Jessica stepped forward, trying to exin. " re ke tha*


    "Get away!" Natalie shoved Jessica acide


    Jessica stumbled and crashed into the wall, a red mark foreng on her forehead.


    hear*


    Lilian rushed to grab Natalie by the arm. "How dare you hate


    Without hesitation, Natalie grabbed a fistful of Lilian''s hand scratched at Lilian''s fare with her sharp nails. " Lilian, who do you think you are?! You''re just a woman who married your brother-inw!"


    The room went silent for a moment. As the Crone family''s wealth and power grew, Lilian''s sordid past had been buried. But now, Natalie had exposed it in front of everyone


    The whispers began almost immediately. "Lilian married her brother-inw?"


    "You didn''t know? Her first husband was the older brother When he died, she married his younger brother."


    "She slept with the man and his brother... That''s scandalous!"


    Lilian, furious, lunged at Natalie, grabbing her by the hair. Shut your mouth before I tear it off!"


    The two women fought like wild animals. Harry attempted to break them up, but Archer punched him so hard that he staggered back, blood streaming from his


    nose.


    Meanwhile, Trish grabbed Jessica, and the two started pushing each other. The scene quickly descended into chaos as both families were caught in the melee..


    Edith stood, horrified, at the scene unfolding.


    "Stop! Stop fighting!" she screamed.


    Crash!


    The sound of furniture falling echoed as Lilian and Natalie collided with the table the gifts were set on. A few delicate ss ornaments fell, scattering across the floor.


    "My ornaments!" Edith cried in distress, her voice breaking


    In themotion, the two women knocked into a decorative box. Stanley''s gift, "The Flower-Adorned Lady", fell to the floor and was torn to pieces under their feet.


    Edith copsed onto the ground, her heart breaking. "My painting! Stop fighting! You''re ruining my birthday!"


    Outside, Wendy watched coldly behind the curtains as chaos unfolded.


    This was her gift to Lilian.


    She had arranged for a maid to spill wine on Trish''s dress, setting the stage for this spectacle.


    Wendy observed the chaos with a sharp eye. No one understood their hypocrisy, cruelty, and selfishness better than she did. If she had been the one pinned down today, both families would have joined forces to drag her through the mud.


    Yet the moment their interests were threatened, they''d turn on each other in a heartbeat


    The party at Edith''s 80th birthday was certainly lively. Wendy lowered her gaze, concealing the sharp gleam in her


    eyes.


    At that moment, a low, maic voice cut through the noise. "Can you take your hand off me now?"


    Wendy froze, suddenly aware that she and Stanley were hiding behind the curtains. Her hand had been over his mouth, her palm brushing against his sensual lips.


    Quickly, she withdrew her hand, confused. Stanley wasn''t supposed to be part of her n.


    She still didn''t understand why he was here. Wasn''t he supposed to be with Jessica?


    Stanley tugged at his tie, his voice low. "Wendy."


    He called her name.


    "What is it?"


    He looked at her with those intense eyes. "I feel so hot."


    Hot?


    Wendy''s heart skipped a beat when she saw the heated look in his eyes. His gaze


    was burning with desire, his eyes swirling with emotion.


    Wendy''s stomach dropped.


    Oh, no. He must have inhaled the lingering aphrodisiac gas in the room.