Chapter 190
After leaving Daron’s office, Marina headed straight for the elevator.
The receptionist noticed Marina zoning out by the elevator for a while. She walked over and saw Marina hadn’t pressed the down button, so she asked quietly. “Ms. Finley, would you like me to presevator for you?”
Marina snapped out of it and gave an apologetic smile.
“Thank you,” she said.
The receptionist said respectfully, “You’re welcome.”
The elevator doors slid open. Marina took a deep breath, steadied herself, and stepped inside.
Just then, her phone rang. Marina pulled it out and saw an unknown number.
Her gaze turned frosty, a hint of indifference flashing in her eyes as her pale fingers slid across the screen to answer. She raised the phone to her ear.
Shawna’s voice came through the phone.
“Ms. Finley?” Shawna asked.
“Is there something you need?” Marina’s voice was calm, showing no surprise at Shawna’s call.
Shawna hesitated at the unexpected response. Marina didn’t pause; instead, she hung up decisively.
The elevator reached the ground floor. Marina stepped out. The number rang again. She answered without a word.
Shawna didn’t hesitate this time. She got straight to the point.
“Ms. Finley, I want to partner up with you,” Shawna said.
Marina snorted. “Partner up with me? Doing what, exactly?”
Shawna replied right away, “I want us to work together to bring Lavern down. Isn’t revenge what you’re after? I can help you.”
“I’ve been with Lavern for half a year now, and I’ve learned a lot of secrets about him and Ross Group. I can help you bring him down,” Shawna added.
Marina arched a brow, her face unreadable as she shot back at Shawna.
“Help me? Ms. Thornton, I really doubt someone who got roughed up by Lavern and still agreed to let him off the hook could be of any use to me,” Marina said.
Her words left Shawna speechless.
Just as Marina was about to hang up, Shawna’s voice cut in again.
“Ms. Finley, I know it was you who sent me those photos and messages yesterday!” Shawna blurted out.
Marina thought, ‘Guess she’s not as clueless as I thought.
But Marina wasn’t about to admit it.
“Ms. Thornton, did you get kicked in the head by a donkey or something? If I really had dirt on Lavern and Yara, do think I’d just let them play pretend in front of me?” Marina shot back.
you
Shawna went quiet again.
Marina scoffed, her voice laced with mockery.
“Ms. Thornton, with brains like yours, you really think you can take on Yara? Focus on recovering your health and see if you can still give Lavern a child or two to use as leverage,” Marina sneered.
With that, she hung up and blocked the number.
Marina thought, ‘Shawna signed that waiver so quickly yesterday. It’s obvious Lavern sweet–talked her into it. And now she’s calling to team up? It’s clear she’s just testing me for Lavern‘
With that kind of 1Q, she’s only fit to be someone’s kept canary! Marina thought.
When Marina returned to Ross Group, Lavern was just stepping out of the elevator.
He frowned as he saw her coming in from outside. “Where have you been?”
Marina shot him a cool look as she walked past. “I went to Zamora Group,”
Lavern’s expression instantly shifted. He was about to walk away, but instead fell in step beside Marina as she headed for the elevator.
“What were you doing at Zamora Group?” he demanded.
His face twisted with anger, as if he was convinced she’d been up to something she shouldn’t.
Marina’s lips curled into a mocking smile as she shot back.
“Obviously, I was there for work. What, you think I’d be messing around like you and Shawna do?”
Lavern’s face darkened at Marina’s words, and he spoke in a low, serious tone.
“Marina, you and Mr. Zamora live in totally different worlds. Even if the Finley family and the Zamora family used to be close, things have changed.”
“You’re just a fling to Mr. Zamora. He’ll never actually be with you, and there’s no way he’d ever claim you openly.”
The way Lavern pretended to be all concerned for her just made Marina want to gag.
She stopped at the elevator, putting some space between them, her expression cold and distant.
“Lavern, just because you’re a piece of shit doesn’t mean the whole world reeks like you,” Marina shot back, with clear disdain.
Lavern frowned at her, his chest heaving with anger.
Even though Marina had been treating him this way for a while now, he still wasn’t used to it.
The woman who had once cared so deeply for him now spoke to him with such venom.
“Marina, come on, I’m a guy, I know how men think. All men are basically the same, and the richer they are, the more games they play. The world is full of temptation, Marina. Even if I don’t chase after those women, they’ll still come chasing after me, Lavern insisted, trying to justify himself.
Marina stared at Lavern, her gaze cold and detached, not a flicker of emotion in her eyes as he shamelessly tried to defend
himself.
Marina’s eyes remained impassive. He was utterly shameless.
Chapter 190
“If all men are like that, then why wouldn’t I just go for the richer one?” Marina retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm
Lavern’s face went stiff, then he glared at Marina, his eyes blazing with anger.
“Have you no shame at all?” he snapped.
Her gaze grew frosty.
“Mr. Ross, you really think you’re qualified to talk to me about morals?” Marina shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
She thought, ‘He’s got no morals left, and he still wants to talk about decency? That’s hilarious!
“Marina, I’m not here to judge you. I’ve seen you build your company from scratch, and you know firsthand how hard it is for women to make it in this world,” Lavern said, putting on his most sincere face.
“You’ve maintained dignity and the image of a professional woman. Do you shortcuts?” he pressed.
nt to throw that all away to lie with Daron for
“People will say all women are willing to do anything for a paycheck, even sell themselves. Isn’t that exactly what you always hated?” Lavern added, his voice dripping with fake concern.
Lavern wasn’t looking for a fight with Marina right now. He just wanted up any trouble.
to
keep her on his side and make sure she didn’t stir
Once Mallory had everything arranged, Marina and Daron would be forced to go their separate ways.
Marina wasn’t swayed by Lavern’s words. She fixed him with a cold, piercing stare, her eyes brimming with ridicule and contempt.
“Mr. Ross, it’s hypocritical that types like you stick labels on women. You act all righteous while your own behavior is a mess, and then you try to shackle me with your rules. Double standards like yours are just revolting,” Marina shot back.
After seven years with him, finally seeing his true colors just made Marina feel utterly ashamed of herself for ever being involved with him
She couldn’t even blame Daron for mocking her.
”
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.
