“She’s always been a good person.”
Aside from Jeannette’s affair, Loraine was, for the most part, kind–hearted.
That only made it harder for Blanche to accept–the fact that Loraine had been the one to destroy her happiness and her marriage with her own hands.
“You’re lying! How could that be possible? Eddy is the only man I’ve ever loved, everyone knows that–my parents, too!” Ingrid was utterly unable to accept this reality.
Blanche, meanwhile, had no interest in Ingrid’s turmoil. “I’m dropping the charges against you. From this moment on, you and I are no longer friends.”
“You–you’re not blaming me?” Ingrid stared at Blanche in disbelief. “Why aren’t you blaming me? If I hadn’t introduced Jeannette to Loraine, she never would’ve ruined your marriage with Eddy. Why don’t you blame me?”
“If it wasn’t you, it would’ve been someone else who brought another woman to him. The real culprit is Eddy–he’s the one who decided to hurt me.”
With those words, Blanche stood up and walked out.
“Blanche, even if you do this, I won’t be grateful! A few days in holding and a small fine? I can handle that! I don’t need your pity! Do you hear me?” Ingrid shouted after her, but Blanche didn’t so much as flinch.
Ingrid collapsed to the floor, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Blanche, she’s not just any Jeannette. I’m your best friend–I know everything about you, every joy and every wound. I know exactly how to hurt you.”
“She’s the Jeannette I went to so much trouble to find–the Jeannette who’s just like
you.”
“Blanche, do you hear me?”
“You idiot, why are you letting me off the hook?”
“Your little gestures mean nothing to me. I, Miss Marshall, don’t care!”
But there was only silence.
In the main office, Blanche signed the paperwork to withdraw her complaint. That’s when she ran into Eddy, who had rushed over.
She ignored the lipstick smudge on his neck and the lingering perfume on his suit.
1/2
20:35
Chapter 13
Without preamble, she held out her hand. “Where’s my mother’s Ocean Jewel necklace?”
She saw the flicker of hesitation in Eddy’s eyes, but she wasn’t about to back down. That necklace belonged to her, and she would have it.
“Didn’t you buy it at the auction for two million and say it was a gift for me?” Blanche stared Eddy straight in the eye.
“Honey, the Ocean Jewel had a flaw, so I sent it to the jeweler’s to be fixed. I’ll bring it back for you soon,” Eddy replied.
“A flaw?” Blanche’s tone was cold. “I saw your interview at the auction house. There was nothing wrong with the Ocean Jewel.”
“So where is it, really?”
“It’s at the jeweler’s, I swear.”
Blanche didn’t believe a word. She opened the door of the Rolls–Royce, plugged her phone into the car’s computer, and her fingers flew across the screen as she typed a string of code. In moments, she’d pulled up the car’s last parked address.
Without a second glance at Eddy, Blanche slammed the door, started the engine, and sped away.
Eddy immediately told his bodyguards to follow her, and they trailed Blanche all the way to the gated community where Jeannette lived.
“Sir, how did Mrs. Evans figure out Miss Doyle’s home address?” one of the bodyguards asked, still stunned by Blanche’s high–speed hacking.
Eddy narrowed his eyes, remembering how quickly Blanche had navigated the car’s system just moments ago.
Blanche pulled up outside one of the luxury villas. Through the glass, she spotted Clara, Rhoda, and Jeannette inside.
She strode to the front door/yanked it open, marched into the foyer, and seized the necklace around Jeannette’s neck, tearing it off in one swift motion. “You don’t deserve to wear my mother’s necklace!”
Chapter 104
Chapter 104
