Chapter 191: Slapping Everyone in the Face

Sophia's POV

"Do you know who this man in the photo is?" My cool eyes held just a hint of pity.

Evelyn froze. She had no idea who he was.

When Betty sent it to her, she only said this was some guy I was sneaking around with, and told her to find the right moment at the competition to expose it and destroy my reputation.

"I don't care which sugar daddy he is!" Evelyn pushed back to save face, raising her voice to hide her nerves. "You're still just a shameless little—"

I didn't have the patience to let her finish.

Wasting even one more word on someone stupid enough to be used as a pawn without even knowing it was a waste of my time.

I pulled out my phone, tapped the screen a few times with my slender fingers, and dialed Betty's number.

The call connected, the sound cutting through the quiet hallway with perfect clarity.

I put it on speaker without changing my expression.

Meanwhile, on the other end.

The second-floor bedroom of Spencer Manor was bathed in warm sunlight.

Betty was stretched out comfortably on a chaise lounge, an expensive custom face mask on her skin.

She enjoyed a leg massage from one of the servants while mentally calculating the time with quiet satisfaction.

The competition should be starting right about now.

That idiot Evelyn has probably already blasted my dirty laundry all over the venue, right? Just picturing me getting torn apart by the crowd and slinking out of that arena in disgrace was enough to make Betty feel like she could finally breathe again after days of pent-up resentment.

Right in the middle of her daydream, her phone on the side table suddenly blared to life.

In the stillness of the room, the ringtone hit like a death knell. Betty flinched so hard her face mask nearly slid off.

She saw the name "Sister" flashing on the screen, and her heart lurched. She'd saved that number just to keep up appearances in front of her adoptive parents. She never in a million years expected me to actually call.

Just then, Maria walked in carrying a plate of sliced fruit. "Betty, have some fruit."

Betty's eyes shifted. She quickly smoothed over the scheming look on her face and put on her sweetest, most well-behaved expression.

She deliberately hit answer and switched to speakerphone, her voice syrupy: "Hello, Sis? Weren't you supposed to be at that big design competition today? How do you have time to call me? Did something go wrong? Do you need help from home?"

It was a perfectly crafted line, it made her look thoughtful and caring in front of Maria, while quietly implying I couldn't handle things on my own and had to run back to the family.

Her sweet voice floated through the speakerphone and echoed clearly through the dead-silent hallway.

My face stayed blank. My cool gaze swept over Evelyn, who had gone completely pale, and I spoke into the phone in a calm, sharp voice: "Betty, since you care so much, why don't you answer one question for me, in front of everyone."

"Huh?" Betty was confused. "What do you want to know?"

"Who is my fiancé?" I asked, straight to the point.

Betty's mind went blank.

Had I lost it? What kind of person calls from a competition just to ask something everyone already knows?

But Maria was right there watching, so Betty didn't dare hesitate. She swallowed her confusion and answered obediently: "Sis, did you forget? Your fiancé is Joshua, the head of the Foster family in New York. It's an engagement your families arranged years ago."

She even made a point of emphasizing "the head of the Foster family," wanting it to sting. Someone like Joshua, untouchable, at the very top, would never look twice at a girl who'd grown up on the outside.

"Good." I didn't give Betty another second to talk. I hung up.

The dial tone rang out in the hallway.

Dead silence. You could have heard a pin drop.

Everyone stood frozen, like they'd been struck by lightning.

Joshua?

The Joshua? The head of the Foster family, the man who could make or break anyone with a single move, the name that made people's blood run cold?

The "sugar daddy," the "guy I was sneaking around with", that was Joshua. Standing at the very top of this city's food chain. And he was my fiancé. My legitimate fiancé.

The color drained completely from Evelyn's face. Her legs gave out and she crumpled to the floor.

She was shaking all over, barely able to breathe.

What had she just done? She had publicly insulted Joshua's fiancée. She had called Joshua a lowlife. If that ever reached him, forget Evelyn herself, the entire Wells family wouldn't even be worth his attention to destroy.

"Lady Evelyn." I looked down at her collapsed on the floor, my eyes completely cold. "You'd better pray Joshua didn't hear a word of what you said today. Because if he did, the Wells family should start preparing to disappear from this city for good."

With that, I didn't bother giving her another glance. I turned and walked toward the main competition hall, my strides long and unhurried.

The crowd parted for me on their own.

Every look that had held contempt or mockery moments ago had turned to something else entirely, awe, and fear.

The call cut off without warning. Betty stared at her darkened screen, completely lost.

What was that about?

But Maria had already picked up on something.

She knew I was independent and reserved by nature. I wouldn't make a call like that for no reason.

And the background on the call had been noisy, she could faintly make out raised voices.

"Betty." Maria set down the fruit plate, her brow furrowing slightly as she studied Betty's face. "Sophia just came back. She doesn't know anyone in these circles. Was someone at the competition spreading rumors about her engagement today? Have you been talking to people behind her back?"

Betty's stomach dropped. Her nails dug into her palm.

That useless idiot Evelyn. She must have made a scene and thrown my name into it.

"Mom! How could you think that about me!" Betty's eyes went red instantly, tears spilling over. "I've been home every single day, when would I have time to go around talking about anyone? I want things to go well for Sophia. Why would I ever hurt her? She probably ran into some misunderstanding at the competition and called to test me on purpose..."

She kept stumbling through her explanation while silently cursing me out in her head.