Filed To Story: The Scarlet Vengeance: Justice of a Framed Beauty Novel (Grace & Jason)
She beckoned Valda Theller and Brian to sit down as she spoke.
However, the other birthday party attendees looked at Brian.
Camille Strickland only introduced Brian as Valda Theller’s boyfriend, Mr. Hart. She did not tell them his identity. After all, everyone would probably be watching him if she did.
He was the crown prince of the entertainment industry. Ordinary folks like them had only heard about him from gossip news of the entertainment industry.
Camille Strickland thanked everyone for coming to celebrate her birthday and asked them to enjoy the food and drinks after they took their seats.
Someone knocked on the private room door twice when everyone was about to dig in. Then, several men who looked like security guards pushed the door open and stood on both sides of the door.
The crowd in the private room was confused but saw the celebrity named Neil slowly walking in with a cake with candles on it while singing happy birthday. The number of candles on the cake reflected Camille Strickland’s age.
Camille Strickland froze, staring at the scene in disbelief.
Neil appeared in front of her and sang happy birthday to her with a cake… It was almost like a dream.
When Neil stood in front of Camille Strickland, he said, “You must be Camille.”
Camille Strickland nodded stiffly.
“Happy birthday, Camille!” Neil said. His melodious baritone voice was dreamy.
“Are you… real?” Camille Strickland asked stupidly. She was still in a daze.
“Of course.” Neil chuckled. “I came here today to wish you a happy birthday. Here, make a wish.” In a trance, Camille Strickland closed her eyes and made a wish before blowing out the candles on the cake.
Then, Neil asked, “Do you have any songs you’d like to hear? I can sing one for you.”
“Circles,” Camille Strickland said the song title almost subconsciously. It was one of Neil’s biggest hits as well as her favorite song.
Neil smiled, put down the cake, picked up the microphone, and said, “Everyone, I’m going to sing Circles to wish Camille a happy birthday!”
With that said, Neil began to sing the song. Although there was no instrumental accompaniment, singing in a cappella sounded different. In particular, Neil’s voice was clear, so it was unique when he sang it like this.
The guests of the birthday party were mesmerized but also confused, wondering why the celebrity Nell came to wish Camille Strickland a happy birthday.
Valda Theller had some speculation after coming to her senses. She turned to Brian and asked in a mutter, “Did you ask Neil to come?”
“Since your friend is Neil’s fan, don’t you want her to have a great birthday? She’ll be happier if Neil comes,” said Brian.
‘He did it!’ Valda Theller said gratefully, “Thank you. Camille must be… elated today.” Just looking at Camille’s expression, Valda Theller could figure out her best friend’s joy.
Neil took a photo with Camille Strickland and gave her his autograph after he finished singing.
When Camille Strickland invited him to sit down to have a cake, Neil readily agreed and finished a slice of cake before leaving.
Camille Strickland felt like she was in a dream after Neil left. When Camille Strickland dragged Valda Theller to the washroom, she could not help saying, “Valda, did Brian arrange for Neil to wish me a happy birthday?”
After a lot of thinking, it seemed only Brian could get Neil to come here.
Valda Theller said, “Yeah. I told him you wanted Neil’s autograph. I only asked for an autograph. Who knew he invited Neil right away?”
“He’s indeed the crown prince. He can just invite anyone he wants.” Camille Strickland was amazed.
“Today is probably the most memorable birthday I’ve ever had. Not many fans can have their idolspresent to celebrate their birthday!”
Camille Strickland said and gave Valda Theller a big hug. “Valda, thank you so much.”
“Brian invited Neil, not me. What are you thanking me?” Valda Theller said.
“I’ll thank Brian, of course. But if you weren’t his girlfriend, why would he invite Neil to celebrate my birthday for me?” Camille Strickland was quite clear about this.
While chatting, they walked out of the washroom and headed toward the private room.
Just when they were about to reach the private room, the door of the private room next door suddenly opened. The person who came out was their classmate in university.
The person was also stunned to see Camille Strickland and Valda Theller. Then, they sized them up contemptuously. “Camille Strickland, didn’t you say you wouldn’t attend the class reunion?
What are you doing here? You should know that people like Valda Theller aren’t welcome.” Camille Strickland looked awkward. She knew about the class reunion. However, someone mentioned not wanting Valda Theller to attend the class reunion, so she did not attend. She also did not mention it to Valda Theller.
It just so happened that their classmates chose the same restaurant for the class reunion as Camille Strickland’s birthday party. They… were even next door to each other.
“We’re not here for the class reunion. You think too much,” said Camille Strickland, dragging Valda Theller away.
However, they did not expect their university classmate to stop them. “Where are you going? Since you’re here, you might as well meet everyone.”
With that said, they opened the private room door as wide as they could and shouted inside, “Hey, guys. Look who’s here. Someone came to the class reunion without being invited.”
Everyone in the private room instantly saw Valda Theller and Camille Strickland. Barbara Schuman was among them.
Valda Theller’s expression changed. Most of the classmates she saw in the private room were those who had insulted, beaten, and laughed at her in university.
These people were on good terms with Barbara Schuman.
These people were her nightmare from her university days. She paled and trembled slightly.
Camille Strickland, who was holding Valda Theller’s arm, naturally noticed the change in her best friend.
She lunged forward in front of Valda Theller to help isolate those scornful and mocking eyes. “We’re not here for the class reunion. Don’t flatter yourselves!”
“Yeah, they’re different now. Didn’t Valda Theller become a comic artist? She even has a comic-
adapted drama in production! If that becomes a hit, Valda Theller is going to become popular! Why would she care for such a reunion?” someone said bitterly.
“Does she want to become popular? If she becomes popular, people might look into the shameless things she did back in university,” someone mocked instantly.
Another even said sarcastically, “Hmph, does she think she’s a big deal to have drawn several comics and have a comic-adapted drama? She’s still what she was back then!”
“Yeah!” Valda Theller bit her lower lip and did not defend herself because she knew any amount of explanation was pointless in front of these people.
She had tried defending herself in university, but what she got in return was more severe treatment from these people.
Her explanation was no more than a joke to these people.
Camille Strickland saw her best friend’s face getting paler and dragged her away to leave.
However, several attendees of the class reunion blocked their way, refusing to let them leave.
“Why are you in such a hurry to leave? Since you’re here, why don’t you drink as an apology to Yanqing? If it hadn’t been for you, Yanqing and Raymond Bowman would’ve been a couple by now.
Your meddling caused the misunderstanding between Yanqing and Raymond Bowman. You made Raymond Bowman go abroad,” someone said.
Another person suggested, “Yeah, Valda Theller should apologize to Yanqing. Why don’t we let her kneel and drink to make amends today?”
The others heckled at that, saying, “Okay, okay. Let’s do it. Let her kneel and drink to apologize!” Camille Strickland found them increasingly frustrating as they spoke. “Are you sick? Do you think we’re still in the old days? You were school bullies back then, but how dare you do this again?”
However, Camille Strickland’s yelling did not get to them. Instead, they became more aggressive.
“Camille Strickland, it’s none of your business. You’d better stay out of this, or you’re gonna be in trouble!”
Camille Strickland said brusquely, “You’ll all be in trouble if you try to do anything to Valda.”
“How funny. We’ll see how it goes, then,” the crowd laughed arrogantly. Two pulled Camille Strickland away from Valda Theller, while another one walked up to Valda Theller with a bottle of wine. They said,”
Valda Theller, why aren’t you kneeling yet? You’ll have to drink this today as an apology even if you don’t want to! We can’t let Yanqing suffer for nothing!”
Valda Theller took a deep breath. “I’ve done nothing wrong. Why should I drink as an apology? Barbara Schuman and Raymond Bowman know very well what happened. I’ve done nothing wrong to them!”
‘They wronged me!”
“Forget it. Since she said she didn’t do me any wrong, I’ll just assume she didn’t,” said Barbara Schuman, pretending to be aggrieved.