Scarlett Sullivan feigned ignorance.
“Bella, what are you talking about?
I don’t understand.”
Bella Jefferson scoffed, tightening her grip and grabbing Scarlett firmly by the collar.
“I know everything about you and Mason Sinclair.”
Scarlett clearly hadn’t expected her to lay her cards on the table so soon.
A flash of shock crossed her face.
“Your so-called boyfriend is Mason.
Those Moments posts—you posted them for me to see on purpose.
“Last night, you pretended to help me out, but you deliberately held me back so Mindy Jefferson would have the chance to strike.
Then you dragged me down with you to stage that ‘choose one’ drama.
You did all that because you were absolutely certain Mason would choose you, didn’t you?”
Scarlett dropped the act, her expression switching in a second.
“So what if I did?
What can you do about it?”
“When did it start?”
“Before you two got married.”
Things had come to this; Scarlett had nothing left to hide.
“I was with Mason long before you were.
If you hadn’t shamelessly crawled into his bed, there’s no way he ever would have married you.”
Just as she suspected.
The two of them had hooked up a long time ago.
“So, back when you asked for my help, you already had your eyes on Mason, didn’t you?”
Scarlett smiled smugly.
“Looks like you aren’t completely stupid.
“That’s right.
I targeted you exactly because Mr.
Sinclair adored you.
I sought you out to use you as a stepping stone into Meridian Group.”
SLAP!
Bella slapped her across the face with all her might.
“I treated you as a friend, but you’ve been using me this entire time.
Bravo, Scarlett.”
Scarlett hadn’t expected her to strike and froze in place.
But soon enough, she covered her cheek and smiled maliciously.
“Who is your friend?
“From start to finish, you were just a pawn in my hands, a stepping stone to get close to Mason.
You were too stupid for your own good.
Who else can you blame?”
“You think you’ve won?” Bella retorted.
“If you hooked up with him before we even got married, why are you still just his dirty little secret?”
That struck a nerve.
Scarlett’s eyes completely reddened.
“Who said I’m a secret?
I’m Mason’s real—”
“Mason’s what?
Why did you stop?”
Bella knew what she was going to say.
She was also well aware that Scarlett didn’t have the guts to confess to the marriage fraud.
“In a relationship, the unloved one is the true homewrecker.
Bella, everything you have right now should be mine.
You are the thief.”
Once she and Mason had a falling out, she would be nothing to the Sinclair family.
She silently watched Scarlett show off.
“Mason hasn’t touched you in all these years.
Do you know why?” Scarlett puffed out her chest, a disdainful smile on her face.
“Because he looks down on you.
Even if you lay naked in front of him, he wouldn’t have any interest in you.”
Bella remembered that on the day she caught them cheating, Mason had said those exact words.
It was too familiar.
But right now, she was incredibly thankful that Mason hadn’t laid a finger on her in the past five years.
She found him filthy!
“What are you talking about?”
Mason appeared right at that moment.
Scarlett instantly withdrew all her hostility, reverting to her weak and harmless facade.
“President Sinclair, you’re here just in time.
Bella is still angry about yesterday.
Please explain it to her.”
Bella was speechless.
She almost clapped her hands in applause.
With acting skills like that, it was truly a shame Scarlett didn’t enter the entertainment industry.
Mason frowned, his tone laced with displeasure.
“I already explained what happened last night.
What more do you want from me?”
“President Sinclair, don’t blame Bella.
She just loves you too much, which makes her paranoid.
She didn’t mean to come here and interrogate me.”
Mason walked over and grabbed Bella’s hand, his voice slightly cold.
“Let’s go outside and talk.”
“I didn’t.” Bella bit her lip, a mist of tears forming in her eyes.
“I couldn’t reach Anson, so I came here to look for him.
But the moment Scarlett saw me, she said…”
She looked exactly as if she had suffered a massive grievance—indescribably pitiful.
Seeing this, Mason’s heart softened a little.
“What did she say?” He looked at Scarlett, a hint of suspicion in his eyes.
Scarlett panicked.
Damn this Bella!
She had learned how to act too!
If she lost the upper hand now, how could she ever trample Bella under her feet in the future?
Just as she was about to embellish her story, she heard Bella choke back a sob.
“Scarlett said I stole what rightfully belonged to her…
that I’m a thief.
Is that true?”
Tears swam in her eyes, looking as if they would fall the second Mason nodded.
Mason’s face darkened, and he shot Scarlett a warning look.
Scarlett hadn’t expected Bella to complain like that.
Over the years, Mason had protected her, loved her, and been generous with her.
With just one word from her, he was at her beck and call.
But this specific matter was his absolute taboo.
If he found out she had laid her cards on the table with Bella, he would definitely be furious.
She opened her mouth to argue, only to see Mason gently coaxing Bella.
“Did you mishear her?
You and Scarlett are close.
She wouldn’t say something like that.
“Even if she did, she was just joking with you.”
Joking?
Bella turned to look at Scarlett.
She had been so arrogant and domineering moments ago, but the second Mason appeared, she had instantly become as meek as a mouse.
She pretended to believe him.
“Then it must have been a joke.
I’m not angry anymore.”
“You’re so understanding, honey.” Mason let out a sigh of relief inwardly after saying that.
Just then, Anson hurried over in a panic and apologized to Bella.
“Director Jefferson, I’m so sorry!
Something came up at home and delayed me.
I kept you waiting.”
“It’s fine.” Bella smiled faintly and turned into another laboratory.
“Let’s begin.”
Regardless of whether Mason believed her or not, today’s little scene had undoubtedly planted a seed of doubt in his mind.
Her goal was achieved.
Once she was far enough away, Mason’s face fell.
“Didn’t I warn you not to provoke her?
Why won’t you listen?”
“I didn’t!
She attacked me as soon as she got here!
Look, my face is swollen.” Scarlett tugged at his sleeve, her eyes red with grievance, her voice full of sorrow.
“Mason, how much longer are we going to keep her around?
I really can’t wait anymore.”
Because her hair had been covering her face earlier, Mason hadn’t noticed her condition.
Now that her hair was brushed back, a bright red handprint was clearly visible.
Mason felt a pang of heartache.
“Did she really hit you?”
“Yes.” Scarlett bit her lip pitifully.
“She blames me for what happened last night.
No matter how I tried to explain, she wouldn’t listen.”
But Mason thought that was impossible.
Bella’s mood had already improved last night; she had even told him to come check on Scarlett.
And this morning, he had someone send her a gift.
She shouldn’t still be hung up on it.
He suddenly glared fiercely at Scarlett.
“Did you say something to provoke her?”