting along well with Jackson. She knew him first, and they've known each other for a few years. You have to work harder, Brian! First, you have to confess to her so that she knows you like her."

Brian said confidently, "As long as I have my eyes on someone, I will never allow them to be snatched away from me unless I let go first. Jackson?"

Brian said mockingly, "Only a country bumpkin like Kendall would fall for someone like Jackson. Kelly is a proud and intelligent woman. She, of all people, wouldn't like Jackson at all."

His position and status were also higher than Jackson's, and he looked decent as well. If he confessed

to Kelly, the latter would definitely agree to date him.

"Of course, you're the best. Now go and wait for your future wife."

Yasmine joked with Brian for a bit, then focused her attention on applying makeup.

The sisters from the Parker Family didn't talk much on their way there. When they had almost reached Zorn Mansion, Kelly finally asked, "Kendall, what present did you prepare for Yasmine?"

Kendall looked at the gift Kelly had placed next to her, then lifted the makeup kit she prepared beforehand and answered, "I don't know what presents Miss Zorn likes, so I got her a makeup kit. Women love makeup, so I can't go wrong with that."

Hearing that, Kelly allowed a mocking look to flash across her eyes as she smiled. "Yes, girls usually love makeup and skincare products. You're safe."

"We've arrived at Zorn Mansion, ladies. However, there are too many cars, and we have to queue up to enter."

The driver suddenly spoke to the two women in the backseat.

Kelly rolled down the windows to peer at the entrance of Zorn Mansion. The gates were wide open, but only two cars could go through at a time. There were too many guests tonight, so they had to line up. Still, the Zorns' security guards were giving directions at the entrance, so they shouldn't have to wait for long.

Soon, it was time for the Parkers' car to drive in.

The open-air car park in the yard of Zorn Mansion was huge, so there was enough space for all guests to park their cars.

Kendall coldly watched this scene.

In her past life, she didn't live in the Coleman Mansion, so she didn't know how huge the mansion really was. Hence, when she followed Kelly here, she was taken aback at the sight and gasped at how large Zorn Mansion was.

Kelly had mocked her for her ignorance, saying that she had seen too little of this world.

The car had just parked properly when Kendall saw a tall and strong man in a tuxedo walking toward them.

"Kelly."

Brian strode over and opened the car door for Kelly, smiling as he said, "You're finally here. Yasmine has been waiting for you."

"I'm not late, am I, Brian?"

To Brian, Kelly was a real lady. She spoke softly and smiled a perfect smile, which wasn't too overbearing at all.

Meanwhile, Kendall opened the car door and got out on her own.

As she glanced at Brian, she saw that he only had eyes for Kelly, so she knew that this man was one of Kelly's admirers.

She wondered what Kelly in her past life was thinking. The girl had ignored such a good man and chose to be Jackson's lover instead. Did Kelly do that just to offend Kendall even more?

Kendall looked around her. With her gift in hand, she quietly walked over to Kelly and waited for her sister to end the conversation with Brian.

When Brian saw Kendall walking over to them, he glanced at her. This glance took her by surprise.

He liked Kelly, so he had naturally met Kendall before. According to what he remembered, Kendall was pretty, but she was also quite plain; she wouldn't look like royalty even if she wore a crown. However, when he met her again tonight, Kendall had a sort of aura around her that was stately and elegant.

"You're here too, Miss Kendall."

Brian was still quite gentlemanly as he gave Kendall a courteous nod.

Kendall smiled back, but she stayed silent.

"I heard that you're working as a servant in the Coleman Family. Are you Dylan's free maid?"

Right when Kendall thought this man was a little gentlemanly, his next words ruined his image once again.

Kendall smiled and questioned, "Do I not have the right to attend the Zorns' banquet simply because I'm now Dylan's servant?"

"Of course not. I was just wondering why you'd become his free maid all of a sudden."

Kendall looked at Brian with a half-smile, and when Brian began to feel a little awkward, she replied, "You already know the answer, so why are you feigning ignorance? Are you trying to put me to shame by asking me about this right here? Look, so many guests are parking and getting out of their cars here. They can all hear your question."

She continued, "This is how the Zorn Family treats their guests, eh? How wonderful!"

Her words were, of course, filled with sarcasm.

Brian's gaze darkened a little as he looked at Kendall. It hadn't been that long since he last met her, but she had changed considerably.

This country bumpkin actually dared to mock him about how he treated his guests on his own turf.

On the surface, however, he smiled apologetically. "I was just curious, Miss Kendall. I didn't mean any harm by that. If I have offended you in any way, I'll apologize."

Kendall straightened herself. "Well, you can apologize to me now."

Brian was speechless.

"Kendall."

Kelly hastily intervened and said, "Brian was just curious. He didn't have any ill intentions."

"Yasmine is inside, right, Brian? Take me inside to have a look at our birthday girl. I want to see how beautiful she is."

Kelly intended to smooth things over so that Brian wouldn't have to apologize to Kendall in public.

"You offended someone and said that you'll apologize, but you didn't. Your way of treating guests is really something."

A cold voice suddenly interrupted them.

Everyone turned around to look.

It was the head of the Mendelson Family, and he had just gotten out of his car.

No matter where Frank went, there were always people around him. He commanded a larger crowd than Dylan, for the latter had an extra few guards with him only when he had trouble moving around.

Heavily guarded, Frank strode over to them.

In a very natural manner, he stood next to Kendall and faced Brian and Kelly. However, he didn't spare a glance at Kendall, staring at Brian as he said, "I don't like meddling in others' businesses, but I think you're a shame to all men, Mr. Brian."

Brian was at a loss for words.

Frank was, in fact, meddling in others' businesses right now.

Brian quickly smiled and said, "It's my fault."

He apologized solemnly to Kendall, saying, "Miss Kendall, I apologize for what I said to you just now. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'm a very merciful person, so since you've apologized, I'll forgive you and won't hold it against you."

Brian almost choked.

 

Chapter 105

"Mr. Mendelson, this way, please."

After receiving Kendall's forgiveness, Brian immediately smiled as he led Frank into the house.

Frank kept his gaze away from Kendall and with Brian's courteous invitation, he strode away with his bunch of guards.

It even seemed like he had merely passed by moments ago.

Kelly looked at Kendall with a dark expression, but she held Kendall's hand intimately and said gently, "Kendall, let's go in too."

To an outsider, the two sisters might have led switched lives for twenty-five years, but the two were still on good terms and socialized well with each other. Kelly seemed to treat Kendall with the utmost care, just like how any elder sister would.

When the sisters left, the other people who were still in the parking lot whispered to each other as they watched the two girls.

Some people thought that Kendall was too serious and that she really had grown up in the countryside because she dared to go against Brian and had no sense of danger at all. If she really offended Brian, wouldn't she be scared that she might land the Parkers in trouble?

There were others who thought that Kendall handled the situation well. She refused to let others mock her, for it might turn into more insults later. Now that she had forced Brian to apologize, the man wouldn't mock her so easily next time.

Then, everyone understood the meaning behind Brian's words a little too late.

Kendall was now living with the Coleman Family and she was even Dylan's free maid!

Yasmine soon caught wind of the little episode at the parking lot.

When the Parker sisters entered the house, Yasmine had already come down from upstairs. There was no lack of beautiful women tonight and Yasmine managed to top them all.

"Yasmine." Kelly brought Kendall over with her. She showered praises on Yasmine first, then only did she pass her gift to her friend.

"Kelly, since you've arrived late, you'll have to drink three glasses of wine later." Yasmine smiled as she accepted Kelly's gift. When she saw the necklace Kelly was wearing, her gaze lingered over the necklace for a bit, but she pretended everything was fine as she passed the gift to a maid at her side.

Meanwhile, Kendall noticed Yasmine's gaze. She knew that there wouldn't be any drama since the two were besties, and Brian also had his eyes on his sister's friend. Even if it was just for her brother's sake, Yasmine wouldn't fight with Kelly over a necklace.

Things would be fine as long as Kendall wasn't the one wearing the necklace.

However, with Yasmine's personality, she would still be upset and mind it a little.

"Miss Zorn, this is my gift to you." Kendall gave Yasmine her present.

Yasmine raised her chin and waited for a long while before reaching out to take the gift. She would ask the servants to bring gifts from other people upstairs, but as for Kendall's, she tore open the package in front of all the guests in the house.

The makeup kit Kendall gave her cost more than ten thousand. If it were the circumstances that Kendall lived in before, this price tag would be terribly expensive. However, in the upper-class society, it looked like a measly donation.

That gift was way below Yasmine. She took out the cosmetics and showed them to everyone on purpose. Then, she turned and passed the makeup kit to the servant beside her while saying, "You can have it, Libby."

Libby took the gift and looked at it before she answered, "Miss Yasmine, I don't use such crude makeup."

Yasmine stuffed the makeup kit back into Kendall's hands. "You can take it back and give it to your relatives in the countryside."

"In that case, I shall thank you on behalf of my relatives back in the countryside."

The mistress and her servant were obviously working together to humiliate Kendall on purpose.

The others began whispering again, talking about how stingy Kendall was. How could she be so shameless as to give Yasmine a present that cost only a little more than ten thousand?

"Miss Kendall, you wouldn't mind if I give someone else the birthday present you've given me, would you?"

If it were any other person, they would pale after receiving such treatment from Yasmine and shrivel up in embarrassment. However, Kendall wasn't so shameful, so she said nonchalantly, "I gave it to you, so it's yours. Even if you toss it in the bin, it's still yours, so why would I mind?"

The look in Yasmine's eyes turned cold.

"Master Dylan, Miss Alice."

"Master Dylan is here!"

"Master Dylan is actually here!"

Just when Yasmine was about to insult Kendall further, she heard people calling Dylan's name outside. She was stunned for a while, then was immediately overjoyed as she forgot all about Brian's reminder when she left the crowd behind and went outside to welcome Dylan.

Along with Alice, Ronnie was pushing Dylan over to the house in a wheelchair. There were seven more bodyguards behind them and one of them was holding a long cardboard box in his arms. Ribbons were tied around the box to form a bow at one spot. Anyone could see that this was the present Dylan had prepared for Yasmine's birthday.

Every time Dylan made his appearance, there would be eight bodyguards with him. Ronnie was pushing him in the wheelchair, so the others followed behind. Compared to Frank, he was two bodyguards short.

"Master Dylan." Yasmine smiled sweetly as she strode over to Dylan. Her voice was delicate as she said, "You're here, Master Dylan."

"Happy birthday, Yasmine." Alice sent her wishes first, then gave Yasmine the present in her hands.

"Thank you, Ally."

Yasmine happily received Alice's present and her attitude toward Alice was entirely different from hers with Kendall. Even Kelly, Yasmine's bestie, didn't get treatment as warm as this.

Right then, Dylan swept a glance behind Yasmine. He didn't spot that shameless girl of his, but he did catch sight of Kelly.

He was fairly certain that the girl had gone over to grab some food while everyone came outside to welcome him. She was a foodie, after all. The delicacies would be more attractive to her compared to her own husband.

With that, he turned away.

Kody, who was the one holding the box, immediately went forward and passed the box to Dylan.

Dylan then passed the box to Yasmine and said coldly, "Happy birthday, Miss Zorn."

"Thank you so much, Master Dylan. You're too kind. Your presence at my birthday banquet is the best gift you can give me, so how could I ask you for more?"

Yasmine passed Alice's present to a servant, then held the box in her arms. It was heavy, and she had no idea what was inside.

No matter what it was, as long as it was a gift from Dylan, she would treat it like treasure and keep it safe.

Everyone wanted to know what he had given to Yasmine for her birthday, but she treasured it so much that she naturally wouldn't open it in front of everyone.

The elders of the Zorn Family came out along with the younger members of the family to welcome Dylan, then led him into the house with Yasmine as well.

"Is the sun going to rise from the west tomorrow? Master Dylan actually attended a girl's birthday banquet! This has never happened before!"

A mocking voice sounded coldly. Everyone fell silent in an instant, for that was Frank's voice.

Frank and Dylan were sworn enemies, after all.

Right then, the Zorns were deeply troubled. If they knew that Dylan was coming, they wouldn't have sent Frank an invitation.

Every time these two figures simultaneously appeared in the same place, they would get into a fight that no one could interrupt.

 

Chapter 106

"Yes, isn't this the head of the Mendelsons' first time attending Miss Zorn's birthday banquet as well? If you do see the sun rising from the west tomorrow, you have to record a video of it and send it to me so that I can watch this amazing phenomenon as well."

Dylan's retort almost made Frank choke.

The latter looked at the box in Yasmine's hand, his eyes twinkling as he smiled and said, "Miss Zorn, since you have opened Miss Kendall's present for you in public, why don't you open Master Dylan's as well? Master Dylan doesn't send gifts often, so why don't you quench our curiosity?"

Yasmine didn't know what to do.

She didn't want to open Dylan's present in public, but she didn't want to say no to Frank either.

She had pursued one of them for years, and she wanted to marry him for the longest time.

Meanwhile, the other person was her current target.

Yasmine knew about love, of course. She was simply stubborn on the outside, but on the inside, she knew what she had to do.

She had to marry a man who was on par with her; love could come after that.

The only families on par with the Zorns were the Colemans and the Mendelsons. She was probably asking for too much if she wanted to marry into the Colemans, but the Mendelsons were just the right level for her to marry into.

Dylan glanced at Yasmine.

This woman had opened Kendall's present in public, which meant she wanted to humiliate Kendall.

Yasmine didn't know what Dylan was thinking. When she saw Dylan looking at her, she immediately made her choice. With a polite smile on her face, she answered Frank, "Mr. Mendelson, it's not polite to open presents in front of everyone. I'll open them after the banquet. If you're interested, you can stay back after everything is over, and we can open my presents together."

She could satisfy Frank's curiosity while spending some time alone with him too.

In Orapolis, the more notable young men were Dylan and Frank, but they were also the most difficult people to approach.

No matter when or where they appeared, they would have their bodyguards with them. The bodyguards were deft and loyal, and they would never be bribed with money or benefits. Hence, it was difficult for people to bribe them just to get close to those two presidents.

Dylan and Frank were sworn enemies. They weren't rivals only in the business field, though; they both had similar personalities, and with their similar temperaments, positions, and status, none of them would give way to the other, so they turned into sworn rivals.

Frank chuckled sarcastically.

"It looks like Miss Zorn is also aware that it's not polite to open presents in front of everyone."

His words caused Yasmine to turn red in the face; Frank was mocking her about how she had humiliated Kendall.

"Come, let's all go inside. Master Dylan, Miss Alice, this way, please."

Daniel Zorn, Yasmine's father, hastily intervened and led everyone inside the house.

The two presidents glared at each other as if trying to topple the other with their glares.

On the outside, Dylan was usually cold with his words and attitude. Even though Frank was cold as well, he wasn't a man of a few words. Especially when it came to Dylan, he would speak at length.

"Even Master Dylan's maid is attending this banquet, but why didn't she come with him? If she did, she wouldn't have been insulted, humiliated, or faced any injustice since people would be considerate of Master Dylan's status. I, a mere passerby, had to come over and give her some of the justice she deserves."

Everyone instantly understood what Frank was getting at.

People were wondering why Frank would speak up for Kendall even though he didn't know her at all. It turned out that Frank was simply making use of the occasion to mock Dylan and his uselessness, for he couldn't even protect his own maid.

Even Yasmine, who held countless grudges against Kendall, quelled her anger.

Frank would never have eyes for Kendall!

Only Yasmine was deserving of excellent men like Frank and Dylan.

"President Mendelson, are you asking me for a reward?"

Dylan continued coldly, "Kendall isn't my maid."

She was his wife!

He hadn't arrived yet when Kendall was bullied, so he couldn't protect her. However, from what he knew of her, Kendall would never be at a disadvantage, and she wouldn't even mind Yasmine opening her present in front of everyone. However, it gave Frank a chance to speak up for her, which greatly upset Dylan.

This rival of his seemed to have quietly gotten involved with his wife!

"Oh, she's not your maid? Right, you've discussed marriage with her before, so I guess we could call her your ex-fiancée."

Frank prodded, obviously reluctant to just cease fire right then.

"Kendall is not my fiancée either."

"In that case, who is she to you? She's living with you at Coleman Mansion. This is the first time such a thing has ever happened in Master Dylan's life, after all."

Dylan returned the question, "President Mendelson, that's my private business, so how does that

concern you? You're asking so many questions; could it be that you're deeply in love with me, and that's why you're getting jealous now? Are you blaming me for leaving you alone?"

Frank was speechless. "What do you mean, Dylan? Who's deeply in love with you?"

"In that case, why are you pestering me with such questions? It's Miss Zorn's birthday tonight, but you're taking the spotlight and bothering me. You're trying to cling onto me to show off your rights, so aren't you doing that to get my attention?"

Everyone fell silent.

Frank was speechless as well.

He was so pissed that his face went red. If he had a mustache, it would probably perk up in anger as well.

Dylan was a man of few words, but his words were always shocking to hear.

Just a few suggestive words were enough to drive Frank crazy, and he was stomping his feet in fury while despairing at his inability to retort. He was powerless.

Others would be terrified of offending Frank, but not Dylan. He even offended Frank every single day.

Kendall, who was hiding behind the crowd, had a plate in one hand and a fork in another. She was putting a dessert in her mouth when she heard the man's suggestive words. She almost choked on the dessert, but she managed to swallow it. She didn't feel much better, so she hastily grabbed a glass of wine and took a few gulps from it. She could finally breathe properly again.

Dylan always said that she was shameless, but he was even more shameless than her.

Hah, it was only natural that they became a couple since they were on the same wavelength.

Frank ceased fire, and the Coleman siblings finally entered the house with the Zorns ushering them.

Daniel hinted at a few of his nephews to keep Frank company, while he brought his children with him to accompany Dylan.

Kelly caught sight of Kendall, who was enjoying the food and wine in a corner. There was a look of disdain in her eyes when she nagged at her quietly, "Kendall, how hungry are you? Is eating the only thing you know?"

"I didn't manage to eat anything before leaving the house, so yes, I'm hungry. Aren't you hungry too?"

Kelly was speechless. In truth, she was starving.

"When the gods are fighting, the mortals will be the ones suffering. Small fries like us should stay away as far as we can."

Kelly didn't know what to say.

She looked at Dylan, who was being treated like a VIP by the Zorn Family. She couldn't suppress the fear in her heart. At any given time, she'd feel afraid as soon as she saw the frigid man with his sharp words and cold blood.

Indeed, it would be better for her to stay away from him.

Dylan had arrived, so Yasmine wouldn't have time for her besties.

Kelly knew her place, so she went and got some food herself. However, she didn't stay with Kendall. Instead, she went over to her other friends and began chatting and laughing away.

 

Chapter 107

"Kendall."

As she recognized the familiar voice, Kendall turned around and was surprised to see Amelia.

Akin to Kendall, she was a wallflower in beau monde; every single time she attended a party, she would mind her own business after giving her kindest regards to the host. It was not because she could not fit in amongst the ladies, but rather, she was shunned.

When she first met Kendall, she could feel it in her bones that neither of them belonged to the majority of their surroundings. That was why they hit it off in no time.

"You're late."

Kendall moved to make space for Amelia, who was also holding a plate of delicacies and a glass of wine.

"My mom's the one to blame. She's such a slowpoke; she took the whole afternoon to do her make-up and I almost died out of boredom," grumbled Amelia as she took a seat.

Then, they chewed the fat while digging in and having the blast of their time.

"I heard that there's something interesting going on," said the gossipy Amelia. Though she was late and could not watch the 'show' for herself, she had overheard others gushing about it.

"Dylan is here? That's a surprise. I’ve attended numerous events, but this is my first time seeing him in person." Kendall peeked at the man who stood out amongst the throng despite sitting in a wheelchair.

"That proves how influential Miss Zorn is. We're just a small fry in comparison." Kendall took a glimpse of her husband as well. She was equally shocked by his appearance as he did not mention a word regarding today's party.

"True."

Although the Taylor Family was wealthy, their financial standing paled in comparison to the Zorn Family. In order to immerse Amelia in the world of good-looking people in Orapolis, her mother had jumped through hoops just to procure two invitation cards for themselves.

"Master Dylan is really hot," exclaimed Amelia. However, it was a shame that he could not walk anymore.

"He is. Why don't you take a few photos of him?"

Amelia shook her head immediately. "Anyone but him; I don't have the guts to do that. I still intend to live a long life."

Kendall smiled at her hilarious remark. "He doesn't bite."

"He doesn't bite, but I'd only take his pictures with his consent. Otherwise, I'd rather bury myself with regrets and do nothing." That was one of the regrets that Amelia had, for none of the other guys in her collections were on par with Dylan being an adonis. As long as she could get her hands on his picture, she swore that she would place it at the most congruous position in her house like a prized treasure.

Kendall smiled without uttering a word. During her previous life, she did offend Dylan for Jackson's sake, which made her live in fear all the while. Fortunately, Dylan did not resent her for her deeds and even helped her when she was in a tight spot.

Compared to someone who treated another person well, one would easily appreciate someone who helped them during hard times instead.

"Oh, Kendall. I heard that you're a maid in the Coleman Family. Is it true? What happened?" Amelia suddenly thought of a gossip that she came across and she was worried about her friend. "Is it because of what you had done? You're really one brave girl for dragging your whole family in it for Jackson."

She thought it was not worth it to bring upon trouble to one's own family for love. What kind of spell did Jackson use on her? Or else, how could she sacrifice herself so much and jump into a pit of fire for his sake?

"Amelia, I know it was my fault and I already got over him. After everything I’ve done, going against Dylan for him, not once had he visited me when I was broken-hearted."

In the previous occasion, she did not make herself clear when she told her best friend about getting over Jackson. However, with an added plausible reason this time, Amelia was convinced.

"My job is to take care of Dylan, but everything's fine so far. He doesn't put me in a difficult position."

Instead, Dylan would tap Kendall's head a few times or punish her with a ten-thousand-word-long report at most. Besides, it seemed like she had not submitted her second report and yet, he did not urge her either. She might as well not bring it up and brush things over because writing a long report

without repeated contents was beyond her possibilities.

"Good to hear that." Amelia was relieved to hear that her best friend was not given a hard time by Dylan. She decided to not pry further to avoid knowing too much about him. As her life was at stake, she suppressed the surging curiosity in her and zipped her mouth.

While the two ladies were reveling in their conversation at a corner, the birthday party had finally begun.

The Zorn Family left the two young masters' sides to present the big birthday cake in front of Yasmine. Then, everyone sang a birthday song before conveying their birthday wishes to her. She was the only 'princess' of the Zorn Family at her time—much like Alice—so naturally, her family deemed her as precious as gold. Back at the party, everyone was eagerly trying to surround themselves with Yasmine, merely for a chance to share a photograph with her. Well, Kelly is one of them.

Amelia nudged her friend and challenged her, "Kendall, look at your social butterfly sister. Why don't you learn from her and join the crowd?"

"Forget it. Yasmine and I aren't friends anyway. They are besties."

Kendall suddenly recalled the scene before coming here. Kelly promised their mother that she would take care of Kendall by introducing her to the big guns in the business world. Only Mom would buy her words… I bet she's afraid that I would interact with these renowned figures.

"Cheers." Amelia raised her glass in a toast with her best friend. They looked at each other with a smile before downing their drink.

In the meantime, Jackson—who had not seen Kendall ever since he was here—placed a glass of wine on a maid's tray and pointed in Kendall's direction. "Please pass this glass of wine to the lady over there. She seems to have finished her drink. Let it be anonymous, too. Thank you."

Otherwise, she won't even take a sip of it.

The maid glanced at Kendall and nodded politely before making her way to the corner. As the two ladies had their glass emptied, the tactful maid gave them a new glass each and Kendall had the one given by Jackson.

"Amelia."

Just as they were about to toast again, Sophia came over upon successfully finding her daughter. After Amelia put down her wine glass, her mother pulled her hand. "Amelia, I've bumped into a friend of mine. Let's greet them."

"Go ahead, Mrs. Taylor."

This sort of party was relative to a big blind date; as long as one had children, they would not pass this chance up to hunt a decent in-law for themselves. Obviously, Sophia had the same intention here.

After her best friend was dragged away by her mother, Kendall placed her wine glass aside to get more food from the other side of the area. At the same time, the bodyguards from the Mendelson Family and Coleman Family whispered to their young masters almost simultaneously. Dylan was one step ahead of Frank as he asked Ronnie to change Kendall's drink furtively without her knowing.

Meanwhile, Frank, who did not miss any detail of his rival's action, merely snorted coldly.

 

Chapter 108

By the time Kendall returned after grabbing some food, she could not distinguish which glass of wine was hers. Since Amelia did not have a sip of hers as well, Kendall simply held one of the glasses and leaned against the chair while her eyes fixated on the reveling guests. Having a glass of wine to indulge in as an observer was surprisingly pleasant. Of course, she took a few peeks at her husband too. However, she would avert her gaze as if she was not looking at him whenever their eyes met by chance.

In order to keep herself safe from Dylan's flock of admirers, she would rather not stay by his side on such an occasion. He truly was a capable man; in spite of his disability, women were still hung up on him.

When her glass was half empty yet again, Kendall turned to look at Dylan for another time, only to realize that he had left. Scanning around the vicinity, she did not see a shadow of his figure or even his bodyguard. There were only those surrounding Alice and Yasmine.

Though it was clearly Yasmine's birthday, Alice was equally favored by the guests as well. Alice should be grateful that the Coleman Family was superior to the Zorn Family or she would have been in big trouble.

Absorbed in her thoughts, Kendall smiled lightly. As long as I don't appear in Yasmine's sight like Kelly, she might not cause me any trouble and today will be another peaceful night to end.

Still, trouble continued to come her way although she kept her head down. Soon, Yasmine was seen strolling toward Kendall's way with her best friends trailing behind at heel.

The approaching woman conjured Kendall's memories from her past life. Back to that night, Kendall

gave her regards and wishes to the birthday girl under Kelly's reminder. However, when they were toasting, Yasmine's hand trembled intentionally and spilled some wine onto Kendall's gown. The dark red smidgens on her gown was visible due to the white fabric.

Yasmine feigned that she was panicked and quickly offered to assist to clean the mess, yet she seized the chance by pouring the remaining drink onto Kendall's hand, which caused the forlorn lady to be drenched in red wine.

Within seconds, the white gown turned into a piece of shoddy cloth, rendering her to be the laughing stock amongst the guests. Though she was puffed up with fury, she could not flip out to Yasmine's apologetic face.

Now, would the past repeat itself?

"Kendall, why are you here alone?" asked Kelly as she came to Kendall's side. She whispered into her sister’s ear, "This is Yasmine. You should wish her right now if you wanna get along with others in the future."

"Okay," said Kendall meekly. Once Yasmine was ushered over to the corner like the toast of the crowd, Kendall placed the plate down and wiped her mouth nonchalantly before raising her glass. She stood up as she flashed a smile at Yasmine. "Happy birthday, Miss Zorn. May God bless you with health, wealth and prosperity in life."

The other party merely looked at Kendall with pride, but she remained calm with a polite smile in return.

"Miss Zorn, Miss Parker is wishing you," reminded Alice as she could not bear to see her sister-in-law

being belittled.

Then, Yasmine let out a smile and responded, "Thank you for your wonderful wishes, Miss Parker. Cheers." She raised her glass as well.

It's happening again. I guess I can never run away from my fate, surmised Kendall in her heart.

She acted like she was shocked and lifted her glass at Yasmine. "Cheers. May all your birthday wishes come true, Miss Zorn."

When their wine glasses touched each other with a cling, Kendall's eyes zeroed in on Yasmine, who tilted the glass intentionally to spill the wine on her gown, just like what happened in her previous life! Luckily, she quickly dodged to the other side in time and successfully saved her gown. Meanwhile, a flicker of rage showed in Yasmine's eyes before she masked her ire with an apologetic expression. "Miss Parker, I'm so sorry about that. Thank goodness your gown is alright."

"It's alright."

Considering her gown was still the same as it was, Kendall would rather be the forgiving lady that she was than to be capricious in front of the crowd.

"Enjoy the party, Miss Parker. I shall greet the others." Yasmine smiled and wheeled around.

Keeping her guard up, Kendall stared at her without blinking. As expected, she 'accidentally' stumbled while turning around. While trying to dodge the spilt wine, Kendall took a few steps back, causing her to bump into someone and even stepped onto the person's foot.

"Yasmine."

Kelly reached out her hands to support Yasmine so that she would not fall on her face. However, it was all just a show. Kendall was aware that Yasmine would never allow herself to be embarrassed at her very own party by falling to the ground.

"I'm fine. Miss Parker, are you alright?" asked Yasmine sheepishly, as if it was nothing more than an accident.

Before Kendall could even answer, she let out an exclamation, "President Mendelson." The man appeared behind Kendall out of nowhere.

President Mendelson?

Kendall turned around and saw those gorgeous eyes. Men with such beautiful eyes were said to be untrammeled, yet he was the exception for the reason that he was still single even till today. Even so, he was involved in several scandals with a few female celebrities under Mendelson Entertainment.

The rumors were clarified in no time as it was transpired that the celebrities had attempted to leverage such news to take center stage in the industry. Needless to say, the intention to be the lady of the Mendelson Family did sprout in their mind too.

In contrast to their fantasies, those women had been chastened by a few flops in their career. Anyone could tell that it was a punishment from Frank, who literally ended their careers. Their possibility for a comeback was close to nil.

"Miss Parker, you stepped on my foot," claimed Frank icily.

The eminent businessmen around him could attest to his words as they had seen Kendall running into him. He did not approach her himself, but rather, he was bumped and stepped on to begin with.

"My apologies, President Mendelson. I'm really sorry. It wasn't on purpose."

Yasmine came over and apologized as well, "President Mendelson, it's all my fault. I tripped and the wine spilled in her direction, so she had to dodge it. It was an accident. Please don’t take it out on her, for my sake?"

After hearing her plea, Kendall looked at Yasmine in surprise before glancing at the indifferent man, who could readily give a woman butterflies with that handsome face and engaging eyes.

Perhaps she likes him?

Yasmine sure was not a foolish woman to devote her lifetime happiness to Dylan, who was now disabled. In light of her family's status, Frank was the best candidate whom she could find to be the new in-law of the Zorn Family.

What a realistic woman. Kendall suddenly felt a sense of sympathy toward Frank.

 

Chapter 109

"It hurts a lot to be stepped on by those heels of yours, Ms. Parker." It seemed like Frank was not planning to let Kendall off the hook that easily.

"Then… Why don't you step on me, too?" She tested the water and the glint in his eyes dimmed, making his expression undecipherable.

Kendall had zero idea on what he was planning for her.

Noticing that Frank was staring at Kendall intensely, Yasmine piped up, "President Mendelson, she didn't mean it. Why don't I ask someone to help you get upstairs so that you can be treated?"

Then, he turned to her with a softened gaze and spoke to Yasmine in a gentle tone, "No need for that. Thank you, Miss Zorn."

The indifference was apparent as he told Kendall coldly, "I'll let you off this time for Miss Zorn's sake. However, I have the right to have you bear the responsibility if my foot is swollen tomorrow. "

Kendall was at a loss of words, given her way of dealing with matters was to not run from responsibilities, first and foremost. Besides, she had to take responsibility if his foot was indeed swollen the next day.

After informing her of that, Frank turned around and continued the conversation shared amongst the businessmen, rendering the issue resolved. At the same time, Yasmine glared at Kendall fiercely before heading elsewhere with her friends.

"Are you alright?" Alice stayed instead of following them as she was concerned about Kendall.

"I'm fine."

Alice scrutinized the surroundings before saying in undertone, "From now on, stay by my side and don't wander around alone. Even if you're hiding in a corner, they will still pick on you as long as they wish to do so."

She’s right. Though Kendall remained unobtrusive in a corner, Yasmine came to her nevertheless. Furthermore, Frank, who was not supposed to be anywhere near her, happened to be around the corner with other businessmen. Alice reckoned someone was up to something by pushing Kendall into a fray.

But, where's Dylan? Kendall is now one of Dylan’s people. As long as he's here, no one would dare to lay a finger on her at all.

"Miss Coleman, thank you." Kendall was well aware that Yasmine would not let her off the hook so easily seeing how she failed to embarrass Kendall. Since Kendall did not know what was ahead of her, she decided that it would be best to stay with Alice to avoid further trouble.

"Don't be such a stranger. I must take care of you since you're on Dylan's side after all. They were just acting up because he isn't around here."

The news of Kendall being Dylan's maid had bruited around after Brian brought up the topic intentionally. Tonight, only the prominent figures in Orapolis were present, so that meant everyone from high society was privy to the news. Therefore, even if they were to bully her, they should not do so to Dylan's face unless they were asking for trouble.

"Where's Dylan?"

Alice shook her head. "Beats me. I left for a moment and he's gone. I didn't see him anymore after returning."

"I see," replied Kendall.

On the other side, Dylan was actually settling the score with Jackson for adding something into Kendall’s glass of wine. In the event that she had gulped down the drink, she would have felt her body burning.

Jackson's plan was to have a sizzling affair with her at the parking lot after she had drank the wine. If that plan had worked, he would have been able to put up a facade as a responsible man by marrying her. The Parker Family would then give a green light to their marriage for sure. What a jerk.

At the empty corner in the backyard, Jackson was beaten to a pulp after being dragged over with a sack. While his hands were bound and his vision masked, someone was feeding him alcohol forcefully.

Gulp… He groaned as he struggled to free himself but it was in vain. Since the bitter liquid was plunged into his mouth nonstop.

All the while, Dylan stayed seated in his wheelchair as he watched the scumbag suffering. Ronnie pushed Dylan and they only left the scene after Jackson had gulped all of the alcohol he had prepared for Kendall. The accomplices subsequently released Jackson before fleeing faster than lightning. At last, Jackson was prostrate on the ground as he tried to catch his breath and removed the black cloth covering his eyes. With every ounce of his strength, he propped himself up and scanned the

surroundings, but there was no one at all.

Who on earth dragged me here and tortured me?

After wiping off the streak of blood beneath his nose, he stood up and fished out his phone to call Kelly as he clearly could not return to the party in this state.

Kelly answered the call within seconds. "Jackson, what's wrong?"

Her voice was low as she said, "Haven't you already arrived? Where have you been? I don't see you anywhere."

"Kelly, I think I'm in the backyard. It's quiet here. I think you should come over when everyone isn't looking. S-Someone dragged me out and tormented me. I don't think I can return to the party with a swollen face."

She was shocked to the core when she heard his words. She could have shrieked in surprise if it was not for Brian, who was keeping an eye on her from afar.

This is Zorn Mansion we’re at now! Who would have had the audacity to injure a guest like Jackson? How could they have possibly done that without attracting any attention?

"Jackson, do you know who it was?"

"No clue. They covered me with a sack and beat me. Then, my eyes were covered as they forced me into drinking alcohol. I almost choked myself to death."

Jackson wiped off his nosebleed again before unfastening his tie as his body temperature increased. "Kelly, come to me with some tissues. My nose is bleeding."

"Okay. I'll be right there." In her low voice, Kelly assured Jackson to wait for her before hanging up the phone.

"Kelly." Brian trod toward her in concern. "Kelly, is something wrong? You don't look well after that call."

"I'm fine," she replied gently. "Brian, they're already dancing. Why don't you go ahead and join them?"

He gazed at her warmly and proffered his right hand with a smile. "But I need a partner. Kelly, may I have this dance?"

Since there was no reason for Kelly to decline his invitation, she accepted his hand. However, she kept stepping on him as she was hung up on Jackson. "Brian, I'm sorry. It's been a long time since I last danced and I've lost my touch."

Nonetheless, Brian stared at her deeply as he brushed it off by saying, "Don't mind that. Is something on your mind, Kelly? You can tell me. I'll help you with anything."

 

Chapter 110

Kelly avoided his gaze as she said, "I'm alright, Brian. But I have to go—"

Before she could excuse herself to the restroom, a commotion could be heard from outside and Brian frowned. Who on earth has the audacity to cause a ruckus at his place on such an occasion? As the host, he had the obligation to make sure everything was under control. All the other guests, including Kelly, also went outside to satisfy their curiosity.

As soon as they stepped outside, they saw people swarming toward the backyard where Jackson currently was. Kelly pondered, Are they heading there for Jackson, perhaps?

"Let's have a look, Brian. I wonder what happened." Despite her anxiety, she feigned curiosity and yanked Brian to the direction of the crowd.

Nobody in the room could resist themselves from gossip and that included Kendall, who decided to join the throng with Alice after having her fill.

"Kendall." The two ladies stopped in their tracks when they heard Dylan's frosty voice.

"Dylan." Kendall came over to him instantly with a smile. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Where are you going with Alice?"

Alice walked toward him as well and tried to explain in Kendall's stead. "I just wanted to know what's going on, so I brought her along. It wasn't her idea."

"Stay where you are now!" He insisted. Kendall and Alice exchanged glances and were afraid to leave

the scene. Still, he asked Blake to find out what was happening.

Aside from them, the ones who were staying in the house were the leading figures in Orapolis. Even if their curiosity was piqued, they would rather wait for others to tell them the news instead of finding it out by themselves. Meanwhile, Frank was swirling his wine glass and releasing the aroma into the air. The smile on his face was inconspicuous, yet no one could see through him.

Soon enough, Blake returned and bent down to whisper into Dylan's ear. Kendall zeroed in on Dylan to observe the nuance on his face, but she was disappointed by his calm expression. This man had his guard up so high that she could barely read his mind even after two lifetimes. She had still paled in comparison to him.

"Blake, what happened?" inquired Alice since Dylan had no plans to spill the beans anyway.

Blake glanced at his boss, who did not seem like stopping him, before clearing her doubts. "Miss, it was Mr. Whittle. He has harassed Miss Caddel."

Kendall was stunned. Jackson harassed Miss Caddel in the backyard? Was he here all along?

She did not see him anywhere and thought he would have kept his head low for a time being after Frank had fragmented his arm.

Alice was surprised as well and she questioned further, "Is Miss Caddel alright?"

"She screamed for help and someone rescued her in time. She was fine but she was trembling in shock in her ripped gown. Ms. Caddel almost killed Mr. Whittle on the spot."

Kendall looked at Dylan, who happened to be gazing at her too. The married couple locked eyes and she cottoned on the situation within seconds. Even so, she held her tongue as it was a bad time to ask questions right now. Akin to her, Alice realized that there might be a scheme, which would be inappropriate for them to discuss here.

Anyway, Yasmine's birthday party had become a total fiasco due to the sudden turn of events. In light of her character, she definitely started to bear resentment toward Jackson.

Kelly loves Jackson. So, what will she do when Yasmine is going to get back at him? Just the sheer thought of the outcome lifted Kendall's mood.

Kendall did not return home with Kelly since her vacation was over; she informed her mother about it earlier that she would return to Dylan's place instead.

"Dylan." Kendall approached her husband, who was shutting his eyes.

"Speak."

"Dylan, were you the one causing Jackson trouble?"

Jackson was not that big of a daft to harass Krystal at Zorn Mansion like this. It was obviously a plot and Dylan was the only one capable of doing so at such a place. To the best of her recollection, he did leave for a while.

"Why? Do you feel bad for him?" retorted Dylan as he turned to look at her indifferently. A ominous glint flashed across his eyes. He would strangle her to death if she had admitted anything along the line.

"Marvelous job, Dylan!" praised Kendall. Why would she be concerned about Jackson when she resented him so much? For this lifetime, her heart would ache for anyone but him.

Dylan snorted. "What a cruel woman."

"I'm not cruel. I just don't wanna make the same mistake again."

His brows knitted tightly as he sensed something was wrong with her statement. Yet, he did not pry any further. To be fair, Dylan was a little upset that she had not revealed her secret to him when he sincerely wished for her transparency.

"Did Yasmine give you a hard time?" He averted the topic.

"She's Kelly's best friend, so it's normal for her to dislike me," claimed Kendall calmly. "But I’m fine, so don’t worry."

His eyes dimmed. "You saved her."

Words failed her as she stared at Dylan. Then, she threw herself into his arms and hugged his waist tightly. She remained unwared no matter how many times he tried to remove her arms. Conceding his defeat, he relented her shameless act.

"Thank you, Dylan!" a grateful Kendall said softly. "You're so nice to me."

In their previous lives, he let her off the hook even after she had offended him and even lent a hand when she was in a bind.

"I am not. I just don't want any of my people to be stepped on. They gotta always keep in mind who your boss is."

Nestling in his embrace, she raised her head and he lowered his gaze on her before averting his attention. His voice remained icy as he said, "You're not cruel but a self-indulgent woman."

Dylan's face stiffened immediately when he heard that. "I told you not to call me that."

"I don't care. You're my husband, so I can call you whatever I like. We even have our marriage certificate to attest to that."

"And where's that marriage certificate?"

Kendall had a long pause before answering, "I lost it. No, I think you have it."

They left the Bureau of Civil Affairs together before he knocked her out. By the time she regained her consciousness, it was nowhere to be seen.

"I have one myself. Why do I need yours? I don’t get anything by collecting more."

She responded instinctively, "Wait, how many more do you wanna have? I can sue you for bigamy."

Her answer almost had him choked on his saliva.