Chapter 37
Ella darted back into the private room, and one look at Rachel's cards and Mandy's smug grin told her everything she needed to know. Rachel had probably taken another hit while she was gone.
Sliding into the seat next to Rachel, Ella leaned in and whispered, "Rachel, that woman across from you? She's the one your ex is into. You really gonna let her walk all over you?"
Rachel's calm smile didn't budge. "No worries, it's best of five," she said, tossing out another card.
"Won again," Mandy announced, her grin widening.
Ella gritted her teeth but stayed quiet.
"Rachel, you've already lost two rounds to Mandy. What's the point in continuing?" Monica Turner, Mandy's close friend, chimed in with a smug tone. "Mandy's not heartless. If you apologize, we'll get the best tattoo artist to remove that 'Mic' tattoo."
Mandy, eyes gleaming with victory, looked straight at Rachel. "Ms. Williams, should we keep playing?"
Rachel, still calm, started shuffling the cards. "Yeah, we agreed on a best of five."
Monica sneered, "You had a chance to back out, but you didn't take it. You really think you can beat Mandy? With her skills, you could play forever and still lose!"
"Enough," Mandy cut in, looking at Rachel with a hint of pride. "If you want to keep playing, I'm game."
The game picked up again, the room buzzing with chatter, snacks, and the sound of cards hitting the table.
Monica, always around, peeled an orange for Chloe. "Chloe, how long are you sticking around Summit Ridge District this time?"
"Heading back to the Unity Republic after New Year's," Chloe replied, slamming her cards down in frustration. "Nathan Jones wants a divorce, so I came back early to find a lawyer."
Monica, taken aback by Chloe's mood, spoke more carefully. "Weren't the Jones Family desperate to marry you? They used your family's influence to get so much. How dare he ask for a divorce?"
Chloe paused, clearly weighing her words. "I'm not someone to be tossed aside. I want to see which lawyer in Summit Ridge District is dumb enough to take his case!"
Rachel listened quietly. She didn't know much about the Jones Family in Summit Ridge District since they kept a low profile. She only knew they had a big influence there, kind of like the Garcia Family in Unity Republic.
Chloe strutted around with that air of arrogance, all thanks to her powerful family and her grandpa's backing. Even marrying into the Jones Family, which was on par with the Garcia Family, was a big deal for them.
Rachel couldn't help but think back. If her family hadn't hit rock bottom when she married Michael, would Emily have ever respected her? Would she have ended up losing so badly in that marriage?
Lost in her thoughts, Rachel snapped back to reality when she heard Monica say, "Mandy's getting engaged to Mr. Smith at the end of the year and wants to invite us to dinner. Since you're in Summit Ridge District too, Chloe, let's go celebrate together."
Chloe looked surprised. "I thought she was already engaged to him?"
"They were supposed to be, but the engagement necklace got stolen. What a mess!" Monica scoffed, throwing a side-eye at Rachel. "This time, no screw-ups. Mr. Smith's only inviting close friends to dinner. The wedding's set for Valentine's Day next year."
"A Valentine's Day wedding?" Chloe turned to Mandy. "Is that for real?"
Mandy nodded with a soft smile. "Yeah, Michael thinks we've waited long enough. The wedding dress is already being designed. We just need to pick out the rings."
Monica gushed, "A custom wedding dress, Mandy? Mr. Smith really knows how to treat you right!" She then turned to Rachel with fake curiosity, "Ms. Williams, I heard your wedding was pretty low-key. Is it true you wore a simple dress instead of a wedding gown?"
Rachel stayed silent, not taking the bait.
Monica nudged her. "Come on, Ms. Williams, we've all heard the stories. Why not share?"
Ella, fed up with the mockery, jumped in, "How do you know she didn't wear a wedding gown? Were you at her wedding? Your insinuations are just plain rude."
Monica laughed derisively. "So what if I bring up the truth? She didn't wear a wedding gown. Why should that be off-limits?"
"Everyone knows Ms. Williams was married to Mr. Smith. Are you saying Miss Brown is only worthy of marrying a divorced man?" Ella smirked, turning to Mandy. "Miss Brown, what do you think?"
Seeing Mandy's smile fade, Monica, caught off-guard by Ella's sharp retort, stammered, "That's not it. I don't mean you are just worthy of marrying a divorced man."
Ella's laughter was scornful. "You said 'marrying a divorced man' yourself just now. What was your point then?"
Monica's face turned red with anger as she struggled to respond.
Rachel, feeling a bit uplifted by Ella's defense, looked up just as the door to the private room swung open and an unexpected guest walked in.
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