Chapter4
Mariana’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the message from her bestie Karlee Buchanan upstairs. “Everything is going smoothly. Don’t worry.”
The Buchanan family in Forechester might not run the biggest business, but other powerful families always feared them. The Buchanan family had the best private detectives. With Karlee’s help for tonight’s plan, Mariana felt truly at ease.
Putting away her phone, Mariana had planned to sit quietly in the corner, waiting for nightfall to execute the plan. But the increasing chatter around her made it hard for her to stay focused.
“Mariana is a cripple. Why does the McKinney family want her so badly?”
“Isn’t it obvious? The McKinney family wants to get into the medical industry. They must be using her!”
Hearing the gossip and seeing Mariana’s pale face, Sandra felt a secret thrill
She deliberately sent her people to stir things up among the socialites, hoping they would gossip more and be even more malicious.
Mariana listened quietly, occasionally giving a cold glance. She quickly realized that the most talkative woman was Sandra’s best friend.
“Though the Mueller family’s perfume business is failing, their medical venture might still have a chance. Mariana’s dad is gone, and her mom
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is the one keeping the family afloat. Her mom is no ordinary woman!
“How can an old woman run the family business? She must be relying on… You know what I mean…” Sandra’s bestie sneered maliciously.
Before the words were even out, Mariana walked over and slapped her.
Sandra’s bestie screamed, “What are you doing?”
Mariana warned with her cold eyes, “So what if your parents are alive? You just have no manners! I’ll have to teach you a lesson. Keep your mouth shut!”
Sandra didn’t expect Mariana to be so tough today. Even though she was annoyed, she had to hold back her anger and step in to separate her bestie and Mariana. “Alright, cut it out. It’s Mariana’s bachelor party. Let’s keep it chill.”
“Why should I listen to you?”
Unexpectedly, it was Mariana who spoke first. Sandra turned her head in surprise, and tears welled up in her eyes from grievance. “Mariana, why are you talking so strangely today?”
“Strange?” Mariana curled her lips in disdain. “I only speak normally to those who deserve it.”
Sandra was left speechless, and tears streamed down her face.
“Marie! How can you talk to Sandra like that?” Ralph happened to walk by and heard their conversation. He rushed to stand by Sandra.
“You feel sorry for her?” Mariana shot a sharp look at him.
Ralph’s eyes flickered, and he quickly corrected himself, “I just… don’t you to be controlled by your emotions. Sandra is trying to defend
want
you.”
What a perfect pair of jerks.
Mariana squinted her eyes, reminding herself to stay calm. This wasn’t the time to expose their true colors yet.
Just then, the lights in the banquet hall dimmed, and the large screen lit up, starting to show some photos of Mariana.
The host said in a warm voice, “Mr. McKinney and Ms. Mueller have been in love for over eight hundred days…”
Mariana didn’t expect that there would be a surprise twist.
She stared at the big screen. It was quiet around, and everyone was admiring her photos. But then the photos started to go off track.
The next photos showed Mariana drinking and hanging out with different guys. She watched coldly, sensing something was off.
The men in the photos were all big shots in the business world. The party venue immediately erupted in jeers.
“Wow, has the Mueller family resorted to selling their daughter to stay afloat?”
“I never thought a rich girl could have two sides!”
“Sandra is so pure, but Mariana is so promiscuous. They are really poles apart!”
Several senior directors of the Mueller Group were present today. They were in the middle of negotiating partnerships with other groups. Now, the potential partners were backing out one after another. “Ms. Mueller must have not inherited Mr. Mueller’s noble character!”
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Mariana was the only daughter of the late Brenton Mueller and the
sole heir to the Mueller Group. Her improper behavior naturally had a big impact on the company.
The senior directors of the Mueller Group looked ashen–faced. They walked up to Mariana and questioned her in a hushed tone, “Ms. Mueller, how do you explain this? We don’t interfere in your private life, but you just had to expose these photos during this crucial business negotiation!”
Emmitt and Lillian McKinney looked really upset. The McKinney family was a well–known family in Forechester, and now people were gossiping about their daughter–in–law’s messy private life.
Lillian also stepped forward to berate Mariana, “Marie, what’s going on? Ralph said you’re intelligent and virtuous. Is this what you call intelligent and virtuous?”
Sandra hid her smug look and fanned the flames. “Yeah, Mariana. Why didn’t you pick your photos more carefully? You should’ve hidden these party photos!”
More and more people surrounded them, some laughing, some jeering. Facing all the accusations, Mariana lowered her head, covering the emotions in her eyes. No one could see what she was thinking.
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