chapter 45 Defend Her Because She's Pretty

Katelyn was about to question Charlotte when Jamie and Melvin approached, walking side by side.

Upon seeing the man she thought she could rely on for protection, Charlotte immediately rushed over, tears streaming down her face. "Melvin..."

Melvin glanced at her briefly, pursing his lips without saying a word.

In the dim lighting, his expression appeared somber.

Jamie noticed Charlotte's ruined makeup and inquired, "What happened?"

The gathering guests helped explain the situation, although their biased opinions favored Charlotte. However, they refrained from making harsh comments, knowing they didn't dare cross paths with Cody and also being impressed by Lyra's dance.

As Jamie listened, he grasped the gist of the situation.

Putting on a smile, he apologized to the guests and allowed them to continue with their dinner. He offered a few comforting words to Charlotte before returning to the main banquet hall with the others.

Charlotte still whimpered as she reached for Melvin's hand, pouting like an innocent child. "Melvin, don't blame Lyra. She's probably upset about our engagement."

Melvin gazed down at her, his expression impassive. "What did you say to her just now?"

Taken aback by the question, Charlotte looked up to find Melvin seeming upset. She hastily explained, "We're about to be engaged, so I asked her for her blessing. I didn't expect her to get angry and that's why she splashed wine on me."

"Is that so?" Melvin furrowed his brow, his expression growing even grimmer.

Charlotte, sensing a glimmer of hope, nodded and tightened her grip on his arm.

Almost instantly, he pulled his arm back. "Lottie, I'm truly beginning to doubt you."

Charlotte choked up.

It was the first time he had spoken to her in such an emotionless tone. Could it be that he had seen something?

She didn't dare to continue pretending. If Melvin had indeed noticed something, continuing to cover it up would only intensify his disgust.

"Melvin, Lyra laughed at me with an unflattering photo she took during my stage mishap. I was furious at that moment and wanted to splash wine on her... I haven't changed, Melvin. I'm still the same person."

Melvin remained silent, letting Charlotte ramble on.

Not receiving a response, Charlotte grew more flustered and began to weep uncontrollably.

"Melvin, I'm so scared when you're like this. You promised me before that you would marry me and make up for what you owed me years ago. Please believe me. I didn't do it on purpose."

At the mention of their history once again, Melvin couldn't help but furrow his brow in distaste.

He felt a trace of repulsion. It seemed that since her return, Charlotte frequently played the "you owe me" card, referring to events from years ago.

But her image had veered away from the girl he once knew.

Could it be possible that her three years abroad had completely changed her?

Katelyn, who had overheard their conversation, was well aware of Charlotte's behavior as a woman and found it repugnant. She discreetly rolled her eyes, turned her head, and planned to leave.

But Melvin stopped her. "Mrs. Matthews, Lottie isn't in a good mood tonight. Please take her back to rest early."

Katelyn didn't dare to refuse, so she put on a friendly smile and gently led Charlotte away.

Only when Melvin was out of sight did she let go of the smile. She pinched Charlotte's arm and muttered under her breath, "The daughter of a homewrecker is truly despicable. He's long gone, so stop pretending. Your performance made my skin crawl."

Charlotte shot her a venomous glare.

"What? Do you really think I'm afraid of you?" Katelyn retorted with disdain. She released Charlotte and returned to the main banquet hall.

...

After leaving the Matthews' residence, Lyra bid farewell to Cody and returned alone to Keith's villa.

She took a shower, put on a beauty mask, and savored some fresh fruit, feeling relaxed and content.

Suddenly, her phone rang.

Glancing at the name on the screen, she answered without hesitation. "Thanks for tonight. If it wasn't for you, I could have been the one embarrassed in front of everyone."

Miss Z on the other end of the line burst into laughter. "You're welcome! The beautiful dress for a beautiful angel, my First Snow seemed destined to be worn by you. I'd be devastated if it had been tarnished by that Charlotte."

Lyra chuckled.

Fortunately, before she left, she sensed something was amiss from Cody's reaction. She called Miss Z to find out that the dress she received was a knock-off First Snow.

Fortunately, Charlotte's size was slightly larger, so she had to get the dress altered, providing Lyra with an opportunity to switch it back to the authentic First Snow.

"Anyway, thank you so much this time. When you return home, I'll treat you to dinner."

Miss Z, currently watching a video of Lyra's dance to 'Lover' recorded by Cody, giggled. "Dinner isn't necessary. I'll be overjoyed if you agree to be my model."

"Well, my hourly rate isn't low. Wait until you can afford to hire me," Lyra teased.

Miss Z voiced a few complaints but couldn't help praising how mesmerizing Lyra's dance had been that night.

The two were old friends who hadn't been in contact for years, so they chatted freely until late in the evening.

The next day, Lyra woke up on time for work and was in a good mood.

However, during her commute to the office, she couldn't help but notice that her colleagues were giving her strange looks. It struck her as odd, but she didn't pay much attention and headed straight into her office.

Once out of sight, the employees on the same floor spontaneously gathered together and began murmuring among themselves.

Bob, a stout guy, spoke up, "Hey, is it true what they're saying online? But I think this new director is pretty straightforward. I don't think she'd do something like that!"

Amy furrowed her brow. "It's definitely true. Ever since she arrived, she's rubbed me the wrong way. Turns out she's a real bitch. You only defend her because she's pretty, right? If she were ugly, you wouldn't do the same, fatty!"

"Who are you calling fatty?"

"Obviously, I'm referring to you!"

"Ahem..."

The small group of people nearly got into a brawl when they suddenly heard a cough, causing them to scurry back to their desks in an instant.

It was Lyra, who had come out of her office to get some water.

Kellie, seeing Lyra about to make her own coffee, panicked and rushed over to help. "Director, I'm sorry. I was just about to make it for you and bring it over."

"It's okay."

The atmosphere in the office was tense, with everyone sneaking glances into the coffee room, wondering if Lyra had heard them. How much did she hear?

Later, as Lyra returned to her office with her coffee, her expression remained impassive.

Just as she had settled into her seat, Kellie entered the room.

Genuine concern was evident on Kellie's face. "Director, did you hear what they were saying just now?"

Lyra responded with a slight "hmm."

"So you're aware of the news online?"

What news?

Seeing the confusion on Lyra's face, Kellie hurriedly explained, "Last night, someone suddenly uploaded a video online of you splashing wine on Miss Matthews at the Matthews family party. This morning, rumors started circulating that you're trying to steal Mr. Freeman from Miss Matthews. It's caused quite a stir on social media."

Lyra's hands, previously typing on the keyboard, paused.

Kellie then pulled out her phone and handed it to Lyra.

Taking a look, Lyra saw that the video had been edited, showing only the scene of her splashing wine on Charlotte, making her appear arrogant.

In the comments section, there were all sorts of curses, highly offensive and harsh.

Lyra couldn't help but snort. She was trying to steal Melvin?

Was Charlotte asking for trouble?