Filed To Story: Watch Out! She's a Mastermind Heiress (Isabella Patton) Book PDF Free
Evita, her face swollen and bruised, added her voice to the mix. “I understand you’re angry, Ms. Hobbes, but you’ve hit the wrong person. You owe me an apology. Mr. Vaughn’s banquet isn’t the place for a scene!”
Evita spoke with feigned righteousness, shooting a meaningful glance toward the woman on the sofa. She had already tipped off Marcus.
Once he witnessed Luka’s disgrace, she was certain he would reconsider any future collaboration with Timeless Elegance.
As her eyes met Evita’s, the woman wiped away a tear. Evita had been clear before the task: no surveillance would be active. As long as she insisted that Luka had invited her here, there would be no problems. Taking a beating in exchange for some emergency money was worth it.
Isabella caught the fleeting glance between them. She observed Luka’s demeanor, noticing how his emotions slowly became more controlled. After removing the needle and helping him to a quiet spot to sit, Isabella turned her attention to the woman.
Before the woman could speak, Isabella warned, “I don’t know how you managed to sneak into this event, but you need to think carefully. Are the Calderon and Patton families really the ones you want to offend? And if your lies are exposed, do you believe your instigator has the power to shield you?”
Isabella’s thorough once-over made the woman’s ordinariness stark. She had been hit by Vienna and now, under Isabella’s intense scrutiny, her composure completely broke down.
Evita’s disdain for Isabella’s arrogance was palpable. She saw an opportunity to escalate the situation.
“Miss Patton, perhaps this family matter is best handled in private. Marcus is highly respected in our industry for his designs, and causing a scene here isn’t appropriate.” Her words sparked agreement among the others.
“That’s right. We’re here to meet talented designers, not watch personal conflicts unfold. Mr. Calderon, aren’t there more private places for such behaviors?”
“My initial thoughts of Timeless Elegance were quite positive, but its boss…” another added, shaking his head in clear disapproval of Luka’s actions.
Vienna stood firm, strongly defending her husband against the guests’ misconceptions about him. “I have complete faith in my husband. The incident tonight has to be a setup by this woman against him.” Yet, the crowd was swayed by what they had witnessed.
As Vienna made her claim, they viewed her with pity. “Who would have imagined Vienna is so naive in her romantic ideals?” “Her husband clearly cheated on her, and still, she defends him.” “All this chaos, and Mr. Calderon remains silent; it’s always Vienna who speaks up. Surely, this isn’t the first time.”
As the whispers grew louder, the staff member who had gone to fetch Marcus returned. Marcus arrived with his assistant, his blue eyes wide with bewilderment. “What in the world has happened here?” Marcus inquired, surveying the scene. He gazed across the disorderly lounge until his eyes landed on Luka and Isabella.
To his left stood Evita, who brightened up upon hearing his question. “Mr. Vaughn, I came to the lounge to change my outfit. Imagine how shocked I was when I opened the door and stumbled upon Mr. Calderon on a secret date with his lover.” Her expression was one of confusion, her cheeks tinged with red. She then turned, showing Marcus the side of her face that had been struck.
“This gathering is important since it was your idea, so I suggested Ms. Hobbes handle the matter quietly. Unfortunately, she refused, and I got caught up in the situation. I had no choice but to come to you for help.”
Upon hearing Evita’s version of events, Marcus observed the others at the scene, who confirmed her story with nods. “Yes, Evita’s story lines up perfectly with what happened.”
“Mr. Vaughn, I’ve already heard rumors about Mr. Calderon’s scandalous behavior before. What he did today was truly disrespectful to you!”
“Having someone like that in charge of Timeless Elegance doesn’t promise much for its future.”
The murmurs around Marcus grew louder, and he felt a furrow form on his brow. Timeless Elegance, introduced to him by Sierra, was a brand he had been told to trust. Marcus believed Sierra wouldn’t have recommended it if its boss were truly a liability. His earlier conversation with Luka lingered in his mind. Luka’s deep love for his wife had been obvious, the sincerity in his eyes impossible to miss. The idea that Luka would do anything to hurt his wife—or sabotage his event—felt hard to believe. Could it be that everyone had misunderstood the situation tonight? And yet, the details did match Evita’s version of events.
Marcus stood at a crossroads, unsure of what to believe or what to do next. His hopes for working with Timeless Elegance and Luka were high, but the risk of reputational damage gave him pause.
Turning to Isabella, Marcus asked earnestly, “Miss Patton, since you arrived before me, I’m counting on you to tell me what really happened.” His trust in Isabella was clear.
Beside him, Evita noticed how much faith Marcus placed in Isabella, and her anger flared. Why? Her frustration showed in her clenched fist. She glanced back at the woman on the sofa, silently willing her to escalate the situation as planned.
Isabella turned to Marcus and said with a calm yet cold tone, “Rest assured, Mr. Vaughn, my uncle and I will investigate tonight’s incident thoroughly and provide a clear explanation. Timeless Elegance will not stand for any baseless accusations.”
She then turned her piercing gaze to the woman on the sofa, her eyes sending a clear message of caution. “This is your last chance. Who brought you here? While the hotel cameras may not catch everything, we can trace your outside movements, your financial transactions, and your communications. You really don’t want to challenge the capabilities of the Patton family.”
The woman’s weeping ceased instantly under the intensity of Isabella’s stare. Evita frowned deeply, her expression filled with reprimand. “Miss Patton, is this how you operate, threatening someone openly in such a setting? You cannot resolve every issue with influence and wealth!”
But no sooner had Evita spoken these words than the woman dried her tears and came clean. “It was Evita who brought me here. She told me to tarnish Mr. Calderon’s reputation.”
The revelation left the crowd in shock. All eyes turned to Evita, bewildered at her possible motives. Overwhelmed by the accusatory glances, Evita vehemently denied the allegation. “I didn’t do such a thing!” She stared at the woman in disbelief. “Who are you? Why are you lying about me? I don’t even know you!”
After the woman’s accusation, Vienna loosened her hold on her and confronted Evita directly. “So you were behind this.”
Vienna’s slap resonated, leaving a lasting mark on Evita. As Vienna advanced, Evita retreated in alarm. “How can you accuse me without proof?”
The crowd struggled to digest the accusation. Evita’s friends, fellow designers, quickly came to her defense. “Ms. Hobbes, are you now using your position to intimidate Evita? This isn’t about her. If you attack her unjustly, we will reveal the events of today to the public, exposing the true colors of your family.”
“The truth is plain to see. We all witnessed Mr. Calderon and that woman together, alone in this room. Nobody coerced Mr. Calderon into that situation.”
A smug look flickered across Evita’s face, as she was buoyed by their support. Evita had discreetly paid the woman in cash, promising to deliver the rest after everything had concluded, thus avoiding any traceable financial activities. She thought her plan foolproof, shielding her from any potential exposure by Isabella.
Yet, swayed by Isabella’s persuasive words, the woman had turned her back on her. Evita was determined not to let this betrayal slide unchallenged. She took her stand among her fellow designers, and defiance mixed with a sense of injustice was evident in her eyes. She raised her voice so that every attendee could hear her clearly.
“I’m at a loss. I attended this event for a simple get-together, not to be ensnared in false accusations. Did you accuse me because I walked in on something I wasn’t supposed to see between you and Mr. Calderon? To save yourself trouble with Ms. Hobbes, you threw me under the bus? I hardly know Mr. Calderon, so why would I seek to frame him?”
As she spoke, tears streamed down her face, and she turned to look at the woman on the sofa, appearing as if she had been wronged by the entire world.
Marcus, who stood next to Evita, listened to her distress and doubted the woman’s accusations. Evita had once saved his life. She was kind-hearted, the type to help a sick elderly person on the street and take them to a hospital. It seemed out of character for her to plot against someone.
But the woman, confronted with Evita’s emotional plea, grabbed her phone resolutely. “You need proof? I’ll provide it.”
She was relieved by her earlier caution. Originally, when she had agreed to help Evita, she thought she was merely setting up a lesser-known designer, not the boss of Timeless Elegance, backed by the Patton family. The offer from Evita was appealing, but it was not worth risking her life.
The woman found the audio recording on her phone and played it. Evita’s voice was clear. “Here’s 10,000 dollars. I’ll give you the other 10,000 after this… okay…”
“This… this voice really does sound like Evita’s.”
“It seems authentic.”
The assembly was now wary, their gazes shifting back to Evita. While they were still puzzled about her reasons for targeting Luka, they instinctively withdrew their support.
Marcus, too, was taken aback. As he saw Evita’s desperate look, his heart sank. It was becoming undeniable that she had orchestrated the scheme.
“Evita, how will you explain this now?”
Vienna approached Evita, narrowing her eyes as her cold, disdainful gaze locked onto her. The other designers, knowing the truth, instinctively stepped aside. With both the recording and the damning testimony against her, Evita found herself cornered, unable to offer any explanation.
The atmosphere shifted dramatically. No one had anticipated that tonight’s chaos had been orchestrated by Evita. Her scheming nature was nothing short of alarming!
Luka, now recovered from the effects of the drug, strode toward Evita with a look of disgust etched across his face. “A few days ago, you approached me for a collaboration, and I declined. Tonight, you drugged me to set me up. Evita, your methods are utterly despicable!”
The designers, who had been puzzled by Evita’s motives for framing Luka, suddenly pieced the situation together. “Earlier at the banquet, Mr. Vaughn showed interest in collaborating with Timeless Elegance. Clearly, this is malicious competition on Evita’s part!”
“In the world of design, collaboration is about genuine talent. Instead of improving herself, Evita wastes time on schemes like this?”
“Working with someone like Evita is terrifying. If you stand in her way, she’ll do anything to eliminate you. Why does Mr. Vaughn give her special attention?”
The murmurs around dismantled the image Evita had so painstakingly built. Marcus hadn’t expected the disruption of his banquet to be Evita’s doing. Just moments ago, she had even accused Luka of ruining the event on his behalf.
As it turned out, she was the one who had disrespected him and tarnished the evening. The realization made Marcus furious. He turned to Evita, his expression icy, and delivered his decision with finality.
“This time, my collaboration partner will be Timeless Elegance alone. Evita, your skills and character fall far below my standards. I refuse to keep someone who has disrupted my event here!”
With a sharp glance, Marcus signaled his assistant, who immediately approached Evita.
“I deeply apologize for tonight’s incident. My assistant will handle the matter. I hope you can forgive us,” Marcus reassured the guests, his tone steady and composed.
Finally, he turned to Luka and said, “Mr. Calderon, please join me to discuss the collaboration details in private.”
“Alright.”
The two exited the lounge together. As they walked away, Marcus heard Evita calling his name from behind, but he didn’t turn back. What Evita had done tonight had left him seething with anger, but beneath the rage lay a profound sense of disappointment. Originally, Marcus had intended to offer Evita a mentorship opportunity after collaborating with Timeless Elegance, hoping to guide her himself. Now, that idea felt pointless and unnecessary.
The guests on the second floor, upon hearing Marcus’s decision, wisely began to disperse. Near the lounge entrance, several designers who had once been friendly with Evita now avoided her gaze, their expressions marked by unease. They quietly distanced themselves from her.
Standing in front of Evita was Marcus’s assistant, and behind her loomed the imposing figure of Vienna.
For the first time that evening, Evita felt a genuine flicker of fear. Half an hour later, Marcus and Luka officially sealed their collaboration agreement. Meanwhile, Evita was escorted out by Marcus’s assistant.
The night wind was biting, compelling passersby to bundle up in their coats. Evita, still draped in her wine-stained dress, appeared utterly disheveled—an image starkly contrasting the elegance and confidence she had exuded when she first arrived.
Just a few steps away, the woman who had betrayed her was also thrown out by the assistant. The sight of her ignited Evita’s simmering anger into a full blaze.
“You shallow, backstabbing woman! If it weren’t for you, how could I have lost the collaboration with Marcus?” For the first time, Evita’s composure shattered in public. She lunged forward, grabbing the woman’s clothes, her teeth clenched in fury as she demanded answers.