Chapter 197 Counterattack
The crowd was stunned!
Jessica, Debra, and even Ada, a die-hard Alexa fan and Vincent's friend, were all floored.
'Wow, Evelyn's wearing Alexa's 'Sea Rose'! I've only heard about it, never seen it,' Ada thought.
Evelyn stayed calm, giving Vincent a thankful look.
She didn't need to explain much. Vincent would handle anyone with bad intentions.
Edward's intense gaze never left Evelyn, his eyes slightly reddening.
He was sure Evelyn knew this guy, and their relationship wasn't ordinary.
"Who's that old man?" Edward asked coldly.
"Vincent, the global CEO of AX. His grandpa was the last Duke of Yatuok, and his grandma founded AX. Basically, the brand's his family business, and he's just playing CEO for fun," Bart said with a wink. "Plus, Vincent's inherited the title and a huge estate from the royal family. He's also one of the top five richest men in Yatuok. Mrs. Wellington sure knows some impressive people!"
Edward's breathing got heavy, his Adam's apple bobbing, and he clenched his fists in frustration.
"Mr. Garcia's standing up for Mrs. Wellington? Is he interested in her?"
Bart sighed, "If he is, she might become a duchess!"
"Impossible. Vincent's old enough to be her dad. She wouldn't be into him," Edward said firmly, frowning.
Bart got more excited, "You never know. Maybe she likes older, mature men. After all, she was into you, and you're six years older than her."
Edward's gaze was icy, cutting into Bart.
'Six years older and over twenty years older, not the same thing,' Edward thought.
Bart broke into a cold sweat, quickly miming a zipper over his lips, looking both funny and pitiful.
These teasing words felt like daggers to Edward's heart.
Now, he wasn't mad at her for deceiving him or hiding things, but for having so many impressive men around her!
"The CEO of a luxury brand admitted their product was inspired by Alexa's work? Isn't he worried about AX's reputation?"
"I don't think so. Mr. Garcia's just being honest. He said it was inspired, not plagiarized."
"We did draw inspiration."
Hearing the reporters, Vincent admitted, "Alexa knows about this. We talked privately, and the 'Immortal Flower' series was authorized by her. She even helped design it."
The crowd gasped.
Jessica's smug look faded.
"So, I'm pleased Ms. Taylor is wearing Alexa's 'Sea Rose' to our AX event." Vincent glanced at Evelyn but quickly looked away.
"And Miss Clark, there's something you might not know," Evelyn finally spoke, smiling lightly. "AX has had a friendly relationship with Alexa for years, and all AX VIPs know one rule."
"For any AX event, if you wear Alexa's jewelry, you get VVIP access and lifetime free maintenance. How could you not know this as an AX supporter?"
Jessica's face went pale, speechless.
She owned some AX pieces, but the membership was tough to get. It required high spending and a strict background check. She couldn't get in just by being Eric's sister. So, she didn't know this rule.
Debra quickly stepped back, distancing herself from Jessica to avoid embarrassment.
The reporters caught on, giving Jessica strange looks.
"So, Miss Clark isn't even an AX VIP, yet she's here accusing others. How laughable!"
"She thinks buying a few pieces gives her the right to speak boldly in front of the CEO. Her quality and upbringing are really poor compared to Ms. Taylor!"
Jessica was so angry her vision went black, almost fainting from the humiliation.
Evelyn didn't even glance at Jessica, leaving with Vincent and Ada, chatting and laughing.
The reporters followed them, leaving Jessica alone, her face pale.
"Jessica! Something's wrong!"
Debra quickly walked up, tugging her arm and whispering nervously, "Edward is here!"
"Edward? Where?" Jessica broke out in a cold sweat.
"He's right behind you, watching everything! He came silently like a ghost. I don't know when he arrived or how much he saw!" Debra said.
Jessica gasped, turning around stiffly.
In the shadows, Edward stood tall and imposing, his gaze cold and piercing.
Jessica felt like an invisible hand was choking her.
Her breathing, heartbeat, and brain all seemed to stop!
"Edward."
Edward's brows furrowed, his eyes cold. He just shook his head and left without looking back, followed by Bart.
Jessica felt a chill all over, stumbling back half a step.
Edward's gaze felt like sharp scissors, cutting off their relationship.
In the restroom.
"Why doesn't Evelyn just die? She should get hit by a car!" Jessica cried bitterly, her makeup ruined.
She cried not only because Evelyn humiliated her, but also because Edward caught her picking on Evelyn, leaving her with no excuse!
"Exactly!" Debra cursed along with her, but a sly smile tugged at her lips.
"You just stood there watching me suffer? You didn't even help me argue?" Jessica vented her anger on Debra.
"I couldn't get a word in. You were giving me ideas from the start. What could I do? If I had a way, I would've dealt with Evelyn long ago," Debra quickly explained.
Jessica sobbed twice, angrily asking, "Is there still no news from Dorothy? Hasn't she found a breakthrough yet? Useless!"
"Don't worry. Dorothy hates Evelyn to the core. She'll definitely help us."
Before Debra finished speaking, her phone vibrated.
Debra took it out, showing a wicked smile and waving it in front of Jessica, "What a coincidence, it's Dorothy calling!"
Jessica gritted her teeth, "This time, I'll make Evelyn taste the fullest humiliation!"
