Scandal at the Soiree: Jane's Dilemma

William Blake was making small talk when Jane ran up and stopped ten steps away, just close enough for him to notice her anxiety, without betraying the conflict and eagerness she felt about not wanting to interrupt him.

Her shivering restraint and consideration to prevent unnecessary scandal in public probably matched what William Blake preferred.

Tall and distinguished, William Blake stood out amid the crowd and immediately noticed Jane. Their eyes met, and his seemed to light up for a moment. Mallory, with her pale skin, didn't look her best in a plain white dress, but once she slipped into a bright red gown, she was transformed. Her sublime ice-clear complexion and youthful, innocent eyes unwittingly inspired a protective affection in men.

Beauty might not be everything, but it could certainly pave the way, making things easier and even doubling the outcomes—a sentiment that might not be fair, but nonetheless true.

Of course, William Blake wouldn't engage with a beauty contestant in public, maintaining the image of a devoted husband mourning his late wife. So, his gaze drifted from Jane, but not before saying something to his secretary behind him.

Jane turned away with feigned disappointment. After a few steps, she heard William Blake's secretary, Evelyn, call out, "Miss Mallory."

A cold smile flickered at the corner of Jane's lips.

"Miss Mallory, Mr. William asked you to go to the resting room," Evelyn whispered as she caught up.

Jane turned around and immediately adopted a cautious demeanor, clasping her hands nervously in front of her, "Okay."

As they headed toward the resting room, Jane said, "Thank you, Evelyn, for arranging the dress for me."

Evelyn looked back at her, eyed her gown, and laughed, "You wear it well. Picking out a dress last-minute is a hassle. Luckily, Shayla had a sponsored dress delivered, which I grabbed for you."

So it was Shayla's dress. It seemed Evelyn and Shayla were on good terms. Before this, Jane was familiar with Jackie's secretaries; Evelyn must have been appointed after her death and quite possibly was one of Shayla's people.

Jane joyfully asked, "A dress from my senior sister? She's so good to me! I must thank her in person!"

Evelyn opened the door to the resting room without betraying any emotion, turned with a smile, and said, "Little girl, you're so naïve. The entertainment industry isn't the martial arts world. What does it matter if you acknowledge your senior sister? It's not like you've sworn allegiance to a godfather!" Her words carried a note of scorn, clearly hinting at some disdain for Jane.

Jane sneered inwardly but her face remained innocent as she said, "Sister Evelyn, I don't understand what you mean."

Evelyn's smile faded into indifference; since there was no William Blake around, she warned Jane, "Shayla asked me to tell you to stay away from Mr. William, or you'll regret it!"

Jane was terrified and stepped back, asking in disbelief, "Sister Shayla and Mr. William are involved? Impossible. Mr. William said he loved his wife dearly, and since his wife has just passed away, it's unlikely he would take a fancy to Sister so quickly. You're lying to me!"

Evelyn scoffed, "Believe it or not, it's none of your concern. Just take my word for it. I'm Shayla's cousin, and even Mr. William shows me some respect. You're nothing but a leaping jester, flaunting your looks without any shame!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Jane caught sight of a dark suit at the doorway, which Evelyn failed to notice. Jane's tears fell immediately, and she trembled as if frightened, muttering with her head down, "So the person Uncle said he liked is Sister..."

Her voice was evidently filled with sadness.

"Don't try to fabricate relationships now. If you offend Shayla, you'll be the first one eliminated!" Evelyn laughed.

Evelyn was about to add more when she heard the sound of leather shoes at the door. William Blake approached with a displeased look on his face. Evelyn hurriedly smiled and said, "Mr. William, you've arrived."

"Mhm." William Blake's eyes moved from Evelyn to Jane's face. Jane quickly wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes and bowed deeply to William Blake, "Good to see you, Mr. William."

Seeing her suddenly change to such a respectful demeanor and address, William Blake felt a bit peculiar inside and was displeased. He said to Evelyn, "You may leave now."

With a spiteful glance at Jane, Evelyn then left the resting room.

As soon as the door closed, Jane's gaze no longer sought William Blake, and the fondness that had colored her eyes before vanished, replaced with a detached air as she began to speak, "Mr. William, I have something to tell you. During the soiree, someone asked me a lot of questions, and I was so nervous I didn't know how to respond. Then, he said it didn't matter if I didn't answer, as long as he could make up stories, and after that, he just left. I don't know what he is planning to do, nor do I know if what I told him might have broken the rules of this beauty contest. Could he be part of the paparazzi, as the rumors say? I know nothing, and I'm scared... I can't afford to lose the qualification for this contest, so I thought I should tell you."

After pouring her thoughts out in a rather disorganized manner, before William Blake could reply, she let out a self-deprecating laugh and said, "It seems to make no difference now, whether I speak or not. Shayla doesn't like me, neither does sister Evelyn. I've made a terrible mistake today; there's no way I will make it to the finals. Mr. William, thank you for rescuing me at the party, even though I was a pathetic sight, I'm grateful that someone offered me a helping hand."

Having said her piece, she brushed past William Blake, ready to leave.

"You're giving up just like that?" William Blake didn't attempt to detain her, merely asking in a calm tone.

Without turning back, Jane replied indifferently, "No matter whether I get eliminated or not, I must wait for that day to come, instead of leaving the stage prematurely. If I quit now, all hope is lost; I must give it my all. My mother... my mother is still waiting for me."

Her last words were spoken softly, her voice tinged with melancholy and helplessness, yet filled with determination.

"Heh." William Blake suddenly chuckled, stepping forward and gently patting her head, "Little girl, no one is going to drive you away. Just compete earnestly, and I won't let anyone use their influence to cancel your eligibility. What concerns me most right now is... why don't you call me 'uncle' anymore?"

Jane bit her lip and looked up at him, her eyes immediately welling up with tears, "Because Shayla and the others won't allow it. I have to keep my distance from you, uncle."

With such a pitiable look, she clearly seemed to be laying the blame on Shayla and Evelyn, making it clear that they had coerced her into keeping her distance from William Blake.

A flicker of displeasure crossed William Blake's eyes, but he tenderly wiped the corner of her eye with his finger and softly said, "Little girl, let's make a deal then. When we're alone, you can call me 'uncle,' and in public, you can call me like everyone else does. How about that?"

Humph, William Blake sure knows how to be charming, sweet-talking and cajoling a young lady. Jane appeared to ponder his suggestion, but inside she felt a wave of nausea.

"Um," she responded, not quite decisively nodding her head.

William Blake smiled and said, "Good girl." He settled down on the couch with her and continued, "You mentioned earlier that you ran into some paparazzi who had sneaked into the party. Don't worry about it; I'll have someone take care of them. If the news is negative, we'll cut it off. If it's just some trivial matter, then let them write whatever they want. You want to make a name for yourself in this circle. Such gossip might actually be good for you, increasing your visibility. The more famous you get, the better. Get used to it early, okay?"

Jane nodded as if she understood, though her heart was filled with silent ridicule. William Blake, thank you for such patient guidance, but unfortunately, "Scandal Circle" isn't a small backer. It doesn't succumb to bribes and can withstand tremendous pressure. How could a minor corporate force intimidate such a newspaper? I will follow the path you expect step by step, starting by cleaning up the stumbling blocks around you, then I'll slowly take you down.

Since you don't care, let's just wait for tomorrow's newspaper.

Acknowledgments at Launch

Dear readers, with your support, "Ex-Wife's Revenge" will start VIP paid reading tomorrow.

This story has undergone many struggles, but thankfully, it persisted with the unwavering support from readers, the tireless encouragement from Editor Baozi, and of course, the consistent companionship of my dear friend Little Mushroom. I, Xiao Fei, keep all of this close to my heart and am deeply grateful!

Xiao Fei's commitment to quality is solid; I never abandon a story unfinished. So rest assured, dear readers, and feel free to follow along. After switching to VIP paid reading, I will dedicate even more effort to writing and strive to provide readers with a joyful reading experience.

Let's talk about this story. If life could be lived all over again, would you be able to rectify the regrets of the past?

The story's heroine, Jane, is a Leo. She has a generous nature and isn't bothered by trivial matters. When faced with betrayal in love and marriage, she can decisively cut ties, leaving no chance for herself or others to mend things. But that doesn't mean her heart isn't in pain.

When she returns to her seventeen-year-old self and encounters her first love, Jackie, who once broke her heart, and her ex-husband, William Blake, who brought disaster to her family, how will she deal with these two men?

She must be resolute and tenacious. With a flame of revenge, a commanding presence, she will tread upon all those who betrayed her!

Perhaps, there will also be tenderness. When she stands at the pinnacle, with all eyes on her, who will take her hand and accompany her through countless days and nights to come?

Rising from the depths with unscrupulous means to magnificently reach the top and look down upon the world, she'll eventually hold the hand of a good man as they grow old together... I hope you will stay to hear the end of "her" story.