The two groups of people stood frozen in place, like characters in a paused scene from a television drama.
Mallory was not only dumbfounded by the sight of Calvin, but also because he was holding another woman in his arms.
It was his rumored new love interest.
When the person behind Calvin saw Mallory, he eagerly tried to please her. Unaware of the situation, he blurted out in a sycophantic tone, “Ms. Whiteford…”
An alarm went off in Mallory’s mind.
The still air seemed to ignite, but Mallory quickly regained her impeccable smile, as if she wasn’t surprised at all.
She continued to walk forward, ready to unleash a torrent of harsh accusations and questions. However, before she could get close, the woman leaning against Calvin spoke up. Her voice dripped with sarcasm, while her smile was filled with disdain. “Oh, Ms. Whiteford, what are you wearing today? Have you gone broke?”
Mallory’s brisk steps came to a sudden halt. Surprisingly, her first reaction wasn’t to look at herself or scrutinize her attire. Instead, she fixed her gaze directly on Calvin.
The surprise and urge to comfort Mallory that Calvin had just moments ago were replaced with numbness. It was as if she had embarrassed him.
But the sting was fleeting. Mallory’s instinctive pride kicked in, and she lifted her head once more, nodding at Calvin. “What a coincidence.”
If you won’t speak, then let me do the talking. “I heard that your company was planning to promote a newcomer, a beautiful woman. Is this her? She seems familiar. Dealing with her dark past could be challenging, especially considering her previous job as a hostess.”
“You!”
Indeed, she used to work as a hostess in Heaven on Earth, under Mallory’s management. Back then, everyone envied her because she had managed to keep Calvin’s affection for so many years.
But times had changed.
The experienced Calvin glanced at the graceless woman beside him and said coolly, “Go back and tidy up. I’ll be back soon.”
As he spoke, he still didn’t let her go, seemingly declaring to the world that Mallory was truly a thing of the past.
Subconsciously, Josie knew she should whisk Mallory away at that moment. However, before she could approach, Mallory, who had been staring at Calvin for quite some time, suddenly rushed forward and delivered a resounding slap.
Calvin’s face turned from the blow, causing everyone to gasp. The woman beside him covered her mouth in disbelief.
Josie was also taken aback.
Calvin, who had no compassion for women, grabbed Mallory’s hand, his eyes bloodshot. “Are you crazy?”
Mallory remained unfazed. “Are you trying to disgust me by being with someone like that?”
Calvin’s movements slowed slightly, and after a moment, there was a hint of compromise in his tone. “I haven’t done anything with her. You’re letting your imagination run wild. I don’t blame you for not trusting me, so why are you so angry?”
What angered him was that in the brief moment their eyes met, she immediately assumed that he was the one who had done those things.
The woman who was being ignored turned deathly pale.
Charles averted his gaze. “It seems Ms. Whiteford will be occupied for a while. Are you sure you don’t need me to take you home?”
Indeed, that’s true.
Josie had accepted the fact that she had been abandoned. “That’s not necessary.”
She hailed a cab to return home. Unexpectedly, she caught a glimpse in the rearview mirror of a car following her from a distance. This car had been tailing her since she left the restaurant.
Is it a tail?
Instinctively, Josie reached into her bag for her phone while urging the driver to speed up.
However, the car behind showed no signs of stopping. It was moving incredibly fast, almost overtaking her. Just as the two vehicles were side by side, the other party rolled down the window.
