Brian hadn’t expected Belinda to show up at the house. She moved out a few days earlier and said she wouldn’t drop by unannounced.
He noticed the stack of photos on the table and his expression darkened.
“This has nothing to do with Evelyn,” he said, defending her without hesitation.
Ariana just gave a mocking little smile. She should have krigwn that even if Brian realized Evelyn was the culprit, he’d pretend otherwise.
In Brian’s eyes, right and wrong didn’t matter. He would always side with Evelyn.
However, Ariana wasn’t about to back down this time. She wasn’t the same foolish woman from her previous life, who let Evelyn’s petty schemes leave her in total disgrace.
“If it’s not Evelyn, then who?” Belinda’s face darkened further. “I’ve told you to keep your distance from that woman! She’s no better than her parents! She’s just as fake through and through!”
Belinda sat down on the couch, still fuming. “This incident has done real harm to Ariana! Those two who slandered her must be properly punished. Whether it’s jail time or a fine, I won’t have anyone thinking their lies have even a grain of truth.”
“Yes, Grandma,” Brian agreed. As he turned to leave, he shot Ariana a frosty glance, as if looking at a stranger he
didn’t know.
Once Brian was gone, Belinda patted Ariana’s hand. “I’ll handle this. Don’t worry, those rumors at the college will soon die down.”
Gazing at the kindly older woman before her, Ariana found she could no longer be as grateful as she’d been in the past
In her previous life, she’d been too naive. Even the smallest kindness from Belinda had filled her with thankfulness, never realizing what calculations lay behind those gestures.
Belinda spoke again. “But you do know our family rules. As Brian’s fiancée, you need to keep your distance from other men. Your studies aren’t that important, and you don’t need to take over Torrey Co. I’ve already discussed this with your mother. Your brother will handle the company in the future. This way, you can focus entirely on being Brian’s wife.”
Ariana frowned when she heard Belinda had gone behind her back to discuss matters with Gwen. “Madam Mackle, that’s the Torrey family’s business,” she said.
“I’m well aware,” Belinda replied, “but you’re marrying into the Lodge family soon. Once you’re married, you’ll belong to your husband’s family. When you become Brian’s wife, there will be a lot for you to learn. You won’t have the time to manage Torrey Co. You should leave it to your brother.”
Belinda paused for a moment, and then continued, “I don’t mean to look down on you, but even when your father was still alive, Torrey Co. was in crisis. Compared to us, it’s hardly worth mentioning. A small outfit like that is better off abandoned. By becoming part of the Lodge family you’ll gain far more anyway.”
Ariana scoffed inwardly at the exaggeration.
