“Are you two done ranting?” Niamh’s face was calm, unbothered. She took a sip of her wine, then looked at Lily and Olive.
“You say Jonathan truly loves Marina–so why won’t he marry her? At least I get to play the nanny. Is Marina not even good enough for that?”
“Also, I have a marriage certificate with Jonathan. What does Marina have with him? If you have anything, by all means, bring it out. It’d make for solid evidence of Jonathan’s infidelity.”
“My advice? Instead of wasting your energy on me, maybe try talking some sense into Jonathan. Otherwise, when Marina’s old and washed up, still stuck as the
other woman, you two will be left as nothing more than stray dogs,”
Niamh delivered her retort with satisfaction–right before Olive hurled her wine all over her.
Before Niamh could react, Lana let out a startled gasp beside her.
The commotion drew stares from all around the room–even Jonathan and Marina
turned their heads.
“Olive, what happened?”
Marina’s words were directed at Olive, but her eyes sparkled with barely concealed glee at the sight of Niamh, drenched and humiliated.
Niamh had expected Jonathan to be disgusted by the spectacle she’d become.
Yet, to her surprise, he was the first to hand her a napkin.
His gaze was unexpectedly gentle–far more than she’d imagined. Jonathan’s striking features seemed impossibly handsome from any angle, and for a second, she almost forgot to breathe.
She hesitated, then accepted the napkin. “Thank you,” she managed, her voice low.
She knew this incident was tangentially related to Jonathan, but she couldn’t exactly blame him for it.
“I’m sorry, Niamh, Olive didn’t mean it,” Marina apologized, clinging anxiously to Jonathan’s arm as if terrified Niamh might make a scene..
“Intentional or not, the security footage will clear that up,” Niamh replied coolly.
“How about this–how much was your dress? I’ll pay for it on Olive’s behalf-
1/3
21:06
Chapter 72
Marina began, trying to sound conciliatory.
Before she could finish, Jonathan cut in, his voice calm and direct. “I’ll handle it.
The scene had attracted a crowd, and as Jonathan stepped in to offer
compensation, everyone’s attention shifted.
“So Mr. Thomas and Marina really are together, huh?”
“I heard Mr. Thomas has been chasing after her for years.”
“She’s his first love. He’s never gotten over her,”
Onlookers whispered, their curiosity piqued.
Marina stood next to Jonathan, blushing so fiercely she looked like an overripe
apple.
To Niamh, it felt like she’d become just another pawn in the ongoing Jonathan–and–Marina drama.
Jonathan had used her to get back at Marina; now that he wanted Marina back, she was being used again.
How could she be so foolish, Niamh thought bitterly, to have felt even a flicker of hope when Jonathan handed her the napkin?
“So, how much for the dress?” Jonathan asked.
“Three hundred thousand,” Niamh said evenly.
A gasp rippled through the crowd.
“Niamh, that’s outrageous!” Jayne was the first to jump in, pointing an accusing finger at her. “You make what–a couple grand a month? There’s no way you could afford a dress like that! Do you even hear yourself?”
Jayne’s outburst gave everyone else license to chime in.
“Isn’t she Mr. Thomas’s assistant? Trying to scam her own boss? She must be looking to get fired.”
“Three hundred grand–if she gets it, she could quit and retire!”
“Isn’t she the one who only finished high school?”
“No wonder–maybe this was her plan all along.”
Lana stood frozen at Niamh’s side, her anxiety mounting. She never imagined the boutique where Niamh got her the dress was so expensive!
21:07
Still, she trusted Niamh wasn’t lying.
But where on earth had Niamh gotten that kind of money?
“Fine. Three hundred thousand. I’ll pay it,” Jonathan said, without a trace of
hesitation.
As the crowd murmured about how madly in love Jonathan must be with Marina, he suddenly swept Niamh up, slinging her over his shoulder, and strode out of the banquet hall without another word.
