Both women politely replied.
Amidst the lively chatting, the Poker games just smoothly passed by quickly on the green felt table.
Initially, Eleanor was losing a bit of betting money, but thanks to Chloe sitting behind observing and whispering tactical advice, the dealer continuously won big for several rounds; calculating it out, she even had a decent profit.
Seeing the noble lady opposite her starting to look sullen and unhappy, Chloe tactfully ran over to stand behind her chair to offer ideas to salvage the situation.
Sure enough, after a few rounds of turning the tide, Lady Margaret smiled with her eyes crinkling, constantly hugging Chloe and calling her “Darling, Sweetheart.” “Enough, not playing anymore, not playing anymore!” Aunt Margaret pushed the pile of chips away, complaining loudly: “You have your daughter-in-law backing you up, while I am all alone; you guys conspiring to bully someone is too much!” “If you’re not playing anymore then fine, put the cards away.” Lady Margaret, who in her youth was a sharp female lawyer with very profound education, currently retired, was also an incredibly kind and refined old lady.
She patted the back of Chloe’s hand and said: “Good girl, let us aunt and niece go over to the sofa over there to enjoy afternoon tea and chat for a bit.” Everyone very quickly cleaned up, moving the battlefield to the living room area.
Chloe stood in front of the real leather sofa hesitating and struggling internally for a moment, ultimately still deciding to sit down in the position right next to Julian.
Deep down, it wasn’t that she didn’t feel regretful for her soft-heartedness, it was just that throughout these two years, looping arms to protect the image of the perfect couple with Julian in public had become a habit deeply ingrained in her subconscious; in a short period of time, it truly was impossible to correct it immediately.
While lost in a daze and immersed in her messy thoughts, her lips suddenly touched something cool.
In a natural reflex, she parted her lips and was fed a juicy seedless grape.
Widening her eyes in surprise to look at Julian, she only saw the man using a silver fork again to spear another piece of cantaloupe, gesturing for Chloe to hold it herself.
Chloe blankly and clumsily took the fruit fork.
Only then did Julian speak in a deep voice: “Mother is asking when you will attend Fashion Week.” Only then did she startle and look up to see Eleanor still smiling and staring intently at her.
So that meant the series of ambiguous fruit-feeding actions between the two just now were all taken into her sight?
A rosy flush immediately crawled up her cheeks; Chloe cleared her throat, yet obediently answered her mother-in-law’s question: “Yes, Mother, the Fashion Week event next Tuesday will officially open; on that day, I will definitely be present in the front row, preparing to enjoy a few important shows, and also conveniently looking for design inspiration for the new collection.” The luxury jewelry design industry also required closely following the fashion trends of Haute Couture fashion houses, rather than simply the task of stringing precious stones together soullessly.
The upper-class women were enthusiastically discussing the topic of Fashion Week invitation cards, when from outside the porch door, a figure wearing high heels stumbled in.
Sporting a daringly deep-cut black strapless Jumpsuit that was extremely revealing, her feet wearing branded slingback sandals, her blonde hair braided in an edgy ponytail, and on her ears wearing oversized Dior CD-shaped earrings that were incredibly ostentatious and blinding.
That person was none other than the troublemaker Madison.
Lady Vivian, who was initially the most talkative and chatty of the group, immediately clamped her mouth shut, not daring to utter another word.
The fact that Madison extremely despised this gold-digging stepmother was something every member of the Quinn family knew as clearly as daylight.
Due to Madison’s unprovoked appearance, the initially warm and harmonious atmosphere in the common living room suddenly dropped, becoming awkward for a moment.
Fortunately, Aunt Margaret, a person with extensive diplomatic experience, reluctantly found a topic to change the subject: “Oh wow, Chloe, Auntie sees that the design of the necklace you are wearing on your neck today truly has very exquisite and unique lines.” Chloe today deliberately coordinated her outfit with a thin necklace to subtly show off her collarbone.
The material was crafted from 18K rose gold.
Thanks to a special groundbreaking design mindset, the pendant was not placed dead center in the traditional style but was entirely off-center, resting snugly in the hollow of her left collarbone.
The shape of the pendant was also incredibly delicate and deeply poetic in an artistic sense: a budding rose sculpted using incredibly exquisite laser-hollowing techniques.
“Yes, Auntie, this design, this is a sample product belonging to the upcoming autumn collection of our GY brand.
It is still under confidentiality and hasn’t been announced to the media; I just took the liberty to bring it out to wear and test it,” Chloe rubbed the pendant with her finger, smiling softly and replying with full pride.
“That’s why I say our Chloe is so capable.” Aunt Margaret showed a bit of sincere admiration in her praise: “Starting up your own business, opening a company and running it so prosperously with such high profits; everyone look at this exquisite design, it truly carries an artistic class that is too high.” Eleanor, hearing the praises for her daughter-in-law, displayed a look of immense pride and boastfulness.
The reality was exactly like that; after all, if evaluated objectively from the standard perspective of a strict mother-in-law like her, Chloe was truly a perfect daughter-in-law with nothing to criticize.
“Second Auntie…
I am not as outstanding as you praise me to be.” Chloe was a bit modestly embarrassed.
“Why wouldn’t you have talent?” Aunt Margaret showed disagreement, waving her hand to dismiss it: “This GY brand of you kids, its brand recognition in the market is gaining more and more reputation.
In my usual free time, I often flip through those Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar magazines, and the frequency of your products appearing on the covers is truly very dense.
Even little Tommy’s girlfriend is also crazy about the designs from GY.” Tommy, Aunt Margaret’s precious son, had just entered his junior year at Columbia University this year.
“Is that really so?” Chloe was slightly surprised and happy: “Our mischievous Tommy already has a girlfriend?” “Yes he does.” Aunt Margaret seemed quite open-minded and satisfied with her son’s girlfriend, at least outwardly not revealing any criticism or dissatisfaction: “He even made a fuss throwing a tantrum demanding that for the Christmas holiday this year, he will bring the girl back to introduce to the family for his grandparents to scrutinize and evaluate.
This stinky brat truly knows how to act coquettishly.” Chloe burst into a giggling laugh; college students dating nowadays were truly bold and straightforward: “If Tommy is truly serious about bringing the girl back for an introduction, then someone acting as a sister-in-law like me definitely has to generously gift a set of GY’s most expensive products as a debut gift for the future sister-in-law.” “Oh my!” Aunt Margaret put on a look of extreme astonishment, slapping her thigh: “Such a gift, wouldn’t it be too expensive and precious?” Saying that, she turned to jerk her chin looking at Eleanor: “Look at this precious daughter-in-law of yours; being so generous and liberal, you couldn’t hate her even if you wanted to!” “Tsk!” An incredibly discordant cold sneer of mockery rang out from a hidden corner; everyone unconsciously frowned and looked over.
They only saw that under the bay window sill on a beanbag chair, Madison was sprawling flat there with a frivolous demeanor, not caring at all about a lady’s image; her feet wearing pointed shoes were even arrogantly propped right up on the expensive tea table in front of her, swaying rhythmically.
Seeing the gazes directed at her, Madison sat up slightly; the disdain on her heavily powdered face was also very clear, not bothering to hide it: “Someone specializing in acting to pretend to be a good person, what is there to be proud of?
Second Auntie, I sincerely advise you not to be gullible and easily trust the sweet words people promise.
That is the kind of woman who burns bridges after crossing them, not caring at all about family bonds.” “Madison, why are you using such an insolent attitude to speak like that?” Lady Vivian naturally was sharp enough to understand that the implicit phrase “someone” in Madison’s mouth was sarcastically hinting at someone.
Although deep down she had absolutely no desire to meddle in this war, in her capacity as an adult, she had to speak up to stop her.
After all, she carried the title of her legal stepmother; if she didn’t put on the authoritative posture she should have to discipline her, she feared Lady Margaret sitting there would find it an eyesore and be displeased.
Madison, hearing Vivian’s lecturing tone speaking up, her complexion became even worse, immediately pulling her feet back and crossing her arms, her tone retorting firmly and harshly: “Since when is it the turn of someone like you to manage me speaking to express my views?
What the hell do you think you are in this house?” Lady Vivian’s face instantly turned as pale as a sheet of paper; her body trembled slightly in indignation, her lips twitching and quivering, but she was so aggrieved that she couldn’t utter half a sentence to rebut.
“Madison Quinn, where did you throw the upbringing you learned at boarding school?” Lady Margaret’s face darkened, scolding loudly in a stern voice.
Madison, hearing Aunt Margaret speak up to shout, still harbored a bit of timid fear of authority in her heart.
The girl rolled her eyes, no longer bothering to stare provocatively at Vivian.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Eleanor was both holding Vivian’s hand to pull her and softly persuading her to calmly sit back down on the sofa surface.
“Second Auntie, I swear I am telling the truth.
There is a type of woman who just likes to use those petty, cheap material favors to win over and bribe others.
Did she think everyone was thirsting for those items?
Wait until the time you truly need to ask her for a favor, she won’t even bother bestowing a single glance of attention upon you!” Madison stared straight into Chloe’s face with a bit of resentment and bitterness.
It was all because of this bitch; originally, under the lobbying of her close friend Serena, she had firmly grasped victory, receiving verbal agreement from the Brand Director of M&G to proudly show her face at Fashion Week performing the opening act.
The other party promised that if she could use her status as the sister-in-law to win over the sponsorship collaboration contract with the GY brand, they would make a special exception to assign her to model three key outfits.
Yet just because of Chloe’s stubborn refusal, that Director immediately backtracked and canceled the deal; now she didn’t even have the qualifications to get an invitation ticket to enter Fashion Week!
“Acting to pretend to be a fake good person for what?
Cousin Julian marrying a type of wife like you is truly a bad investment for eight lifetimes.
If initially this family had agreed to let him marry Sister Serena, I wouldn’t have had to suffer such massive grievance and humiliation!” “Madison Quinn, you are speaking beyond your bounds.” Julian’s face darkened, clearly showing his anger; a streak of ruthless hostility flashed through his sharp, ash-gray eyes: “Regarding your demanding claim for the GY and Grossi brands to sign a collaboration contract, Chloe knew absolutely nothing about that matter.
I have never opened my mouth to mention a single word to her.
When you came to the office, I also warned and told you very clearly: if you want to discuss business collaboration, then follow the company’s official negotiation channel procedure.” “You always blindly only know how to defend her!
Whether to agree to sign or not is entirely decided by a single authoritative sentence of hers; picking up a pen to sign, is it really that difficult!” Madison wailed, tearing up and causing a loud scene.
Chloe had maintained silence from beginning to end, only because at first she was confused, completely unable to remember when she had an action that offended this arrogant young lady.
Hearing the arguing and cursing for half the day, she finally strung it together and understood the issue; it turned out the root of the conflict was here.
The Grossi brand had indeed sent an email attaching a profile expressing their intention to collaborate with GY, but it was bluntly rejected by Director Harper, disparaging the brand’s class as too low.
That edgy girl even took a screenshot and mocked it for a bit in the group chat, then ignored it to let the matter pass.
“Firstly.” Chloe calmly stood up straight, her CEO demeanor revealed, articulating each word clearly in a sharp, cold American accent: “Julian indeed never opened his mouth to mention this ridiculous matter to me.
But even if he had brought this matter up for discussion, the result would not have had any changes or leeway.
In a business environment, one must calculate profits and image.
As the Creative Director of the GY brand, I must be responsible for mapping out the strategy for my company, for my brand value, and for the future of my employees.
Considering the status and market segment positioning of the Grossi brand, our GY board of directors completely does not value it!” Seeing Madison opening her mouth intending to strain her neck to argue, Chloe used an overwhelming gaze, giving her no chance to speak up: “Secondly, stop having delusions thinking that GY’s success and Julian’s power have some shady connected string.
For GY to achieve the revenue and status to reach where it is today, I have never touched a single dime of investment capital from the Quinn Group, nor have I ever utilized any of Quinn’s media relation channels to run promotional campaigns.
GY building its empire to this day is entirely relying on the strenuous hard work of myself and co-founder Harper!” “Thirdly, if your cousin Julian that year had truly cast aside benefits to marry that Serena woman, an incompetent person like you might not have necessarily enjoyed the trickle-down benefits of a good ending!” After Chloe finished speaking, she decisively slung her expensive bag over her shoulder: “Madison Quinn, having poor ability oneself and not putting in effort, yet cowardly complaining to heaven and blaming earth, pushing the blame onto others is an incredibly shameful attitude in life.
Very unfortunate for this family, you are exactly that kind of trashy person.”