Mabel then reminded Trevor that TM had signed non-compete agreements with all employees.
If Daphne wanted to continue working in fintech, she would have to return to TM.
Additionally, since her mother had just undergone surgery and needed rest, Daphne couldn’t move to another city for now and would definitely return sooner rather than later.
After hearing that, Trevor felt deeply relieved, realizing that Daphne would return even sooner than he expected made him so happy on the inside.
He found himself even more drawn to the sharp and intelligent Mabel.
She just reminded him that he could have Daphne trap here!
It was either Daphne continued working here or he’d blacklist her.
With no one wanting to hire her, she’d have no choice but to come back to him.
Susan gave an invitation to her mother’s birthday banquet, asking him to pass it on to his parents.
Trevor stared at the card, knowing his mother would be so thrilled.
*********
He went to his family’s house that evening and presented the invitation to Valentina.
“Yeah.
That’s my son.
I knew you took after me.
Finally, we’d have the Madrigal’s family’s backing.”
Trevor sat on the couch.
“Isn’t it too early to be saying that, mom?”
“Too early?
Of course it isn’t.
In fact, better be on your best behavior that night, we should bring up a marriage alliance between the two families.”
Trevor swallowed.
Wasn’t it too early to be talking about marriage already?
“I hope you’ve broken things off completely with that woman, Daphne?” Valentina snarled.
“Don’t worry about her.”
After leaving the house, Trevor smoked in his car and admitted to himself that he had feelings for Mabel and that the Madrigal family could help his career.
At the same time, he had no intention of giving up on Daphne, still believing he could balance the relationship between the two women
*********
On Saturday, Daphne went to DN University library to study for her graduate school entrance exams.
She had arranged to go over problems with Bram, but Bram brings a lady along.
The lady introduced herself as Viola, she was quietly friendly and even acted as if she knew Daphne well.
They all studied together.
After Bram finished explaining the problem to Daphne, he excused himself to go answer a call.
Viola began to chat with Daphne about women issues and Daphne found the conversation quite entertaining.
After they finished studying, they both walked out of the library.
“My brother is supposed to pick me up.
I wonder if he’s here yet.” Viola grumbled and then seeing him from afar, she waved at him.
As the man got closer, Daphne’s eyes dilated as she recognized him.
It was Dante.
Trevor’s friend.
“Daphne, get in too.
My brother can take you home as well.” Viola offered.
“I can’t.
I came here on a scooter as a way to exercise.
I’d prefer going back on that too.” Daphne declined.
Dante told Viola to get in first, explained to Daphne that it was on his way, and insisted on giving her a ride.
“I don’t mean to be rude but I’m sure you already know that Trevor and I are no longer together and so I do not want to be associated with anyone close to him.”
Dante swallowed.
“It’s just a ride, Daphne.
I mean we can still be friends, right?
I’m not the one you broke up with.”
“I prefer to ride on my scooter.” With that, Daphne turned and walked again.
With a long face, Dante got into the car.
“So that’s the Daphne you always talk about?” Viola teased.
“Yeah.
My friend’s girlfriend.”
“Well, one doesn’t look at his “friend girlfriend” like that.”
“She’s just a marvelous girl and I don’t know why Trevor can’t see that.
Now she hates me too.
I’m not even Trevor.” Dante sighed.
“You’re just someone who’s liked her for a while and never had the balls to tell her.” Viola informed him.
Dante gulped.
“No one can ever know about that, especially Trevor.”
“Yeah, sure.
The douche who let her go?”
“I think he still wants her back.
I don’t know.
It’s confusing.
Just forget I told you any of this.”
************
Dante takes Viola to the five-star hotel booked by the Madrigal family.
While resting in a corner, Dante ran into Trevor, Mabel, and Tristan.
He introduced Mabel to his sister who tried to stay well behaved.
“Viola, you should come work at TM.
We offer awesome benefits.” Mabel offered.
“She’s not working for now.” Dante replied.
“She’s actually preparing to apply for graduate school under Professor Alistair.”
“That’s good.” Trevor cut in.
“Professor Alistair is quite remark.
We’re hoping to be able to purchase a patent from him.”
People from the King family arrived at the entrance, causing a stir among the guests.
Mabel turned pale with fear.
Her mother came over to comfort her, explaining that it was Marco and his sister who had arrived, not Bradley, whom Mabel had been engaged to.
It turned out that years ago, Bradley had discovered that Mabel had falsified her academic credentials and had her thesis ghostwritten.
He also discovered that she was quite the promiscuous type, even sleeping with her professors.
He had subsequently canceled the arranged marriage with the Madrigal family and settled abroad.
The Madrigal family had concealed the truth and ordered Mabel to come home and start afresh where no one knew what she was up to abroad.
They had sent an invitation to the King family.
Since the King family didn’t come at them back then, they felt Bradley didn’t tell his family the truth and so they wanted to still curry favor from the King family.
Seeing that Bradley was really nowhere to be seen, Mabel finally relaxed.
Marco made a grand entrance, greeting Mabel’s mother first.
He then told Mabel that they had met before and praised her professional abilities.
The Madrigal family was overjoyed and immediately discussed a partnership with him, but Marco did not give a direct answer.
As Marco and Maliyah got seated, Maliyah scoffed.
“Look at her, she’s so shameless.” Maliyah let out, referring to Mabel.
“And her new boyfriend is equally shameless too.
They’re a perfect match.
Do you know that Daphne dedicated years setting up his company and being his girlfriend.
I can’t believe he dumped her for someone like Mabel.”
Marco didn’t say anything but deep down, he was glad Daphne was single now.
Not that she’d be for long though.
He was gradually making his stance in her life.
“You didn’t answer my question clearly that day.
Do you like Daphne?” Maliyah suddenly asked.
“You talk too much.” Marco snapped.
**********
As the party went on, Maliyah went to the break room to avoid socializing and sent Daphne a message venting, saying she hopes Trevor and Mabel will stay together forever and stop going out to ruin other people’s lives.
They should only ruin each other’s lives.
Daphne was quite surprised by her outburst.
She had every reason to hate Trevor and Mabel but did Maliyah?
Curiously, she asked.
Daphne: It seems you have something against them.
Maliyah then sent a lengthy reply.
Maliyah: Of course, my cousin, Bradley had loved Mabel so much, they got engaged years ago and was supposed to be married by now but Mabel had cheated on him, repeatedly.
Always promising to change.
But she never did.
And then he found out that almost everything about her had been a lie, her degree was bought, her thesis was ghostwritten, and she was still meeting with the professors she had bribed before.
Even sleep with two of them at the same time.
Bradley couldn’t take it anymore and so the engagement was called off.
Daphne was very shocked after reading all that.
Trevor had always described Mabel as a perfect angel, flawless, beautiful, pure, incapable of hurting a fly.
Was this the same angel he knew?
Oh well, that was none of his business.
She simply replied with an “Oh” before going back to studying
Kayla arrived at the birthday party, she saw people most focused on Marco King and Maliyah King, rather than the celebrant.
Sighing, she wished she could get a man like Marco.
If she could, her father would finally like her.
Her family would finally be proud of her instead on pouring all their love on their adopted daughter.
She shook her head and decided to enjoy the party, she actively strike up conversations with Dante and Tristan.
Dante ignored her most of the time because it felt as if she was talking with her boobs.
Always bouncing them up and down.
He wasn’t the type to fall for such cheap seduction.
But Tristan was the type and he had already concluded that Kayla would be his bed partner for tonight.
Kayla also got to work, secretly taking photos of Trevor and Mabel to post on social media.
She also wanted people to think she was friends with Mabel Madrigal.
They’d think she was surely getting connections and respect her.
************
Daphne scrolled through social media and saw Kayla’s post.
Trevor and Mabel looked cozied up together and the caption spared no means to rain praised on them as a power couple.
Unable to contain her sadness, after all, almost a decade of loving was hard to let go of, she cried her eyes out.
Afterward, she set a rule for herself: after tonight, there was no need asking herself these questions.
How Trevor could do this to her?
And why he would do it?
There was no need to.
He clearly never genuinely loved her and so she would never shed another tear for him.