Chapter 2413
Mara’s mind raced as she pieced together the puzzle. Something told her that Balfour had been onto her for a while now.
Why else would he confront her so directly? He seemed to be waiting for her to slip up and confess.
With a frustrated nibble on her lip, Mara cursed her luck. She had thought her scheme was foolproof, but Balfour’s intuition had sniffed something out after all.
Yet, despite everything, seeing Ivy’s online reputation shredded to the point of universal disdain was a small victory she could savor.
Whether Balfour knew the truth or not, as long as Ivy couldn’t hold her head high in public, Mara had won.
As for Balfour’s opinion of her, that was the least of her worries.
For years, all she had to do was evoke the memory of her late sister, and Balfour’s defenses would crumble. He owed her that much, didn’t he?
She had already rehearsed the perfect act of innocence and victimhood for their next
encounter.
However, just as she settled into her thoughts, her phone buzzed with a message from her friend, Olivia, urging her to call as soon as possible.
“What could be so important now?” Mara muttered, exasperation creeping into her voice.
Resigned, she dialed the international call, ready to face whatever came next.
“What’s the big emergency? Didn’t I tell you I’m not coming home this semester? You’re making it sound like I’m about to miss a deadline or something,” Mara quipped, trying to lighten the mood.
But Olivia’s face on the screen lacked any trace of humor. “While you enjoy a joyful life and have people that you can rely on back home, I’m left here all alone, isolated and
forlorn.”
Her hair was a mess, her clothes looked like they’d seen a scuffle, and her normally vibrant face was pale and drawn, her lips cracked. This wasn’t like Olivia, who took pride in her appearance.
Mara’s concern spiked. “What’s going on? You look like you’ve been through the wringer. Did you hit the bars again last night? I’ve told you a million times not to try to keep up with the drinking games those guys play. Look at you now, all hungover and miserable.”
Mara’s attempt at playful scolding fell flat when Olivia began to sob softly, covering her face. Alarm bells rang in Mara’s head as she sat up quickly, only to be hit by a wave of
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Chapter 2413
dizziness that forced her back down.
“Ouch- I’m not feeling great either. What’s going on? Stop crying and talk to me!”
It took a moment for Olivia to compose herself enough to speak. “It’s a long story. I should’ve listened to you about not drinking with those guys.”
“So, what happened that’s got you this upset?”
Olivia bit her lower lip, struggling to start her story, but finally, she seemed ready to
confide in her friend.
“I didn’t mean to, but I think I pissed off some mob boss’s daughter. We were out last night, and I got chatting with this guy, and…”
Suddenly, Olivia stopped, as if remembering something painful.
“Turns out the guy had a girlfriend, and she came at me like a freight train. Gave me a couple of slaps right across the face. It still hurts, look!”
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