Chapter 199

Eleanor had an air of superiority about her.

She turned around, her eyes sweeping over Victoria. "Since you put it that way, Martin, of course I respect your wishes."

She smiled smugly, but her eyes held nothing but contempt for Victoria.

Eleanor reached out her hand first. "Victoria, I guess we've gotten to know each other through our little clash."

Victoria smiled faintly and shook her hand. "You're right, that's exactly how it is."

Both women had their own thoughts, neither able to figure out what the other was thinking.

Martin stood beside them, grinning happily. "See, I told you young people would get along. Eleanor, why don't you show Victoria around?"

"Sure," Eleanor nodded in agreement.

Soon enough, Martin was called away.

Victoria stayed with them, but it felt like she was completely shut out by the group.

Eleanor kept talking to people around her, completely ignoring Victoria.

Victoria didn't get upset. She just stood there listening, not bothering to jump into the conversation.

Finally, someone in the group couldn't hold back anymore.

A young man frowned, his eyes full of disgust.

"I mean, how shameless can you be? You got in here through connections, don't know anything, and you're still standing here in front of us. Don't you know when to leave?"

That one broke the ice, and the rest came out to take their jabs at Victoria.

"She talks a good game, but I bet she's just latching onto men. First it was Mr. Smith, then Mr. Jones, and now she's cozied up to Martin."

Victoria looked up at Eleanor. "These people seem pretty close to you."

Eleanor looked at her dismissively. "Yeah, they're close to me, but what they think has nothing to do with me. After all, we're all adults here."

"Since we're all adults, then people should pay for what they say. And if it has nothing to do with you, then you won't stop me if I do something about it, right?"

Victoria rolled her wrists, her expression quickly turning unfriendly.

Her gaze swept over these people as she spoke sarcastically. "I don't know how your parents raised you, but since you don't know how to behave, I'll teach you a free lesson today."

A few were already getting cold feet. They had no real skills — just connections, and that was the only thing letting them throw their weight around.

The young man who had started it all said stubbornly, "This is clearly a jewelry event. What are you doing here? Do you think everyone's like Ms. Hartley? You obviously have ulterior motives."

Victoria pulled out her invitation and showed them the Celine Jewelry logo inside. "Is this name good enough?"

The people around her fell silent.

Eleanor, who had been so high and mighty, lowered her head. She looked carefully, then laughed lightly. "Where'd you get that? Did you pick it up somewhere? I know the designer from Celine Jewelry, and she doesn't look like you."

Eleanor's eyes darkened. Of course she didn't actually know her, but everyone in the industry was saying that person must be an old woman.

Plus, Martin and that Celine Jewelry designer were pen pals, and someone who could hang out with an old person must be old too.

Martin had only said those things earlier because Victoria came with Brian, so he was asking her to look out for Victoria a bit.

Victoria didn't keep talking to them. She turned around, picked up her phone, and called Martin.

"Mr. Carr, I'm being wrongly accused on your turf. Can you come over and clear things up for me?"

On the other end, Martin laughed. "I told you to keep your identity hidden, and now those punks are mocking you, aren't they? Hold on, I'll be right there."

After Victoria hung up, those people looked at her like she was an idiot.

"Even if you're trying to put on an act, you don't need to do something this ridiculous."

"Exactly. How could Martin possibly come just because you called?"

"So shameless! Even if he does come, who can prove you didn't steal someone else's identity?"

In these people's eyes, only Eleanor deserved their flattery.

Such a young woman claiming to have achieved so much in jewelry.

The young man looked at Eleanor with admiration. "Ms. Hartley once cut a raw stone, and after her carving and design, it sold for a hundred million dollars. Do you know how many people want to get on Ms. Hartley's good side?"

Victoria couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Are you talking about the auction on March 2nd? Because I remember the finale that night wasn't a bracelet worth a hundred million dollars, but a Heart of the Ocean necklace that sold for six hundred million."

The way those people looked at Victoria changed.

"Didn't expect you to do your homework. Yeah, that was designed by the Celine Jewelry designer. No one's ever seen that designer, and now you want to steal her identity?"

Victoria remained calm. "I made it."

The room erupted in laughter.

Even Eleanor couldn't help mocking her. "Victoria, who do you think you are? You're saying you're her? Didn't I just tell you I've met that designer? She doesn't look anything like you."

"But I've never met you." Victoria glanced at her, thinking her assistant should be arriving soon with her designs.

Tonight's event was basically everyone showing off their new pieces to each other, and since many jewelry-loving big shots were here, some of these new items might get ordered before they even hit the market.

Victoria's silence looked like guilt to them.

Eleanor mocked her even more mercilessly. "Why so quiet now? Victoria, if I were you, I'd jump off a building rather than make a fool of myself like this."

In the distance, an elderly voice carried an air of authority.

"Who's talking!"

Martin had actually come.

The people who had just been mocking Victoria all shut their mouths.

Eleanor wasn't scared at all. Instead, she walked up to him. "Martin, it's this friend you brought. She's claiming to be the designer for Celine Jewelry. We just thought it was funny."

"Funny?" Martin's gaze swept over those young people whose smiles hadn't quite faded yet, and he couldn't help shaking his head.

These people had the energy for this, but instead of putting it into jewelry design, they were here gossiping. What a bunch of idiots.

"She lied first." Eleanor keenly picked up on the displeasure in Martin's tone and wanted to make someone else the scapegoat.

"Martin, if you don't believe me, you can ask the others."

The people around saw this as a chance to get noticed and quickly chimed in.

"That's right, Martin. This woman just said that Heart of the Ocean that sold for six hundred million was her work. How could she possibly compare to Ms. Hartley?"

"She even said she was that designer. It's ridiculous. If she's that designer, I'll get on my knees right now and apologize to her."

Victoria's lips curved up, her eyes bright. "Really?"

The person instinctively shivered. "Of course!"