Unable to refuse her family's enthusiasm, Serena accepted the card. "Thank you, Grandpa."
Old Mr. Lancaster's face lit up with a happy smile.
After a bit more conversation, the family sent Serena upstairs to rest.
Isabella watched as Serena tucked the hundred-million-dollar black card into her pocket, feeling as though the world was collapsing around her, her vision darkening. She was overcome with jealousy. That wealth, that favoritism, that glory—it all belonged to her, Isabella!
While the family was still excitedly discussing how to celebrate Serena that evening, Isabella immediately went upstairs and caught up with her.
"Serena!"
She glanced down at her family, judged the distance, and figured they couldn't hear her. Then she bit her lip. "Give me the card Grandpa gave you."
Serena crossed her arms, her eyes glinting with amusement as she looked at her with a half-smile.
Isabella hated that condescending look. Serena was just a country bumpkin who got lucky enough to return to the Lancaster family. But that couldn't hide the cheap country girl in her bones! What right did Serena have to look down on her?
Isabella dug her nails into her palms, forcing down the jealousy boiling inside her. "I'm the one who gave your laptop to — to lan. I should be the one who cracked the spy case!"
"That commendation should be mine, and the rewards from Grandpa should be mine too."
Serena's expression was lazy and wicked. She stared at Isabella for a few seconds before suddenly laughing out loud. “Oh? Is that so?”
She took a small step closer to Isabella. An overwhelming, icy presence pressed down on her.
She curled her lips into a mocking, contemptuous smile. "Then why don't you go tell Grandpa, Dad, Mom, and our older brother? Why don't you go downstairs right now and tell then that you're the one who took my laptop? That because of you, I had the chance to crack the spy case, so the credit is yours, and the rewards should be yours too."
"You-!"
Isabella was so choked with anger she could barely breathe, her face flushing bright red.
She didn't dare! Of course, she didn't dare! If she had the guts, she would have exposed Serena for stealing her credit right then and there. Why Would she have come to confront Serena privately to get back what was hers?
FindNovel.net
Serena lazily straightened up and scoffed, her cold eyes glinting like frost, as if she
were looking down on an ant. "You don't dare? Then suck it up.”
She couldn't be bothered with Isabella anymore and walked right past her.
"Serena!"
Isabella was so angry she wanted to shout after her. But she was afraid of drawing the family's attention, so all she could do was stand there, fuming and utterly defeated.
***
Meanwhile, a pall of gloom hung over the Wynn family.
The living room of the Wynn family mansion was a mess. Most of the servants had been dismissed, and those who remained no longer did their jobs with the same diligence.
Logan was slumped on the sofa, running his hands through his hair, which was already a bird's nest.
Ever since he and Hailey had been humiliatingly kicked out of the Obsidian Palace, he had returned home only to be met with a slap" from Patrick Wynn that sent him staggering against a wall. His father had furiously demanded to know who he had offended.
The call from the executive assistant of the Lancaster Corporation hadn't been a
bluff. Calls canceling their partnerships had reached every member of the Wynn family.