Chapter 564 Humiliate Violet
Under the bright lights of the lounge, Violet's face turned ashen. Her usually delicate complexion had taken on a sickly pallor, as if all the blood had drained from her features. Her lips pressed into a thin line, trembling slightly as she struggled to contain her rage and humiliation, while her eyes blazed with a cold fury that seemed to pierce right through everything in her path.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she fought to steady her breathing. "That's impossible."
Yvette calmly unscrewed the vitamin bottle, shaking out a single pill into her palm before tossing it into her mouth. She picked up the glass the server had brought, tilting her head back to swallow both water and pill in one smooth motion.
Raising the half-empty glass with a sardonic smile, she said, "Why impossible? Violet, maybe you should take a look in the mirror."
"What?" Confusion flickered across Violet's features.
"Take a good, hard look at that jealous mask you're wearing right now."
"You—!" Violet's finger shot out accusingly, her restraint finally snapping as she looked ready to tear Yvette apart with her bare hands.
Yvette's lips curved in casual indifference. "Are you planning to stay here and let Albert see that twisted expression of yours when he arrives?"
The words hit their mark. Violet's breath caught—she knew she couldn't linger here any longer. Albert could appear at any moment, and she needed to avoid him at all costs.
"You'll come crawling to me someday," Violet spat venomously before storming out of the lounge.
The moment Violet disappeared, Yvette's carefully maintained facade crumbled. Her body seemed to collapse in on itself as she sank heavily against the sofa back, no longer able to mask the agony coursing through her. Her hands clenched into fists, knuckles white with the effort of containing her pain.
Her real medication was hidden in her purse. With trembling fingers, Yvette retrieved the concealed pills—her lifeline. She threw her head back and swallowed the bitter tablet like a final act of defiance against fate. The pill slid down her throat, carrying away both her suffering and her stubborn pride.
The medication was nauseating without water, but she forced it down, grateful she'd had the foresight to ask for a drink. Gradually, as the medicine took effect, her body began to relax and the pain slowly receded. She closed her eyes, finding a moment's peace in the temporary reprieve.
Finally, Yvette allowed herself to breathe. Thank God Cheryl's maid had brought her that bottle of vitamins earlier—she'd been too rushed to put it away properly and had simply tossed it in her purse. Without that convenient prop, she never could have deflected Violet's suspicions so effectively.
If Violet ever discovered the truth about her condition, she'd undoubtedly find ways to make everything worse. Yvette had learned firsthand just how vindictive the woman could be.
Her phone buzzed suddenly—Albert's name flashed on the screen. Yvette stiffened, realizing she'd nearly forgotten about returning to the gala. Albert was still waiting for her.
Biting her lip, she answered the call. "What's wrong?" Albert's voice carried a note of concern.
"I'm coming back now," Yvette explained quickly. "I was just feeling a bit tired, so I came to the lounge for some water."
In her haste to return to the ballroom, she forgot to tuck the vitamin bottle back into her purse.
David sat in his spacious office wearing a perfectly tailored suit, a file folder in his hands and an air of composed authority about him. His eyes scanned the business news playing on the television screen until the footage switched to a lavish evening gala. His expression immediately darkened, his gaze sharpening as his grip tightened on the documents.
From across the city, the grand opening dance was being broadcast live—Albert holding Yvette in his arms as they moved gracefully across the floor, their image searing itself into David's vision.
Under the glittering chandeliers, surrounded by elegantly dressed guests, Albert and Yvette looked like two stars dancing in perfect harmony against the night sky.
The office door burst open suddenly, interrupting David's brooding thoughts. The unexpected intrusion caused him to drop his files, papers scattering across the floor.
James entered, noticing David's furrowed brow as he stared at the fallen documents. He casually bent to gather them up, though the once-pristine papers were now crumpled from David's earlier grip.
James glanced at him with puzzled amusement before his attention was drawn to the television broadcast.
After a moment's observation, he raised an eyebrow mockingly. "Well, that explains your mood—watching your brother and sister-in-law's romantic display."
His voice dripped with sarcasm, but David merely shot him a glance without responding.
"They're married, you know," James continued with obvious derision. "No matter how much it bothers you, even if you crush every project file in my company, it won't change anything."
James had expected his barbs to provoke some reaction, but David only frowned slightly and asked with barely concealed impatience, "Dad, what brings you to my office at this hour? Please get to the point."
Finding his mockery ineffective, James felt somewhat deflated. Remembering his purpose, he cleared his throat. "Since Albert and Yvette are so blissfully happy and you clearly can't interfere, perhaps it's time to consider other options."
"Such as?" David's tone remained flat.
"It's time you went on some blind dates." James's words hung in the air like a verdict.
Arranged marriages for business purposes were commonplace among wealthy families, and the Valdemar Family was no exception.
Previously, James had considered David obedient and well-mannered—prime material for the most advantageous business marriage—so he'd held off on pressuring him into blind dates.
Albert, on the other hand, had seemed less useful, so whenever wealthy young ladies showed interest in David, James had tried to substitute Albert for the business arrangements instead. Rebecca, for instance, had initially set her sights on David.
But Albert had never been one to be manipulated so easily.
David's eyes narrowed before a bitter smile crossed his lips. "Weren't you the one who always refused to let me go on blind dates before? What changed? Now that I'm disabled and have no other value, you're resorting to this method too?"
It was clear that his disability, combined with all the messy complications involving Albert and Yvette, had made him less appealing to the better prospects among the wealthy elite.
Now James was simply looking to marry him off to anyone who would have him, squeezing out whatever remaining value he could.
James raised an eyebrow but didn't deny the accusation. "Blind dates would benefit both you and the Valdemar Family. Lisa and I won't be having any more children, and your grandmother is still with us. Getting married and starting a family sooner rather than later isn't a bad thing."
There was truth in James's words. Albert already controlled most of the Valdemar Family's wealth, and if Cheryl's assets were also distributed to Albert and his children, David and his father would be left with nothing.
David looked up with calculated interest. "Who is it?"
"The Bennett Group heiress from Aquamara," James replied matter-of-factly.
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