Ch. 131..140
Loving You In Secret Chapter 131-It seemed she had underestimated Tyler's charm.
'This man...means nothing but trouble!' Vicky grumbled to herself.
There were few women who could escape his grasp, if he so desired.
She shot him a glare. "Tyler, are you trying to make a fool out of me again?"
Tyler's dark, smoldering gaze met hers. ’What?"
Though she was upset when she recalled what happened the time before, she realized that she could not bring herself to be angry at him when she looked into his eyes.
She muttered, "You deliberately ruined my dress and forced me to change into something horrendous at Senior Hart's birthday celebration. You just want others to laugh at me, don't you?’
Vicky knew that wearing such an outfit to the party would make her a fool.
Tyler's expression darkened. "I want others to laugh at you?”
"Am I wrong?’
She would have caught all the attention during the party before had Cece not been in trouble.
"That won't happen again." Tyler's voice was low and husky, laced with lethal temptation. ’Be a good girl and change."
Vicky narrowed her eyes while staring at his handsome, unblemished face." Why do you keep insisting that I change?"
They were merely tolerating one another when they attended Senior Hart's birthday celebration, so it made sense that he wanted to make her look foolish. However, since their relationship had improved, he would only embarrass himself on his birthday if she appeared lackluster in front of all the guests.
Vicky knew that Tyler had no reason to bully her into changing.
He shot her a predatory look, causing her cheek to twitch and her heart to race.
His gaze seemed to possess unknown magical power that could set her entire being ablaze.
Ignoring the heat on her cheeks, she asked, "Are you doing all these because you think...I'm too beautiful today?"
Vicky's beauty was undeniable and eye-catching that could strike the hearts of many, and she was the focus of all attention wherever she went.
People tended to direct jealousy on what captured their attention, which explained why Vicky was always the subject of scandals whenever she appeared, and why even the smallest mistakes she made would be exaggerated.
Tyler's eyes reflected her alluring features as he muttered, "Yes, you look ravishing today."
With that, he devoured her lips once again.
It was unknown how long they were lost in the moment until they heard someone knocking on the door.
"Sir, madam, the banquet is about to begin," The servant reminded them softly from outside the door.
A few seconds later, Tyler said, "Okay.'
As the party was about to start, Vicky gently pushed him away. 'Alright, stop messing around, I need to fix my makeup."
The lipstick on her lips completely disappeared.
Tyler frowned as he scanned her dress, still reluctant to give up the idea of having her change her outfit.
She tiptoed and gave him a gentle kiss with resignation as she whispered in a soft voice, "I can't dress too casually today. I need to crush all those women who admire you and defend my position as Missus Hart... It's just for today, okay?"
A dazed look appeared in his eyes as he stared at her beautiful eyes, and since they were inches away from each other, she immediately noticed the change in his expression.
He was looking at her intently, but it felt as though he was seeing someone else through her.
Loving You In Secret Chapter 132-She even spotted the storm of emotions in his eyes that disappeared within a moment.
It felt as though she had dropped into a pool of ice-cold water, and the happiness she felt earlier all faded away into emptiness.
'Is he really looking at me?' She thought and blurted out, "Ty-"
The daze in his eyes vanished, as though it had all been her imagination, as he agreed, "Alright."
She froze, her thoughts too jumbled for her to snap out of her mind.
Seemingly unaware of the odd look on her face, he said, "Go ahead and fix your makeup. I'll go downstairs to check on the others."
He let her go and smoothed his hand down her ruffled hair before strolling away.
The door closed between them, and she stood still as she turned to study her reflection once again.
'Was he looking at someone through me?’ she thought. 'If that's the case, how exactly do I resemble that person he is thinking of? If I resemble that person so much, why has he ignored me for three whole years? Am I just imagining things because of what Nikki said and someone like that doesn't even exist?’
Silence fell over the hall when Vicky appeared.
Since she had been seen with Tyler frequently at other parties, her status had risen and most of the people managed to tell that the wind had changed.
Vicky Shaw was no longer the laughingstock of Stoneford City.
Tyler spotted Vicky as well and excused himself from his business partner and strode toward her.
Music filled the air and he stopped before her, before extending his hand toward her as an invitation. "May I have this dance. Missus Hart?"
It was his birthday and it made perfect sense for him to share his first dance with his wife, but this had never happened in the past few years.
Tyler's action had conveyed a message to everyone at the party: his relationship with Vicky was no longer as distant as it used to be.
The others gaped at the sight.
Tyler did not have to do such a thing, but he chose to invite her to the first dance, aiming to inform and warn others that Vicky was no longer his wife only by title.
All the rumors concerning their differences and conflicts vanished at that very moment.
Moved, Vicky was instantly reminded of what Tyler said to her before.
"I don't like the crowd. Let's spend my next birthday without a party and just the two of us."
At the time, she was confused and asked, "But what about this time?"
He did not explain much and simply said, "Not this time."
She had thought that he needed to take advantage of the party to meet with potential clients, but she realized at this very moment that he insisted on having a party for her sake.
Her heart melted as she was overwhelmed by emotions.
Tyler scowled at her lack of response and said, "Vicky?"
Loving You In Secret Chapter 133-Vicky snapped out of her reverie and placed her hand into Tyler's palm under everyone's watchful gazes.
The two of them stepped into the dance floor.
She was beautiful and charming, and he was handsome and elegant. This combination was harmonious beyond description.
At this moment, they gazed into each other's eyes.
From a distance, they looked like lovers deeply in love with one another.
However, the majority of the guests knew what their relationship was like and was only impressed by how great the two were at acting.
The melodious music echoed in the brightly lit banquet hall, and other guests began to follow their lead as they stepped into the dance floor.
"What's wrong?" Tyler looked at Vicky and asked, "Are you not happy?"
Vicky was not one who was used to showing her emotions, but she was incapable of hiding her emotions seamlessly. Tyler was sharp enough to notice Vicky's emotions.
"No.’’ Vicky said, "I'm just afraid I'll forget how to dance and embarrass you."
Tyler stared at her with his deep, dark eyes. "You wont."
Vicky felt slightly dazed from the proximity between them and was further confused when she heard his answer. "What do you mean?"
"Even if you don't know anything, you won’t embarrass me. No one will dare to ridicule you."
Vicky felt as though her heart was stung.
No woman on earth could resist a man like Tyler when he showed the slightest sign of caring about them.
Ever since she lost her memory, the walls she built within her were already on the verge of collapse, and they would crumble into ruins with just a gentle push from him.
After a few seconds of silence, she said, "Thank you."
She knew that no one would dare to mock or humiliate her anymore.
Tyler gazed into her emotionless eyes. "What's wrong?”
Vicky knew she had no reason to be unhappy on his birthday.
She had everything that came with the title of Missus Hart compared to the beginning, so there was no reason for her to be dissatisfied.
If her memory was intact, she would not have dared to even dream of such a thing. However, when she remembered the dazed look in his eyes when he looked at her earlier, she felt as though she was suffocating.
Vicky wanted to lie, but Tyler was really too perceptive, her lies simply would not escape his eyes.
A few minutes of silence later, Vicky finally said, "I just keep getting a feeling that all these aren't real because it feels like a dream. There's a big difference between never getting something and getting it, before eventually losing it... It's something anyone would struggle to cope with, no?"
If something was destined to be lost, it would be better not to have gotten it in the first place, i
She was madly in love with him before she lost her memories to the point that she could not let go.
The memory loss after the car accident was a gift from heaven meant to set her free from the fear of leaving him, yet she fell for him all over again.
Would she really be able to let go when she was required to do so?
His piercing gaze held her captive, his eyes dark and fathomless.
He tightened his grip around her arm and pulled her into his embrace. His strong, sturdy form enveloped her delicate figure.
"Is that what you're worrying about?" he asked, his voice low and husky.
She nodded quietly.
Tyler's lips curled ever so slightly. "As long as you don't want a divorce, I won't bring it up again either."
Her long lashes quivered as she gazed up at him.
He was like poison that tasted as sweet as honey. He was a flame and she was the moth that could not help but fly toward him, knowing that it would lead to her demise.
Even after years had gone by, her heart would break all over again whenever she thought of that moment, but it was too late for regrets.
Loving You In Secret Chapter 134-The sorrow Vicky somehow faded because of what Tyler said.
"If you want a divorce, you're more than capable of doing it, even if I'm against it..." she muttered, before coming to a sudden halt as though she was reminded of something.
Tyler studied her delicate features, and his voice deepened. "Are you that reluctant to let go of me?"
Vicky knew he already knew the answer to his question. "Do you not know just how reluctant I was in letting you go?"
Her love for him ran so deep before she lost her memories that she could hardly survive without him.
He stared at her intently. "What about now?”
"What?"
"Are you willing to let me go now?" it n
Vicky did not want to answer his question, but he kept his eyes trained on her as though he would not give up until she did.
She narrowed her eyes and smiled. "Well, do you like me better now, or before?"
Tyler fell into silence as well.
Vicky was surprised. She had thought that Tyler would say that he preferred her character after losing her memories, because that was the impression she had on him since she had done what she failed to do in the past.
However, his silence left her in bewilderment.
Just as she was about to ask him about it, his phone rang and the two stepped out of the dance floor.
The person who called relayed his wishes to Tyler and apologized for not being able to attend his birthday party.
Tyler exchanged a few words with the person and hung up.
"Tyler!" Just then, a gleeful voice rose from behind them, and a figure in a flash of crimson red color appeared before him.
With a sweet smile on her face, Maria handed the beautifully wrapped gift in her hands to Tyler. "Happy birthday, Tyler!"
Vicky scanned Maria from head to toe, noticing that she was dressed in an even flashier shade of red compared to Vicky. Because of that, Maria naturally stood out from the crowd.
How Tyler felt about Vicky was not a secret within the elite community, and no one would have been foolish enough to show up with such an eyecatching outfit as a guest. However, not only had Maria dressed in bright red, but the pattern on her gown was even more intricate than Vicky's as though she was the host of the party.
However, despite how splendid her dress was, Vicky outshone her by appearance alone.
Maria ignored Vicky and stared at Tyler with anticipation and longing.
Loving You In Secret Chapter 135-Tyler merely glanced at Maria's gift and made no moves to accept it. "Okay. II
Maria was undeterred as she opened the gift before him. "Tyler, I saw this necktie at the mall and thought it was perfect for you. Why don't you put it on and see if it suits you?"
Once she had the necktie in her hand, Maria walked toward Tyler to put it on for him but was stopped by a slim figure before she could approach him.
"I'm sorry, Miss Sparks, but he doesn't like your gift."
Maria acted as though she had just noticed Vicky and said, "Miss Shaw, Tyler didn’t even say that he doesn't like it. I don't think it's appropriate for you to make the call without asking him what he thinks about the gift, is it now?"
Every guest who attended the party, including Tyler, referred to Vicky as ' Missus Hart', but Maria was the only one who called her 'Miss Shaw'.
Vicky smiled. "He is my husband, and I'm the host of this party. We're a couple and what's his is mine, so my thoughts represent his as well." She paused for a moment and continued, "You probably don't understand what a marriage is like because you're single. Miss Sparks. Regardless, any adult with basic common sense would know to keep a certain distance from a married man. What you did earlier is very inappropriate."
Vicky had not shown mercy in the way she spoke, and Maria's expression instantly darkened.
She clenched her fists until her nails cracked and turned to look at Tyler with tears welling in her eyes. "Tyler, just look at her..."
"Am I wrong, darling?" Vicky said as she turned to look at Tyler, feeling far more confident compared to the times before.
When Maria framed her for stealing, Tyler had helped her despite feeling appalled by her, so there was no reason why he would not side with her at the moment.
Still, her heart raced when she stared into his dark eyes.
He studied her quietly with amusement and said, "Yes. Whatever the missus says."
Vicky finally realized why all women were weak to sweet words.
She smiled and turned her attention back to Maria, who paled at Tyler's words, and said calmly, "Miss Sparks, please don't get too close to my husband again. I don't appreciate it."
She then took Tyler's hand and turned to leave.
Maria glared daggers at Vicky as they walked away and hissed, "Let's see how long that smile on your face will last, Vicky Shaw!"
After running into Maria, who was dressed in bright red, Vicky and Tyler ran into Sheila in a white gown.
Sheila was a smart woman and did not do anything out of line apart from greeting the two and handing Tyler his gift, before leaving.
Countless powerful figures and wealthy businessmen came to talk to Tyler halfway through the party, and Vicky took it as her cue to give him space.
As soon as she left his side, other ladies and mistresses came to talk to her, and it took her a long time to speak with each of them.
When it was all finally over, she went to rest when she spotted a figure in the comer of her eye.
Vicky stilled and turned to walk toward the figure.
Loving You In Secret Chapter 136-Before Vicky could get closer, the person seemed to have sensed her presence and turned.
The woman was not surprised at all and smiled at Vicky before greeting her with a soft voice. 'Miss Shaw, it's Mister Hart's birthday today. Why aren't you by his side?"
Displeased by the way she was addressed, Vicky deadpanned, "Why are you here, Miss Mayland?"
Nikki was dressed in a light blue gown, and her features looked enchanting with makeup. "You must be curious as to how I got in without an invitation, Miss Shaw." Nikki tugged her hair behind her ear and smiled. "I'm in no position to be invited to a party like this, but I'm here...as a performer."
"A performer?"
"That's right."
In an extravagant venue, all guests looked elegant in their splendid clothing.
It was a world where Nikki did not belong.
"You've been to enough parties like this, and you should know that performers are often hired for these occasions to play the violin or piano. So, I'm here to perform,’ she said, before shooting Vicky a half-smile. "You wont have me thrown out of here just because you are afraid to let Mister Hart hear me playing, would you?'
There was a hint of resentment in Nikki's smile, and it baffled Vicky as to why she would feel so confident, when all Tyler did was listen to her performance a few times and saved her from trouble once.
"If you're here to perform, do as you please,’ Vicky said and turned to leave.
"Vicky Shaw," Nikki gritted out. 'You're not even Mister Hart's type. Why won't you let go?”
Vicky scowled. "That's between me and him, so it's none of your business."
"He likes to listen to the piano, and you can't even play it! You're not even qualified to be a substitute for the person he truly loves!’
Vicky wanted to ignore her, but the look in her eyes immediately darkened at Nikki's words.
"Miss Mayland, I'm my own person, and I'm no one's substitute. Also, this whole thing is just an assumption that you made subjectively."
To Vicky, Tyler enjoyed listening to music as a hobby, just like how she enjoyed reading. What Nikki mentioned about Tyler looking at someone else through her, might just be an illusion as women who were in love tended to read too deep into the lines.
Amused, Nikki said, "Vicky Shaw, rumor has it that you're deeply in love with Tyler and refuse to let him go. I think that's all false, isn't it? If you do love him, how can you not know he's in love with someone else?"
"If you're trying to say that he dazes off from time to time when he looks at you...well, I do that when I'm looking at others, too, but that doesn't mean I'm thinking about someone else. It just means that I'm thinking about something."
"Looks like you don't intend on believing me."
Vicky smiled. "If he truly loves another, why didn't he divorce me? I can't play the piano and have nothing in common with this person, so why would he care for me so much? Do you think that we're just acting like we are getting along?"
Rendered speechless, Nikki paused for a while and said, "If you insist on being this stubborn, don't blame me for what I'm about to do."
She then moved forward, and when she was about to walk past Vicky, Nikki stumbled backward as though she tripped.
Loving You In Secret Chapter 137-Nikki instinctively reached out to grab Vicky to steady herself, but Vicky instinctively moved away from the abrupt movement.
Crash! The tower of wine glasses next to them collapsed, and Nikki fell onto the shattered glass.
"Goodness, what's going on?!’ a woman's gasp echoed in the hall.
When Vicky turned around, she saw a flash of crimson red charging toward her while screaming, "Oh my god! What happened?! Someone fell! Oh my god... Her hands! Someone call the doctor!"
Only a few people noticed what happened at first, but Maria's scream brought silence to the hall as everyone turned to look at them.
Vicky's lips curled into a cold sneer when she saw the dramatic act Maria put on.
'This woman seems to hate me a lot, huh?' she thought to herself. 'She first tried to frame me, and now she's coming at me on Tyler’s birthday.'
Vicky turned to look at Nikki, who paled at the pain.
'These two are teaming up against me? How do they even know each other?'
Once she had everyone's attention, Maria hurried over to Nikki to help her up-
"Miss, are you okay?"
There were long, bloody wounds on both Nikki's arms and calf, and her hands were in a horrible state.
"I'm fine...' Nikki muttered.
Just then, someone in the crowd recognized her.
"Hey. Isn't that Nikki, who was famous for a time?"
"Yeah, I know her. I heard that she's really good at playing piano... I was kind of busy and didn't have the time to listen to her perform. When I finally had the time, she had already resigned."
"Why is she here? Why is she on the floor? Did she fight with someone?"
"Don't you know about this? Tyler Hart had gone to the same bar almost every day for a period of time...until someone allegedly said that they saw Vicky at the bar. That day, Nikki had quit, and Tyler hadn't gone to that bar again since then."
Rumors spread extremely fast in the elite community, and a lot of people knew about what happened.
"I heard that Nikki was invited to perform here... Does Vicky really have to be that jealous to forbid her from playing the piano?"
"Tyler loves a woman who is good at piano. That's how Sheila caught his eyes in the past..."
"Can Vicky play?"
"They wouldn't be on such bad terms before if she could..."
"Really? I thought she was raised in a wealthy family. She has to have learned to play, right?"
"It's not that she can't, but she's not that talented either. She played in public once and it was hard on the ears...’
"My goodness. Vicky is as ruthless as always. She destroyed Sheila's hands in the past, and she's now coming for Nikki."
Loving You In Secret Chapter 138-All the noises attracted the other guests, and they began to walk closer to the three of them.
Tyler, on the other hand, was nowhere to be found, which gave Maria the boost of courage she wanted.
"Miss Shaw, is this necessary? Miss Mayland is only here to perform for Tyler. Everyone knows that he likes listening to piano music. It's bad enough that you don't know how to play it. Isn't it too much to forbid others from playing for him?" she spoke, raising her voice.
Vicky stood in the middle of the crowd calmly. "Miss Sparks, you've just gotten here, so why are you so sure that this is my fault? Have you stopped being an actress and switched professions to become a director or something?’
Maria stilled and glared at her. "I wasn't far away when I saw you approaching Miss Mayland and pushing her toward the wine glass tower to prevent her from performing," said Maria as she turned to look at a certain spot. ’Those people saw you as well. They're all witnesses!"
Vicky had never laid eyes on the witnesses Maria referred to and realized that Maria had come prepared. Those people whom she claimed to be witnesses must have been bribed to agree to whatever she said ahead of time.
Vicky did not panic and smiled. "It's not that I don’t want to believe you, Miss Sparks. You once tried to frame me for stealing your bracelet in front of everyone the time before, remember? Are you getting a kick out of this for you to keep coming back for more?’ 1
Rendered speechless, Maria snarled, "Why you—!"
A lot of the people in the hall knew about the previous incident of how
Maria ended up humiliated for trying to accuse Vicky of a crime she did not commit.
Just then, Nikki, who looked as pale as a ghost, said weakly, "Miss Shaw, I've tried to explain to you multiple times now. Mister Hart only enjoys listening to me playing piano, and that's why he keeps coming to the bar. There is...nothing between us, and we haven't even spoken to each other that often. He only saved me from trouble out of the kindness of his heart.
"I've already resigned after you came to talk to me. I didn't want to come today because I'm about to leave this city, but since it's Mister Hart's birthday and I owe him for helping me the time before, I didn't know how else to repay him... If he likes listening to the piano so much, I thought I could play one last time for him and stay out of your sight afterward."
Her voice was gentle and frail, giving her an innocent appearance when paired with the pale look on her face.
People tended to sympathize with the weak, and since Vicky did not have a good reputation to begin with, the others started to look at Vicky with contempt, even though they did not dare to condemn her out loud.
It seemed foolish to act out on jealousy at such an occasion, and what Vicky did fit her persona of the lady of a fallen family who was capable of nothing even with Tyler's help.
"Miss Shaw, it's been so many years and you still haven't grown out of your ways... You seduced Tyler and tore him away from Sheila years ago, and as if that wasn't enough, you destroyed Sheila’s hands out of fear that Tyler would still care for her.
"Miss Mayland is just an ordinary civilian who makes a living off playing piano. You've already cost her her job over nothing but rumors, and now...’ She paused as she looked at Vicky. "Miss Shaw, we all know that you love Tyler and get jealous easily, but...you have to know your boundaries at some point."
Loving You In Secret Chapter 139-"Today is Tyler's birthday, and everything you do represents not just yourself but Tyler as well. You're embarrassing him." Maria lowered her voice but made sure that she was loud enough for the others to hear her." How about you apologize to Miss Mayland and we'll all forget that anything ever happened?"
Maria and Nikki partnered to paint a picture for the other guests.
Not only were the elite members of Stoneford City invited, but there were also wealthy individuals from all around the world present at the hall who were not aware of Vicky's past or the rumors about her.
After what Maria and Nikki said, those who did not know what happened in the past started to look at Vicky with contempt.
Maria's lips curled into a smug smile when she saw the looks on the other guests' faces. 'So what if Tyler approves of you as his wife? I want everyone to scorn you; spurn you wherever you go!'
Vicky listened to them quietly before commenting, "Just like what Miss Mayland and Miss Sparks had said, there's nothing between Miss Mayland and Tyler, so why should I envy her at all? Don't you think your claims kind of contradict each other?"
Tears welled in Nikki's eyes. "But you just wouldn't believe me, Miss Shaw... II
Vicky smiled. "Why wouldn't I believe you?"
Nikki did not expect such a question and paused for a moment. "I... I don't know..."
Vicky turned to scan the crowd calmly. "I know that there have been rumors about me going around. It takes the sharpest eyes and brightest mind to tell rumors from the truth, but it's extremely easy to start one. As Missus Hart, I swear that what I'm about to say is one hundred percent true. II
The crowd quieted down.
Vicky did not raise her voice like Maria did nor did she whisper as though she was the victim like Nikki did. She maintained the same tone and speed without a trace of panic or concern on her face.
"I don't want to comment on what Miss Mayland and Miss Sparks said, but I'm sure everyone here saw how Tyler treated me and anyone with eyes can tell how close we are. Even if we’re just putting on an act, I'm no longer the same woman who could be ridiculed without consequence. I used to be relentless in my effort of trying to maintain this marriage and to seek more attention from Tyler. Now that I have what I want, why would I do something so foolish?
"Besides..." She smiled at Nikki. "Why would I be so jealous enough to do something like this to her in public without any regard for the occasion? Is she extremely beautiful? Is she from an extremely powerful family? Is she loved dearly by Tyler?"
Silence fell over the hall, and the guests glanced back and forth from Vicky to Nikki.
Loving You In Secret Chapter 140-Vicky was no doubt far superior in terms of looks, and though she came from a fallen family, her family used to hold a position of power in Stoneford City. Even when the glory of the Shaws had faded, their connections in the city remained. Compared to Nikki, who had no power or connection at all, Vicky triumphed over her.
As for how much they each mattered to Tyler, there were rumors that he had been to a certain bar to listen to Nikki's performance and had helped her once but was not seen again since then.
Whether or not Vicky was involved in stopping Tyler from going, Nikki could not be that important to Tyler if he gave up on her so easily.
Moreover, Tyler had invited Vicky to the first dance in front of everyone at his birthday party.
Even if it was all but an act, it was enough to draw jealousy toward Vicky for what he had done for her. A man in Tyler's status would not have done such a thing if he did not place importance on Vicky to begin with.
Indeed, there was no reason for Vicky to bully a woman who was far inferior to her in every aspect, especially when she was capable of explaining herself in a reasonable manner and did not appear to be a mindless woman.
The crowd wavered, but then Maria's voice broke the silence. "You said that you have no reason to be jealous of Miss Mayland? Ha! Is that so?" Maria stared Vicky in the eyes. "Miss Mayland is talented in playing the piano. Can you do it, Vicky Shaw?!"
Vicky narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists.
Maria studied Vicky's expression viciously, and her tone grew increasingly smug at Vicky's silence. 'You can't, can you? Tyler likes to listen to piano mind to tell rumors from the truth, but it's extremely easy to start one. As Missus Hart, I swear that what I'm about to say is one hundred percent true. II
The crowd quieted down.
Vicky did not raise her voice like Maria did nor did she whisper as though she was the victim like Nikki did. She maintained the same tone and speed without a trace of panic or concern on her face.
"I don't want to comment on what Miss Mayland and Miss Sparks said, but I'm sure everyone here saw how Tyler treated me and anyone with eyes can tell how close we are. Even if we're just putting on an act, I'm no longer the same woman who could be ridiculed without consequence. I used to be relentless in my effort of trying to maintain this marriage and to seek more attention from Tyler. Now that I have what I want, why would I do something so foolish?
"Besides..." She smiled at Nikki. "Why would I be so jealous enough to do something like this to her in public without any regard for the occasion? Is she extremely beautiful? Is she from an extremely powerful family? Is she loved dearly by Tyler?"
Silence fell over the hall, and the guests glanced back and forth from Vicky to Nikki.