Chapter 139
Joyce, with her privileged background, probably never even spared Marina a second thought.
In her eyes, Marina wasn’t even in the same league–she didn’t think Marina was worthy of being her rival at all.
Marina met Joyce’s gaze head–on, unflinching under ho
scrutiny.
It wasn’t until Joyce noticed Marina watching her in the mirror that she realized Marina had
- ng.
The calm in Marina’s eyes made Joyce realize that Marina had taken in every single one of her
While Joyce was sizing her up, Marina was watching her right back.
uns
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Joyce just shrugged it off with a casual smile, and Marina returned it with a faint one of her own. Then, subtly, she looked away and went back to helping Hans with her makeup.
Joyce shifted her gaze from Marina to Daron, who was sitting off to the side, and flashed him a charming smile.
“Daron, you still haven’t introduced me to this young lady,” she said, her tone playful.
Marina looked up at Daron, unable to hide her nerves.
‘How is he going to introduce me to Joyce?‘ she wondered.
Daron noticed the jumble of emotions in Marina’s eyes–it was as if she was worried he’d spill the beans about their history in front of Joyce.
Seeing how tense she was, he frowned a little, his eyes growing darker.
He kept quiet, and Joyce’s curiosity and confusion only deepened.
Marina loosened her grip on her lap and caught Joyce’s eye in the mirror, her smile easy and bright.
“Hello, Ms. Clark. I’m Marina. We met in Mr. Zamora’s office the other day. It’s great to see you again,” she said.
Joyce’s eyes flickered for a moment as she finally remembered seeing that face in Daron’s office.
Back then, Marina was barely wearing any makeup–just sweet and unassuming, the kind of girl–next–door who seemed totally out of place in Daron’s world. Honestly, she gave off a vibe that didn’t match him at all.
But now, with her flawless makeup and radiating class and grace, Joyce hadn’t even recognized her. She’d thought Marina was some heiress she’d never met before.
Joyce smiled, but there was a glint of sarcasm in her eyes.
She was no longer wary or curious at all.
“So it was you. No wonder they say money makes the world go round. Just a few days away and I almost didn’t recognize you as that lowly office clerk from Daron’s office,” Joyce said.
After she finished, her gaze drifted to the dress Marina was wearing. Her expression grew subtly complicated, and she shot Daron a sideways glance, her eyes brimming with amusement and sarcasm.
“Wow, Daron sure knows how to pamper his women,” she said, her tone dripping with irony.
She instantly recognized Marina’s dress–it was a brand–new design from Chanel, not even released yet, and the color was a custom shade made just for her.
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Chapter 139
The faint curve of her lips completely masked the flicker of jealousy in her eyes.
Just a few days ago, Joyce had asked the regional distributor to secure this dress for her before anyone else, but they told her she’d have to wait for approval from headquarters.
Now, Marina was already wearing it, and Joyce still hadn’t heard back from them.
Sure, it was just a dress that hadn’t even hit the shelves yet–once it was out, her family would buy it for her the moment she showed any interest.
But what really mattered to Joyce was the meaning behind being the first to get her hands on
She loved that feeling–while everyone else was still lining up for the dress, she already had it in her closet, ahead of the crowd.
She relished being above everyone else, soaking up all the admiration and envy.
Now that Marina was the one wearing it, Joyce naturally felt a wave of displeasure.
Still, she quickly shifted her gaze away from Marina.
It was just a dress, after all–not worth losing her cool or letting any bitterness show on her face.
Daron’s expression didn’t change at all–he just looked at the makeup mirror.
Marina met her own gaze in the mirror, as if Joyce’s words had nothing to do with her.
Seeing her so unconcerned, Daron felt a wave of irritation bubble up inside him.
He didn’t respond to Joyce’s remark and simply pulled his gaze away from the mirror.
“Aren’t you going to get your makeup done?” he asked.
Joyce caught the irritation in his voice and was briefly taken aback, but she quickly recovered and flashed a smile.
“Of course,” she replied.
As she spoke, she turned to Hans.
“Hans, how much longer do you need?” she asked.
“All done,” Hans replied.
By now, Hans had already finished applying Marina’s makeup.
Looking at Marina’s flawless reflection in the mirror, he was tempted to snap a few photos for his portfolio.
He was really proud of his work, but with Joyce and Daron both present, he decided it was best not to risk it.
After all, he couldn’t afford to offend either side.
As a guy with a sharp sense for women’s perspectives, Hans could easily pick up on the sarcasm hidden in Joyce’s earlier
remarks.
She was basically calling Marina a caged canary, a woman kept by a man.
Hans didn’t know Marina all that well, but from the occasional complaints he’d heard from Elnora, he’d picked up a few things about her.
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Chapter 139
He couldn’t imagine someone as gutsy and rebellious as Marina putting up with being accused of relying on a man for everything,
Hans could clearly sense how much Marina was biting back her tru
true feelings.
Over a decade ago, the Finley family used to be
one
of the most prominent names in Vrufield.
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Marina’s education over the years was every bit as good as Joyce’s–if not better. Joyce’s family only started regaining their influence recently; before that, they were just living off their ancestors‘ reputation, always flaunting their so–called royal lineage while mingling among the top families.
Hans reached out and gave Marina’s slightly tense shoulder a comforting pat.
“Marina, dear, I’ll go do Joyce’s makeup first. My assistant will come over and take care of your hair,” he said.
Marina nodded. “Okay.”
Joyce stood behind Marina, an apologetic smile on her lips and her voice soft.
“Sorry, Ms. Finley, for taking your makeup artist,” she said.
Marina glanced at Joyce in the mirror, her own smile just as subtle.
“You’re too polite, Ms. Clark. How could it be stealing? Hans already finished my makeup before it was your turn, so it’s all fair,” Marina replied.
Hans was packing up his tools when he heard Marina’s comeback. He arched his brows, giving her a mental round of applause.
Joyce’s smile faded, and she let go of the verbal sparring with Marina. Turning to Daron, she said,
“Daron, I’ll head next door for my makeup. Catch you later.”
Daron didn’t say a word–he just gave a slight nod in response.
Joyce cast Marina a downward glance before leaving the dressing room.
Hans exchanged a quick farewell with Marina and followed Joyce out, leaving his assistant to come in and work on her hair.
The assistant swept all of Marina’s hair up into a classic French chignon, showing off her elegant, porcelain swan–like neck.
Marina had been worried the red marks on her neck would show, but to her surprise, Hans had already covered them up perfectly.
Unless someone got really close and stared, there was no way anyone would notice a thing.
Once everything was finished, Hans’s assistant stepped back respectfully and couldn’t help but praise her, admiring how stunning she looked.
Marina caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and, for a split second, felt like she was seventeen again.
Her mood brightened a bit, and seeing herself like that, she couldn’t help but smile softly.
Daron’s gaze lingered on the gentle curve of her brows and the sparkle in her eyes. He raised an eyebrow and got up.
“Let’s go,” he said.
Marina nodded, got up from her seat, and looked up at Daron, her tone a little tentative.
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Chapter 139
“Are we heading straight to the Clark family, or are we waiting for Ms. Clark next door?” she asked.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
