?Chapter 447:


    Corrine’sshes trembled as she gazed up at him.


    “You’ve never been anything less than essential,” she whispered, her voice thick with honesty.


    A low, satisfiedugh rumbled in Nate’s chest.


    “So you’ve learned atst,” he said, his eyes never leaving hers as the tension between them built to a crescendo.


    But fate had different ns for Rita.


    The carefully arranged tower of champagne flutes copsed with a cacophony of shattering crystals.


    The devastating crash drew every eye in the room.


    “What in the world happened?”


    “How dreadful!”


    “Isn’t that the Ashton girl?”


    Cruel whispers sliced through the crowd like daggers, each one leaving its mark on Rita’s burning cheeks. She stood frozen in the wreckage, her perfectly manicured nails carving crescents into her palms as she fought back tears of humiliation.


    “Rita! Are you alright?” Leah and Bruce pushed through the gathering crowd, their concern transparent.


    Rita’s n to humiliate Corrine had backfired spectacrly—instead of lying in ruins, Corrine stood wrapped in the arms of the man Rita desired, radiating triumph.


    Corrine was such a shameless witch. Rita seethed with bitterness.


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    Corrine caught the hatred zing in Rita’s eyes and allowed her smile to sharpen. Karma had delivered its verdict with crystal rity.


    With a victoriousugh, she threaded her arm through Nate’s, ready to make their exit.


    But Rita’s desperate fingers snagged the hem of her dress.


    “You conniving snake! You set me up!”


    “Did I now?” Corrine’sugh dripped with honeyed venom as her eyes turned to ice.


    “Miss Ashton, you have quite the talent for shifting me. If you hadn’t orchestrated your own fall, none of this would have happened. Creating chaos and pointing fingers? That might work elsewhere, but today is the Archers’ wedding anniversary celebration and the charity event. Some decorum would have served you better.”


    Her casual rebuke hit Bruce like a physical blow.


    They’de to secure Cn’s investment—Rita’s spectacle threatened to destroy everything. Worse, the evidence of her guilt was clear.


    The crowd’s whispers grew louder, each murmured judgment another wound to Rita’s pride as she stood amid the glittering ruins of her scheme.


    Rita’s indignant words caught in her throat.


    “Corrine, you—”


    “Miss Hond, everything happened so quickly that my sister became confused about the situation,” Bruce cut in, his cial tone carrying an unmistakable warning as he red at Rita.


    “Please ept my apology.”


    Corrine’s gaze swept meaningfully over the glittering debris surrounding her.


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