Chapter 188
“You’re really not as smart as Mila. No wonder the Gill family never really valued you. Maybe you should take a page from her book,” Daron said, his voice cold and merciless.
His eyes were icy, and his words hit Mallory right where it hurt.
She and Mila had always been at odds, and now the guy she secretly liked was calling her out right in front of her. Her mask slipped.
“Daron, I know I’m not the brightest, but at least I can see who’s really good for you. Marina’s not good enough for you. You-” Mallory started, her voice trembling.
But Daron’s face grew even colder, and Mallory’s words died in her throat before she could finish.
She had a feeling that if she kept going, Daron would have security throw her out.
Mallory bit down hard on her lip, feeling a sudden chill run down her spine under Daron’s sharp gaze.
“Daron,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
“Get out,” Daron said coldly.
Mallory took a deep breath, her face twisted in frustration. ‘It’s obviously Marina’s fault, so why does it feel like I’m the bad guy here?‘ she thought.
Did Marina cast some kind of magic on Daron or something?‘ Mallory wondered.
‘How else could she make him go out of his way to defend her and care about her so much?‘
Noticing Mallory was still standing there, refusing to budge, Daron grabbed his desk phone and called security.
“Get two people in here…” he ordered, his voice icy.
Mallory’s face fell as she heard him.
Her heart skipped a beat. ‘He’s really going to have me thrown out,‘ she thought.
She’d finally landed a halfway decent job thanks to her dad, and if he heard she got kicked out of the Zamora Group branch, he’d definitely show her the door again.
“Fine, I’ll go myself,” Mallory muttered.
Mallory didn’t wait for Daron to finish with the phone, and she stormed out on her own.
Just as she reached the door, Daron’s deep, magnetic voice rang out again.
“Mallory,” he called.
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Chapter 188
He stopped her in her tracks.
A flicker of joy flashed in Mallory’s eyes as she turned around.
“What is it, Daron?” she asked, her voice soft and joyful.
必零
Maybe he actually thinks I have a point, or maybe he wants to dig up more dirt on Marina from me, Mallory thought, her heart fluttering with hope.
But Daron’s gaze was chilling, laced with a clear warning and threat.
Mallory froze, the joy in her eyes vanishing in an instant.
The next second, she heard Daron’s voice, cold and cutting.
“If those photos end up back in Vrufield, you’d better be ready to pay the price for messing with me,” he said.
Mallory froze, her face going pale. She scrambled for her phone, frantically trying to recall the photos she’d sent out earlier.
But it was too late. The messages couldn’t be deleted anymore.
Daron noticed her frantic movements, his dark eyes narrowing.
“Who did you send them to?” he asked, his voice icy.
Mallory was on the verge of tears. “Just some old classmates,” she mumbled.
Daron’s gaze was icy.
Mallory rushed to say, her voice shaking, “Daron, I promise I’ll shut them up. There’s no way I’ll let those photos spread.”
“Get out,” Daron said coldly.
The anger in his eyes made Mallory flinch. She quickly opened the door and hurried out of Daron’s office.
Marina was waiting in the reception area when she saw Mallory burst out of Daron’s office, looking totally flustered. A flicker of confusion flashed in Marina’s eyes as she stood up and walked out to meet her.
“Why are you here?” Marina asked, her tone calm but curious.
Mallory couldn’t help but snap the moment she saw Marina, her voice turning sharp and defensive.
Marina just arched an eyebrow, totally unfazed by Mallory’s meltdown.
“Obviously, I’m here to see Daron,” Mallory shot back, her tone sharp.
Just seeing how calm Marina looked made Mallory even angrier.
“Marina, you’re about to marry another man, and you’re still clinging to Daron? Seriously, have you no
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Chapter 188
shame?” Mallory snapped.
“Do you really think, with the Finley family’s status now, and yours, that you and Daron could ever be together? Keep dreaming,” Mallory sneered.
Mallory locked her gaze on Marina, desperately hoping to catch a flicker of pain or disappointment on her face.
But she got nothing.
Marina stood her ground, calm and collected, just like before, totally unfazed.
“I’ve never even thought about actually getting together with him,” Marina replied, sounding completely indifferent.
Mallory felt like she’d just punched a pillow. It was as if all her rage hit a wall and vanished, leaving her totally deflated.
“At least you get it. Since you know you and Daron will never end up together, why don’t you just get out of his life?” Mallory snapped, her voice sharp.
Marina just shook her head.
“That’s not gonna happen,” she said, totally chill and not bothered at all.
Things had calmed down for the Finley family, but they were still nowhere near out of trouble.
If she pissed off Daron now, the Finleys would be even more screwed than before.
Mallory was stunned at just how brazen Marina could be.
“So you don’t want to leave Daron? What, are you planning to hang around and be his mistress after he gets married?” Mallory sneered.
Marina paused for a few seconds.
Honestly, she and Daron weren’t even a thing. Calling them lovers would be a stretch.
But seeing Mallory all riled up, practically fuming, Marina felt pretty satisfied inside. She smirked and said, “Wouldn’t be the worst thing.”
Mallory completely lost it, her anger exploding.
“Marina, you seriously have no shame! You’re the worst! Daron’s grandpa will never let you mess with him. Just wait–he’s gonna put you in your place!” Mallory yelled, her voice trembling with fury.
Marina watched Mallory go off the rails, an amused smirk playing on her lips. She deliberately kept her tone soft and teasing.
“Daron’s not even married yet, so what’s got you so riled up? Don’t tell me you’re already imagining yourself as his wife. Keep daydreaming like that, and you’ll end up living in your own delusions,” Marina said, her
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Chapter 188
voice dripping with mockery.
Mallory locked her furious gaze on Marina, eyes blazing with anger.
Just then, the receptionist walked over and made a courteous gesture, inviting Marina inside.
“Ms. Finley, Mr. Zamora will see you now,” the receptionist said.
Marina smiled and replied, “Thank you.”
Then she turned to Mallory, her tone overly familiar and sweet.
“Mallory, why don’t you join me in Daron’s office for a while? Maybe we could have dinner together tonight,” Marina said, her voice dripping with fake sweetness.
Mallory was totally grossed out by how overly familiar Marina was acting, her hands balling into fists at her sides.
She flashed back to when Marina first returned to Vrufield and Kara threw that party. Mallory had put on her best fake smile, acting all warm and welcoming, but every word she said was laced with veiled hostility.
Now, it was clear Marina was just getting her revenge for that day.
Marina had already figured out Mallory got kicked out by Daron, so she was deliberately trying to get under her skin.
Just then, the elevator doors slid open. Mallory didn’t bother replying to Marina. She just marched into the
elevator, her face dark with frustration, and jabbed the close button.
Marina watched her go, a sly smile curling on her lips as she couldn’t help but throw in one last dig.
“Well, if you’re not sticking around, I guess it’ll just be Daron and me for dinner tonight, just the two of us, enjoying a cosy night together,” Marina teased, her voice sweet but full of mischief.
As the elevator doors closed, Mallory shot Marina a murderous glare.
If looks could kill, Mallory’s glare would’ve been the sharpest blade in the world.
Seeing Mallory fuming and totally helpless, Marina felt even more pleased with herself. She spun around with a grin, and there was Daron, standing in the doorway, watching her. No one knew when he’d opened the door.
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Chapter 189
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.
