If I told her that there’s nothing wrong between Larry and me, will she be stunned? Joan was contemplating over what she should do. Even so, she did not let it show on her face.
“Of course not. Recently, Larry has been returning home quite late, and I feel uneasy being alone. That’s why I’ve been feeling down…”
Haha, Joan, do you take me as a three-year-old child? Do you think I’ll take the bait so easily when your lies are clumsily put together? Accommodating Joan’s reasoning, Gabriella pretended to be surprised. “Oh, I see. Regardless, you should be wary. Who knows, he might be seeing another woman as charming as you behind your back.”
A chill ran down Joan’s spine. They had not seen each other in ages, yet she tried to sell her the idea of an affair so nicely.
“Don’t worry. Even if such a woman does appear, I will haunt her down as I did to you in the past!” Joan taunted.
Right away, Gabriella’s expression hardened, but she quickly tried to cover it up. She stammered, “Actually…I have a question for you…”
“Since when did you learn to ask questions this way?” Joan took the chance to poke fun at her.
“Forget about it if you don’t want to entertain me. You don’t need to put up a show with me,” Gabriella returned to her original tone. This made Joan feel more at ease since she was used to this side of Gabriella.
Joan chuckled, “Go ahead and tell me then.”
“Has Landon ever mentioned… me?” Her last word was laced with uncertainty. From Joan’s memory, Gabriella used to call him ‘Dad’ all the time. Yet, she was calling him by his first name now.
Only now did it click in her head. Gabriella’s sudden change in character was not unfounded. After all, she was a young mistress from a reputable family before her doting father threw her out of the house. He even announced that he had disowned her in an interview in order to protect his company.
Of course, there was a reason for her demise. If she did not carry out such nasty schemes, she would not have to see a day like this. That said, her personality would not have changed either.
Joan shook her head. However, it was not because Landon did not mention Gabriella, but because she did not have the chance to meet with him since Larry had rejected the partnership with the Ward Group even before her dispute with him.
Meanwhile, the patrons at the table beside them were monitoring the stock market for their profits and losses.
“The stocks that I recently purchased are a good investment! It’s been doing really well.”
“Recently, stocks have been in a bull market. However, why aren’t the Ward Group’s stocks rising? I bought it while they were rising, yet it has stopped moving since.”
Coincidentally, they mentioned the Ward Group, and Gabriella picked up on every word they had said.
Raising the cup of coffee from the table, she stirred the drink with a spoon, creating a circle on the foam.
“So he hasn’t mentioned anything about me? Hmph.” She snorted, “I think he must be barely getting by…”
“Is this why you wanted to come out with me?” Joan sipped on her coffee, exuding the aura of a socialite.
Covering it up, Gabriella slyly smiled, “Of course not. I’m also here to mock at your troubled life.”
Joan thought there was no way to communicate with the other woman. Noticing that her coffee was had cooled down, she gulped it down before using a tissue to wipe her mouth. Then, she stood up and announced, “I’m going off. Since you wanted to treat me, you can foot the bill.”
