Chapter 1532 Are You Pestering Paul?
Ann lacked the energy to respond, yet worried it might be a business contact. So she replied: [Yes.]
A moment later, a message arrived: [I'm Elara Reed. Emily tells me you've been chasing after Paul?]
Ann had no idea who Elara was, but recalling Paul's words earlier that evening, she quickly realized this must be the woman destined for marriage to him. Her fingers trembled slightly as her confidence evaporated in an instant.
Elara: [I don't care what happened between you and Paul, but I'm the one who'll be joining the Adams family. Our parents are already discussing wedding arrangements. If you have any sense of dignity, stay away from him. You two aren't from the same world.]
Since meeting Paul, more than one person had told her they weren't from the same world. Ann had refused to believe it before, but now, confronted by his legitimate girlfriend, shame washed over her.
Too intimidated to reply, she opened Elara's Facebook profile instead. Like most high-society heiresses, Elara's page showcased study abroad photos, luxury hotels, designer handbags, and images that exuded wealth. Perhaps this wasn't deliberate flaunting—it was simply her everyday life.
The profile featured photos from elite international universities and videos of Elara participating in competitions with foreign classmates. Ann scrolled through post after post like someone under a spell, carefully avoiding leaving any digital footprint.
After thirty minutes of obsessive browsing, she paused at one particular post. It was from the exact period when she and Brody had fallen apart—when construction on the house she'd purchased had halted due to bankruptcy, with Brody demanding repayment while she desperately scrambled for money.
Elara's post from that same time read: [Thank you, Mom and Dad, for giving me the chance to live in a castle.]
It showcased an overseas château whose grandeur in the video barely captured a fraction of its actual magnificence.
Ann felt like she was torturing herself, like a sewer rat peering into someone else's charmed existence. She wiped her face, wanting to laugh but managing only a grimace. Starting her car again, she couldn't bring herself to look at Elara's profile picture.
In that moment, Ann understood with painful clarity: unless Paul were blind, he would never choose her over Elara. She wasn't even worthy of being Elara's handmaid.
Always insecure in relationships, this realization pushed her further into self-loathing.
Back at her apartment, she sank wearily into the bathtub. Shelley called to check on her.
"Ms. Harper, I'm fine. I'm home now. You should get some rest too," Ann said.
Shelley, not knowing what else to say, simply advised her to keep her distance from Paul in the future.
Ann stared at the ceiling, her lips twitching slightly. "Don't worry, I will."
Meanwhile, when Paul returned to the ballroom, Alex was waiting for him, glancing behind him expectantly.
"What did you do to Ann?" he asked.
Paul couldn't be bothered to explain. He grabbed a drink and downed half of it in one go.
"Paul, are you serious about marrying Elara?" Alex pressed. "You've barely spent any time together. She may like you, but that doesn't mean you like her."
"It makes no difference to me who I marry," Paul replied, staring into his glass, his thoughts unreadable.
Alex didn't push further.
In their social circle, who really understood what genuine feelings were? Paul's interest in Ann might not have been love—perhaps just confusion during his amnesia. Cutting ties now was better for everyone.
He gave a light chuckle. "I suppose it works. At least our families know each other well. Though Ann's situation is rather pitiful. See that man over there? That's her ex-boyfriend. He dumped her the moment he set his sights on his boss's daughter, leaving her with an unfinished house. I'm guessing she was desperate when she first approached you with that deal."
This information could have been easily discovered with minimal investigation, but Paul genuinely hadn't known. He only remembered Ann had a significant ex who had nearly married her. Her apparent scheme to get him into bed had led him to dismiss her as cheap.
His gaze drifted to Brody, his brow furrowing. The man was utterly unremarkable, completely forgettable among the gala's guests.
Ann must have terrible taste to waste seven years on such a man, he thought with a cold smirk before dismissing the matter entirely.
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