Chapter 33
Stephanie looked at Florence’s astonished expression, her eyebrows slightly raised. “What? I shouldn’t be here but there, right?”
Florence’s lips twitched. “No…I thought…”
“Do you think that woman is me?” Stephanie tightened her grip on Florence’s shoulder, applying force. “Where did you come up with all these assumptions?”
Florence winced in pain. “Stephie, you’re hurting me.”
Lorelai reprimanded Stephanie, “Let go of Flore. She came here to find you because she was worried about you.”
Instead of releasing Florence, Stephanie’s grip tightened even more. “You’re worried about me, yet you bring so many people here to witness this spectacle. Is this your way of protecting me or tarnishing my reputation?”
Florence, in agony, gasped, “Stephie, I truly was worried about you!”
“You were worried about me? Then why didn’t you immediately find Vincent to rescue me? What makes you think you could save me? Huh?” Stephanie didn’t attend Ellen’s birthday party in her previous life, as Douglas had sent her to study design in Astoria. Douglas said it was to help her progress, but in reality, it was to keep her away, making room for him and Florence’s affair.
Florence cried out in pain, her forehead beading with sweat. “Stephie, I didn’t want Vincent to misunderstand you.”
“You were at the banquet hall, yet you knew exactly what was happening in this lounge and assumed Vincent would misunderstand? Florence, do you have clairvoyance?” Stephanie said.
It was not until then that Florence realized Stephanie was leading her into a trap. As Florence attempted to explain, Stephanie ruthlessly dislocated her arm. Florence cried out in agony. “Stephie, how could you?”
Stephanie’s gaze turned cold. “Shut up! Don’t you recognize that woman?”
Florence shook her head. “I don’t
Then, Stephanie noticed four bodyguards running toward them behind Vincent.
“Mr. Quinlan, please bring that woman here,” Stephanie said.
Zane signaled to the bodyguards behind him. They entered the lounge, and an obscene smell hit them. Zane held the woman’s hair and dragged her over while the others restrained the four men..
The woman’s face was covered in blood, her body tinged with faint pink and red finger marks visible. She tried to grasp Zane’s leg, but he kicked her to the ground.
-The pain sobered her up a little, and when she saw so many people in front of her, especially with Stephanie standing before her, unharmed and contemptuous, while she was naked, she felt utterly crushed. “How did this happen? Stephanie, it should have been you. Why me?”
“So, why should it be me?” Stephanie asked with a smile.
The woman avoided answering, her face itching terribly as she scratched it. “It’s itchy! What did you do to me?”
Stephane shrugged. “Looks like it’s really itchy. Your cheekbones are showing. This must be disfigurement. And I have no idea what you’re talking a b o -I’ve never been here.”
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Chapter 33
When the woman heard that her face was disfigured, she shouted in horror, “It’s impossible! It’s impossible! I saw you and Julianna come in with my own eyes! Later, you went into the blind spot of the video camera, and when I came in to find you, I was splashed with powder, and then I knew nothing. Yes, that’s it! You must have done something to me! Give me the antidote!”
Stephanie clicked her tongue. “You seem to know this lounge very well. It seems you wanted to set me up.” She looked at Florence. “I’ve already recognized her. Haven’t you? Didn’t you bring her here?”
Florence gritted her teeth in pain. “Who is she? I really can’t recognize her. Stephie, trust me.”
Stephanie nodded. “Of course I trust you. After all, you’re my sister. Thanks to your great idea, I caught the one who wanted to harm me, causing her disfigurement. It’s truly killing two birds with one stone. You’re really my dear sister.”
Upon hearing this, the woman grabbed Florence’s dress abruptly. “Florence, you b**h! it was your idea, and now you’ve betrayed me! You even disfigured me! You’re truly shameless!” She reached out and tore at Florence’s skirt, leaving blood marks on the latter’s legs with her nails.
Florence kicked her away. “Get away from me! I don’t know what you’re talking about! Go away!”
“I’m Lucianna! Everything I did was at Florence’s behest! She wanted to ruin Stephanie’s reputation!” Lucianna looked at Vincent. “Mr. Fletcher, this is all
Florence’s plan”
Vincent turned away. “Get rid of this filthy thing.”
Zane nodded, “Got it.” He dragged Lucianna into the lounge.
Vincent looked at Florence. “You intended to harm Stephie.”
Florence shook her head in denial. “I never expected that woman to be Lucianna. I didn’t even recognize her just now. Stephanie is my sister. Why would I harm her? Lucianna’s accusations are just an attempt to drive a wedge between me and Stephie. She called me, complaining that Stephie scolded her, and I advised her kindly. She admitted her mistake. Before the birthday party, she found me and said she wanted to apologize to Stephie, so I brought her in. But I never expected her to do something like this.” She looked at Stephanie. “Stephie, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. I was so careless that I almost
hurt you. Can you forgive me?”
Stephanie knew that Florence only gave Lucianna some commands, and the rest was Lucianna’s doing, so she was only instigating without any other
evidence.
“Okay, I forgive you. After all, you are my sister,” Stephanie said.
She supported Florence’s shoulder with one hand and realigned her dislocated arm with the other.
Florence timidly asked, “Stephie, what about Lucianna’s face?”
“People with malicious intentions always receive punishment,” Stephanie smirked.
Florence looked at Stephanie’s familiar face but felt incredibly estranged. She felt that Stephanie had changed these days, no longer under her control
and dominance.
At that moment, several police officers arrived.
Lucas, the team leader, said, “We received a report of suspected prostitution here.”
Zane said, “They are here and have recorded a video, possibly for distribution on illegal websites. These individuals are witnesses.” He pointed at Lorelai, Florence, and the four noblewomen.
The policeman nodded. “Please come to the police station to assist with the investigation.”
Lorelai glared at Florence: “idiot! You’re adding to the embarrassment!”
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Chapter 33
Florence harbored a deep hatred for Stephanie but dared not show it, only silently gritting her teeth.
85%
When Douglas heard the news and rushed over, he was annoyed to see Florence crying. Before, he was into Florence’s soft demeanor, but now he found weeping women troublesome and lacking character.
On the contrary. Stephanie became bold and assertive, a side of her he had never seen before, which was quite attractive to him.
Upon seeing Douglas gaze toward Stephanie, Florence h**d his arm. “I didn’t expect Lucianna to be such a person, Douglas. Let’s go to the police
station and give our statements.”
Douglas nodded and walked out with Florence.
The others followed to the police station.
Finally, this farce came to an end.
Thanks to Lorelai and Florence’s loud voices, this incident spread. Many people thought that Stephanie was in trouble, but when they saw her wheeling Vincent back into the banquet hall, the rumors were dispelled.
Ellen and Kevin returned to the Fletcher residence. Vincent stayed to entertain the guests while Stephanie and Julianna sat on the couch.
Julianna clicked her tongue. “Stephie, your sister is quite a piece of work. Next time, don’t go easy on her.”
Stephanie picked up a glass of red wine and gently swirled it. “Of course not. The evidence was insufficient this time, but if it weren’t, I would have sent her on a seven-day trip to the detention center”
Then, Julianna picked up a glass of red wine and clinked it with hers. “But you did a great job tonight!”
Upon hearing that, Stephanie smiled and emptied her glass in one gulp.
“But I noticed that s**g, Douglas, looking at you strangely. Be careful,” Julianna warned.
“Don’t worry,” said Stephanie with a smile. “That s**g will offer me 20 million dollars with both hands in a few days.”
The dinner party was not over when Julianna found
and Vincent and informed him that Stephanie was drunk..
Vincent delegated the task of seeing off the guests to Frederick before he took Stephanie into his car.
As soon as Zane got into the car, he raised the partition.
Stephanie chuckled when she saw this. She leaned over to Vincent. “Did you peek at Lucianna earlier? She was naked!”