Chapter 66 Donating
Chapter 66 Donating
Chapter 66
“Star!”
Zachary’s eyes lit up the moment he saw Esther.
His appearance was nothing like the polished image he always maintained. The man who once obsessed over looking perfect now stood there disheveled, hair messy, shirt wrinkled, eyes bloodshot. It was obvious he hadn’t slept well in days.
The press conference had not been live-streamed, so he clearly had no idea what Esther had just said in front of the media.
He hurried forward and suddenly dropped to his knees, reaching out to grab the hem of Esther’s dress.
But Oliver reacted faster. She gently pulled Esther back a step.
Zachary froze for a second before tears started streaming down his face.
“Star, I know I was wrong! It was that witch Cathy who seduced me. I was just confused for a moment. Please forgive me, won’t you?”
His voice was hoarse and desperate.
Ever since the scandal broke, the Landon family had canceled all his engagements. The few endorsements he still had were terminating their contracts one by one. He had burned through his savings paying penalty fees. He had always lived extravagantly, relying on Esther to cover his lifestyle.
Now, facing the very real possibility of going back to eating instant noodles and losing his apartment because he couldn’t pay rent, he suddenly remembered how kind Esther had been to him.
And how much he had taken that kindness for granted.
Esther let out a cold, humorless laugh.
Zachary stared at her in a daze.
With her short hair and calm expression, she looked even more striking than before. Her aura completely overshadowed Cathy’s in every way. But the eyes that once held only him were now empty of any emotion.
He felt his heart drop.
He had truly lost something precious.
Esther brushed imaginary dust off her dress and said lightly, “Do you really think I’d take you back? Sorry. I find you filthy.”
Then she remembered something.
“Oh, right. The Landon family will be terminating your contract soon. You might want to prepare the penalty money.”
After saying that, she linked arms with Oliver and walked away.
“Star! Don’t go!”
Zachary tried to chase after them, but Oliver had already called security. The guards stepped in, blocking his path. He struggled uselessly and was quickly pushed aside.
From that moment on, Zachary’s public image collapsed.
Soon after, netizens dug into Cathy’s past as well. Stories about her chasing sugar daddies and being a mistress surfaced online one after another. The Zayn family patriarch was known for his many affairs, so Cathy was just one daughter among many.
Once she fell from grace, she instantly lost her value and was abandoned by her own family.
Sometimes, pushing your luck too far only leads to self-destruction.
⸻
Grateful for Herbert’s assistance, the Landon family gifted the Wyatt family a highly profitable project. In return, Herbert signed a cooperation agreement, officially establishing an alliance between the two powerful families.
Oliver was also treated as a distinguished guest by the Landon family.
She received a stack of supreme membership cards for their entertainment venues, allowing her to access everything for free.
When she saw the pile of cards, she leaned against Esther, laughing.
“So your family’s habit of booking entire venues really is a family tradition.”
Esther blushed and tickled her in retaliation.
“Haha, star, star! I was wrong!” Oliver squirmed on the couch like a caterpillar as the two of them laughed uncontrollably.
⸻
Oliver had been away for more than a day and night.
Yet her phone remained silent.
The Peterson family hadn’t called her once.
When she stepped into the house, she saw Samantha clinging to Tessa’s arm. The two were chatting happily, giggling like best friends.
But the moment Tessa saw Oliver, her expression darkened instantly.
“Oliver, you’re barely grown and already staying out all night? If you keep messing around like this and come home pregnant one day, I swear I’ll break your legs!”
Her words were sharp enough to make even Andrew, who was reading financial news nearby, frown slightly.
Samantha quickly patted her chest to calm her mother. “Mom, don’t be angry. My sister grew up in the countryside. She’s a bit wild and lacks proper guidance. I’ll teach her how to behave like a proper lady.”
She smiled sweetly at Oliver, eyes full of superiority.
“Samantha is always so sensible,” Tessa said proudly, patting her head.
Oliver looked at Samantha quietly for a moment before asking slowly, “Samantha, what’s that red mark on your collar?”
The Peterson couple turned to look at Samantha.
Samantha froze, then quickly pulled up her collar. “Probably a mosquito bite,” she said awkwardly.
“Wow,” Oliver chuckled softly. “That must be one big mosquito.”
She turned to leave, then paused. “By the way, I’m going out tomorrow afternoon. Not sure if I’ll be back at night.”
“Where are you going now?” Tessa asked coldly.
“Back to the countryside.”
Skye from the orphanage had called her earlier, inviting her to attend the orphanage’s 30th anniversary celebration.
⸻
The celebration was held at a newly developed hot spring resort near the orphanage. Rumor had it that a mysterious sponsor had funded the entire place.
The next afternoon, Oliver took a train to the outskirts of the city.
In Box 3 of the banquet hall, dozens of familiar faces gathered. Most of them had grown up in the orphanage with her.
Oliver walked in and found a seat casually.
A slightly chubby girl beside her smiled brightly. “Oliver! Long time no see. You’re still as beautiful as ever.”
Oliver looked up from her phone. “Noreen?”
Noreen laughed in surprise. “You still remember me?”
Oliver remembered clearly. As children, Noreen had always disliked vegetables and would sneak them onto Oliver’s plate. That was how their friendship began.
Before Noreen could continue chatting, two newcomers entered the room and sat at the same table.
Noreen glanced at Oliver’s outfit. “That coat is gorgeous. Send me the link later.”
Oliver paused. “I didn’t buy it online. It’s from a small boutique. I’ll take you there next time.”
At that moment, the two newcomers began talking loudly.
“Oh, Ivy, is that dress the newest from D’s collection? How much did it cost?” one girl asked.
Ivy replied casually, “My husband bought it. Not expensive. Just over 150,000.”
Selina smacked her lips. “One hundred and fifty thousand and you call that not expensive?”
Ivy smiled lightly and pulled out her lipstick to touch up her makeup.