Chapter 5

A month after the wedding, the Graves family threw a charity gala.

Every influential person from Mierian turned up, filling the hall with lively chatter, clinking glasses, and a dazzling display of glamorous outfits.

I wore a deep red gown that Jordan had given me. He said it was my mom's favorite color when she was young.

When Milton saw me, his gaze lingered for a moment.

I pretended not to notice and slipped my arm through his as we walked into the hall.

Scarlett was there too, dressed in a white gown and holding onto Howell's arm.

When she spotted me, she gave me a sweet smile. "Wow, you look stunning tonight."

"You too," I replied with a smile.

As the party got underway, I followed Milton around, mingling and raising a few glasses with the guests.

Then I made an excuse to head to the restroom, but I'd actually gotten a message from Jordan.

He said there was an important investor at the party who wanted to meet me.

I found the investor tucked away in a corner and was chatting about the AK Lab project when I spotted Scarlett coming over with a drink in her hand.

She looked all cheerful, but it was obvious she was a bit tipsy.

My gut clenched. Last time around, it was at this very party that she faked a fall, splashed red wine all over me, and then started bawling.

She claimed I'd shoved her.

I knew it was happening again.

Scarlett came right up to me, staggered, and dumped her entire glass of red wine all over my dress.

The wine blended in with the deep red of my dress, but the large damp stain was still hard to miss.

"I'm so sorry, Nadia. I didn't mean to!" Scarlett cried out, her eyes welling up with tears.

She staggered backward, nearly losing her balance.

Milton suddenly came to her side, steadying her before she could fall.

"Scarlett, are you okay?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

Scarlett leaned into his arms, her tears spilling down her cheeks. "Milton, I didn't mean to. Is she going to be mad at me?"

Milton looked up at me, his eyes icy. "Nadia, did you push her?"

I stood there, stunned.

I was standing three steps away. I hadn't even lifted a hand. There was no way I could have pushed her.

But Scarlett was really milking it. She was shaking in Milton's arms, looking like the poor victim, and everyone was watching me now.

"I didn't push her," I said calmly.

"Nadia, I know you don't like me, but you didn't have to do this..." Scarlett choked out, her words dissolving into even heavier sobs.

Milton's face turned stormy. "Apologize to her."

I looked him right in the eye and said, slow and firm, "I'll say it one more time. I didn't push her."

"Nadia!" Milton called out.

I cut him off, my voice cold and steady, "Milton, did you see me push her with your own eyes?"

He hesitated for a second.

He hadn't seen anything. The moment Scarlett started crying, he pinned it all on me.

It was exactly the same as in my previous life.

People started murmuring among themselves, throwing me glances, some with pity, others with open disdain.

I looked down at my dress, now ruined by red wine, and a laugh escaped me.

"Fine," I said.

I reached over, grabbed a glass of red wine from the table, and with everyone watching in shock, let it spill down the other side of my gown.

I said, setting the glass down and locking eyes with Milton and Scarlett, "Now that's two glasses. Is that enough for you? If not, I can go for a third."

The whole place went dead silent.

Scarlett's sobs died in her throat. Tears still clung to her cheeks, but she was left speechless.

Milton frowned at me, opening his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

I turned away from them and headed for the stage at the center of the hall.

The auctioneer's podium was still up front, and the mic hadn't been put away yet.

I picked up the mic, turned to face the crowd, and spoke in a calm, clear voice.

"Excuse me, everyone."

Every eye in the room turned to me.

"I'm putting up an extra item for tonight's charity auction," I said.

I unclasped the necklace from my neck, the one Milton had given me as a wedding gift, a limited-edition Cartier worth hundreds of thousands.

"Starting bid is 300 thousand dollars. Every cent will be donated to the children's medical fund tonight," I announced.

People in the audience started whispering to each other, some wearing mocking smiles.

Milton stood among the crowd, his expression darkening completely.

"Nadia, what are you doing?" he said in a low, angry voice.

I didn't pay him any mind and continued, "In addition, I'm adding 1.5 million personally to the children's medical fund."

A wave of shocked murmurs swept through the crowd.

1.5 million was no small amount, especially for me, who'd only recently joined the Graves family.

People started raising their paddles, bidding on the necklace.

In the end, a big-shot developer took it home for one million.

I handed the check to someone from the charity, smiling as I said, "Thank you."

As I stepped off the stage, Milton suddenly grabbed my wrist as I walked by.

"Are you out of your mind?" he snapped.

I glanced at his hand, then looked up at him with a smirk. "Milton, keep an eye on your beloved Scarlett. I'll spend my money however I please."

I pulled my wrist free, lifted the wine-stained hem of my dress, and strode out of the hall.

Behind me, the system notification chimed.

[Scarlett's Regret Points went up by 10. Current: 15.]

[Milton's Regret Points went up by 20. Current: 25.]

[Hidden quest triggered: Public face-slap. Reward: Business Mastery Skill Pack.]

As I stepped out of the hotel, the night breeze hit me, cold and sharp.

I stood by the curb, waiting for a ride, when I suddenly felt something wet at the corner of my eye.

I reached up and touched it. It was a tear.

I froze.

I thought I was over it, but I still cried.

I felt that maybe it was the leftover grievance from my previous life.

It came from the Nadia who lay on the operating table, waiting for the end.

It came from the Nadia everyone saw as nothing but a substitute.

It came from the Nadia who spent three years being insignificant and got nothing for it.

She was crying for me now.

But what she didn't realize was that I wouldn't shed another tear for anyone ever again.

I wiped my eyes dry and slid into the backseat of a cab.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

"CBD, AK Tower," I replied.

Tonight, I was going to finish revising AK Lab's business plan.

I didn't care about Milton.

Career was my focus.