Chapter 338

Chapter 338

Paula didn't keep me in suspense. "So Liliana, desperate to get in with the Collins family, went out of her way to impress Mrs. Collins. She noticed Mrs. Collins carrying designer bags and spent a fortune importing the latest model from overseas. The kicker? It turned out to be a counterfeit, and she'd already handed it over to Mrs. Collins. She must be mortified!"

Paula's voice grew increasingly animated as she shared the gossip.

This made perfect sense. Faye was draped in luxury brands and had developed an expert eye—one glance, one touch, and she could spot a fake instantly. If Paula said it was counterfeit, she must know exactly why.

Someone like Faye wouldn't necessarily call Liliana out directly, but she'd certainly harbor resentment—and knowing Faye, she might subtly undermining Liliana in the future—just enough to make Liliana life difficult.

"The best part is that Liliana only discovered the truth after the bag was already in Mrs. Collins' hands," Paula continued. "Can you imagine? Should she confess or just pretend nothing happened?"

I could practically hear Paula's delight through the phone.

Either way, the damage was done.

"But I'm confused," I said. "The Ellis family has been doing exceptionally well lately, and Mr. Ellis isn't known for restricting his wife's spending. Why would Liliana need to cut corners? And if she regularly buys luxury items, how did she miss the signs?"

Paula quickly cleared things up.

"Oh, Mr. Ellis gives her plenty of spending money, but her two children—Theodosia and Otto—are absolute money pits. She's spent so much on them that she's running low on funds. She wants to keep some money for herself, so she couldn't bring herself to pay full price for the bag."

Paula had clearly read Liliana perfectly and exploited her psychology. When Liliana was desperate to impress Faye but worried about the cost, a convenient reseller appeared with a solution.

"You had something to do with this, didn't you?" I asked.

Paula didn't deny it, offering a sardonic laugh instead. "Some people are just too greedy—wanting everything without consequences. I noticed Faye has this almost obsessive need to have matching sets of accessories. She was missing just one piece from a collection, which must have been driving her crazy."

"So I casually posted about looking for that exact bag and mentioned a reseller. Of course, I made sure only Theodosia and Liliana could see the post. Theodosia took the bait immediately—first asking about the bag, then about the reseller. I played coy, which only made her more determined to contact the seller herself. She was afraid I'd buy it first and give it to Mrs. Collins."

As for why Liliana hadn't verified the authenticity before gifting it, timing was crucial. Someone of Liliana's status couldn't simply request a meeting with Faye whenever she pleased.

Liliana had to track Faye's habits—Paula knew Faye occasionally frequented a particular restaurant for lunch—and seized the opportunity. In her haste to present the gift, Liliana barely examined it. The counterfeit was convincing enough at a glance.

The real twist? Paula had acquired the authentic version! By the time Liliana realized something was wrong and tried to contact the reseller, they had vanished.

After mocking Liliana's predicament, I remembered joking with Christopher about wanting Faye to leave.

"Do you think Mr. Collins might have orchestrated this?" I couldn't help but admire Christopher's efficiency if that were the case.

"Mr. Collins never disappoints. Go ahead and enjoy your little victory," Paula teased.

I knew Paula was aware of Christopher's feelings for me. Her comment, ostensibly about having a good boss, carried unmistakable undertones that made my heart race.

"Paula..." I felt embarrassed and wanted to change the subject. More importantly, I needed to prevent myself from getting in any deeper. I was still considering leaving.

Paula immediately sensed my thoughts. "Just because Mrs. Collins is gone doesn't mean she won't return. Put aside any thoughts of leaving Summit Innovations Group for now, understand?"

What could I do? When Paula used that serious tone, I had no choice but to comply.

To distract me from overthinking, Paula pivoted to another juicy development.

"I've got more news—Idris and Quinlan's relationship is confirmed!"

I nearly choked on my water. "Quinlan admitted it? How is that possible?" I couldn't believe Quinlan would suddenly start dating Idris.

Wasn't Idris recently heartbroken?

"What's going on with Idris?" I frowned, asking urgently.

Paula explained, "I need to investigate further, but he's defying the company's instructions to deny the rumors. I've heard he's negotiating to appear on a couples' travel show, and Quinlan is the only person he's been linked with recently. What does that tell you?"

"So he's planning to take Quinlan on the show?" My heart filled with concern rather than happiness for Quinlan.

As an ordinary person dating Idris, she was already facing attacks from fans. If they appeared on a show together, their relationship would become official. If they ever broke up, the aftermath could be devastating for Quinlan.

Paula urged me not to catastrophize. "Think of it differently—this might actually benefit Quinlan. She could use the public platform to expose Yosef and Yasmin's mistreatment. No matter how those two try to play victim afterward, they won't get any sympathy. Quinlan might finally break free from them. Isn't that a good thing?"

Considering Paula's analysis, I realized she might be right.

Perhaps Quinlan had thought of this herself, which explained why she'd suddenly acknowledged their relationship.

Since it was Quinlan's own decision, I could only respect it.

With our conversation winding down and time getting late, Paula needed to head to the office, so we said our goodbyes.

After finishing my morning routine, I'd planned to skip breakfast at Christopher's house.

But facing my empty refrigerator, I felt stuck. I'd originally intended to buy groceries, but Christopher was keeping a close eye on me, not letting me go out alone. If I went with him—a standout public figure—we'd likely attract attention or end up on social media.

So I abandoned that idea.

My only option was delivery. Seeing the time, I decided to have it sent directly to the office rather than home.

Just as I opened my door, I noticed several bouquets of roses in different colors arranged outside.

They were still covered in dewdrops—clearly fresh.

Assuming they were from Bobby again, I picked them up with annoyance, intending to set them aside for the cleaning staff to deal with.

It was then that I locked eyes with Christopher as he was leaving his apartment.