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Mia said, “I’ve kept it a secret for personal reasons.”
Shelly rolled her eyes at Jasmine. “Of course, you’re taking Mia’s side since you’re in league with her. I don’t believe that a carefree socialite like her owns Aide Castle Hotel.”
“Just because you can’t do something doesn’t mean others can’t,” Jasmine countered.
Sharon looked at Mia skeptically. “You say you’re the hotel’s owner. How do you prove it? Are you going to call the former manager, Mike? But how do we know the person you call is him?”
Mia nodded. “You’re right. But I don’t see any reason to prove my identity to you. It’s simply a waste of time, especially since I have a busy evening ahead.”
With that, Mia turned and left. She wanted to call someone to deal with Philip.
There couldn’t be any slip-ups at the investment banquet. Besides, she had no time to spare with Sharon and Shelly.
Jasmine chimed in, “Mia, you’re right. Let’s not waste our time on people who don’t matter.”
Shelly, feeling offended, stepped forward. “What do you mean by ‘people who don’t matter?’ I think Mia’s just feeling guilty.
“She can’t prove she’s the hotel’s owner, so she’s making excuses to leave. But her lies will be exposed once the guests arrive and the real owner of Aide Castle Hotel shows up. Let’s see how she explains it then.”
Sharon calmly adjusted her stylish coat and said, “Shelly, there’s no need to waste our time on irrelevant people. The guests are all here. You should go and greet them.”
Shelly nodded in response.
After they left, Mia immediately pulled out her phone to call Peyton, “What’s going on with the acting manager? Get him replaced right away.” Peyton asked respectfully, “Ms. Mia, what happened?”
“The acting manager promised the Barrett family they’d get priority on the reservation list. If this gets out, tonight’s event will be a disaster.” “Got it, Ms. Mia. I’ll handle it and shuffle the staff for the event,” he responded.
Mia angrily hung up the phone and double-checked the event venue The food placement problem was fixed. After taking a glance, she felt that everything was in order and breathed a sigh of relief.
She looked up and spotted Sharon and Shelly chatting with a few guests, including a young man around Shelly’s age. It looked like a blind date.
Mia wondered why Sharon had suddenly brought Shelly to the event. Didn’t Sharon remember how Shelly had embarrassed the Barrett family in public?
At that moment, Jasmine approached her and said, “I just checked. Shelly is definitely on a blind date with that man. But it feels more like a business transaction than a romantic setup.
“The man is a nouveau riche, and his son is into all sorts of unsavory activities like drinking, partying, and gambling No decent family in Nord City wants to be associated with them. However, they have high standards and only seek to marry daughters from wealthy families.
“Even though Shelly isn’t someone with status, the people of Nord City don’t know her background. All they know is she’s Timothy’s cousin, and that’s enough for them to see her as a suitable match.”
Mia responded, “Well, my ex-mother-in-law isn’t exactly known for her kindness. Why would she willingly introduce Shelly to these people?”
Chapter 1071
Mia felt there was a motive behind Sharon’s action.
“There must be some perks involved,” Jasmine said. “Those nouveau riche are quite generous, and Mrs. Barrett is desperate for money. I heard it took a lot to bail out Ralph.”
Sharon wasn’t just short on cash. The Bowen family was also demanding hefty compensation from her, and she was already caught up in legal issues. Plus, she couldn’t stay long in Nord City.
Mia had thought Sharon was in a tough spot, but now she had managed to bail Ralph out. How did Sharon get the Bowens to agree?
“Yeah, I was curious too,” Jasmine stated. “I thought the Barrett family might have given it to her, but I had someone confirm, and that wasn’t the case.”
“Then, where did she get all this money from?” Mia asked.
Mia knew Sharon wanted to bail Ralph, but it seemed unlikely she would be willing to give up her entire fortune for him. Sharon cared too much about her image, and without money, how could she keep up her status in Bern City?
Plus, liquidating her assets wouldn’t happen quickly. And Mia doubted Timothy would allow his mother to sell off all their property just to bail out his incompetent uncle.
So, she wondered where Sharon got this large sum of money and how she managed to persuade the Bowen family.
Jasmine whispered, “I heard Sharon has been associating with people from Yellow Island recently.”
“She has been associating with people from Yellow Island? Are you sure?” Mia frowned.
After all, there had just been a conflict between the research institute and the so-called heiress of Yellow Island, Louisa, who was detained in Nord City and couldn’t leave the country.
Yellow Island had negotiated with Raymond and submitted documents. Despite their desire to expedite the process, Louisa’s arrogant remarks had drawn significant attention to the matter.
Because of this scrutiny, Yellow
Island couldn’t openly use backdoor channels and Raymond couldn’t afford to show them leniency at this critical moment. The situation would only be manageable once public attention died down.
For now, the arrogant Louisa had to stay in Nord City. She was constantly monitored and couldn’t go anywhere. It wasn’t jail, but being under constant surveillance was still quite uncomfortable. Still, Mia hadn’t expected Sharon to associate with the people from Yellow Island.
Mia was puzzled. “Who exactly is this person from Yellow Island that Mrs. Barrett is involved with?”
“I’m still investigating this matter,” Jasmine said.
She added, “Their identity is quite mysterious, and they’ve never really shown themselves. But from what I’ve heard, it might be the island governor, who is the current prime minister’s granddaughter.”
“The prime minister’s granddaughter of Yellow Island? But his daughter died many years ago. How could he suddenly have a granddaughter?” Mia remarked.
Jasmine said, “I’m not sure. This matter involves the prime minister’s private family affairs, and he’s very protective of his privacy. It’s tough to find out the exact details.
“But if she truly is the prime minister’s granddaughter and she’s closely connected to Mrs. Barrett, there shouldn’t be too much of an issue with her lending a hand. But why would she help Mrs. Barrett?”
“That’s what I’m wondering as well,” Mia replied.
Given Sharon’s love for showing off, she would have boasted about any connections to Yellow Island a long time ago.
Chapter 1072
Mia suddenly remembered Timothy’s background and found herself at a loss for words.
She had always found it strange how Sharon’s behavior caused so many embarrassing situations without anyone daring to criticize her. It dawned on Mia that this was due to the Barrett family’s elite status in Bern City.
Despite Sharon’s lack of competence befitting her status, the Barretts seemed unusually accepting of her. However, Mia had recently uncovered the reason, which was tied to Timothy’s background. Sharon and Timothy seemed to carry a sense of obligation from their past, which explained the Barretts’ tolerance toward Sharon.
Mia frowned as she thought about the conflict between the research institute and Yellow Island, which made her wary of anyone associated with Yellow Island.
Now, Sharon’s sudden bond with the granddaughter of Yellow Island’s prime minister seemed suspicious to her.
She suspected that Sharon’s calling for Shelly to Nord City and her matchmaking efforts might be related to the prime minister’s granddaughter.
Jasmine said, “I’ll have someone follow up on this issue. But my assistant just called to inform me that my dad has arrived. I invited him specifically to the investment banquet today as a show of support.” “You didn’t have to do that, especially considering everything happening on your end.”
“Mia, I know there’s been some tension between our families lately, and I want to smooth things over. Let’s not let Luna’s antics drive a wedge between us. That’s just giving her what she wants.” Mia sighed, and she understood Jasmine’s intention.
With Luna now at Raymond’s side and ties to the Barrett family, Jasmine needed new allies. So, the Lane family was an obvious choice.
Seeing Jasmine’s cautious expression, Mia reassured her, “Come on. Let’s go greet your father.”
After all, Raymond’s presence at the event was a courtesy. No matter what was going on behind the scenes, putting on a good front was essential.
As Mia observed Jasmine’s expression, memories of her own past within the Barrett family five years ago flooded back.
As Mia and Jasmine approached the entrance, they noticed Raymond’s car pulling up. However, when be stepped out, he was accompanied by an unexpected companion.
Mia wasn’t surprised to see Luna, but she couldn’t ignore the sour expression on Jasmine’s face. She comforted Jasmine by giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder and said, “Keep your cool.”
“But I didn’t invite Luna, and I’m sure you didn’t, either. That shameless woman, how dare she come here with my dad? What if my mother finds out?” Jasmine fretted
“Don’t worry, I’ll handle the press. They won’t make this public or let any photos reach your mother.”
Jasmine expressed, “Thank you. I’ve already discussed it with my grandparents, but they haven’t agreed yet.”
“You’re too na?ve. Sometimes, a false promise is all it takes,” Mia advised.
At the moment, Luna only had Asher as leverage. If Jasmine could swallow her pride, she would undoubtedly emerge as the ultimate winner.
Chapter 1073
“But my grandparents were honorable people. They wouldn’t tolerate such wrongdoing or let me suffer like this,” Jasmine said.
Mia smiled. “If your grandparents care for you that much, then you should find ways to protect them.
“Sometimes, you can’t play fair when dealing with people who use dirty tactics. Fighting fire with fire can be effective. It’s like giving them a taste of their own medicine.” “You’re right.” Jasmine sighed.
Dressed in a designer gown, Luna walked beside Raymond as she relished the attention of the crowd. The gazes of admiration she received made her feel like a celebrity, and she couldn’t resist putting on a smug smile.
This was her first public appearance with him, and she knew everyone was speculating about her identity. She knew soon that she would be able to reveal her actual identity.
As his daughter and a wealthy heiress, she aimed to make those who had once looked down on her regret their judgment.
Seeing Mia and Jasmine nearby, Luna’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
Luna had finally reached this milestone, and she was determined not to let those who had once belittled her off the hook.
Jasmine approached Raymond. “Dad, I’m glad you’re here. I thought you were busy today.”
“How could I say no to my daughter’s request?” His expression was conflicted. He hadn’t planned on attending, but Luna had persuaded him.
Jasmine pretended not to notice Luna and said, “Dad, what do you think of the theme of today’s event? Mom’s birthday is approaching, and I was thinking of booking this theme for her. What’s your opinion?” “I think it’s great. Your mother is going to love it.”