?<strong>Chapter 105:</strong>


    The saleswoman sensed the tension among the trio and preferred to steer clear of any conflict, focusing instead on her sale. She addressed Reba with a professional smile. “Miss Lloyd, if you’re interested in this skincare set, I can prepare it for you right away.”


    Reba offered a strained smile in response. “Sorry, I’ll pass. Given the circumstances, how can I possibly shop here with any self-respect?”


    The saleswoman felt a twinge of disappointment as the sale began to slip away. “Oh, please reconsider! This setplements you perfectly. Don’t let others influence your decision.”


    Reba dismissed the suggestion with a wave of her hand. “They’re not wrong. The money isn’t mine. I’m unwell, unable to work, and my time may be short. My boyfriend encourages me to indulge in what I love, yet I can’t fathom why these two must berate me so.”


    With her gaze lowered, Reba pressed a hand to her mouth, casting a timid nce at Joelle and Katherine. The saleswoman found the two women increasingly bothersome. “Miss Lloyd, pay no mind to them. They are simply jealous of you. Pursue what brings you joy! Life is too precious to be clouded by the judgments of others.”


    Reba shook her head, the weight of the situation evident. “I grasp that idea, yet the pain lingers. Perhaps it’s best I leave.”


    “Please, stay!” The saleswoman stepped forward, hoping to halt Reba’s tearful retreat. She positioned herself firmly beside Reba, as if to physically shield her. “Ladies, I’d ask you to maintain some distance from Miss Lloyd. She’s ill and requires care, not spiteful words.”


    The gathering crowd began to murmur, casting disapproving looks towards Joelle and Katherine. Murmurs floated through the air. “They seem so graceful. How could they be so harsh to her?”


    Joelle had intended to leave, but the public’s perception as the antagonistpelled her to defend herself. “Just because she’s ill does not justify her actions as a mistress, does it?” With a bitterugh, she recalled Adrian’s proposal video. “Reba, you cloak yourself in the guise of a victim, bask in self-pity, and im innocence. I might overlook these if you were merely ill, but you’ve disrupted my marriage, stolen my husband, and boasted about it online. Now tell me, who’s the real bully here?”


    The saleswoman stood agape, stunned by the unfolding drama. Having known Reba as a regr customer always poised and seemingly virtuous, she was taken aback to learn of her involvement as a mistress. Nevertheless, with Reba’s illness apparent, the saleswoman opted to momentarily suspend judgment. “Is it right to curse someone who is already facing death? Where is your empathy?”


    Katherine, her patience waning, eyed the saleswoman’s name tag and demanded icily, “Get your manager here.” The saleswoman, feeling the tension, replied nervously, “Was I mistaken? Miss Lloyd was shopping. You escted the situation. Even if the manager arrives, my stance remains justified.”


    “Are you refusing to call?” Katherine took out her phone and was about to call the manager.


    Reba intervened. “Thank you, but let’s not escte this. They wield considerable influence, and I can manage. I’m ustomed to it. Yes, her husband is my boyfriend, but our rtionship predates their marriage. We had ns of our own to wed.”


    Her expression softened, a hint of sorrow tingeing her otherwise in features as she spoke. The saleswoman’s demeanor shifted to one of smug satisfaction. “Well, it seems the tables have turned on who’s truly disrupting a rtionship! And their power? Should that allow them to trample others merely because they can?”


    Katherine’s continuation of the call would only lend credence to the ims of abuse of power. As tensions neared a breaking point, Joelle intervened with a raised hand.


    “Joelle?” Katherine looked at her in confusion.


    With a serene yet firm look, Joelle addressed them. “Our marriage is sanctioned byw. Regardless of the third party involved, half of every expenditure of yours is rightfully mine. It’s not unreasonable to expect restitution, is it?”


    Reba’splexion nched, her gaze shifting uneasily. “That money was given to me by Adrian. It doesn’t belong to you! And since marrying Adrian, you haven’t contributed financially.”


    Katherine burst out, her frustration boiling over. “You excel at spinning tales! I don’t think you get a tumor in your brain because you don’t even have a brain. Do you even grasp the basics of ourws? In another era, your actions would have seen you publicly shamed!”


    Reba’s eyes welled with tears as she defended herself. “I am not a mistress! Adrian was with me before her!”


    Katherine snapped back, “If that’s your defense, recall that Joelle and Adrian have grown up since childhood. And Reba, if Adrian truly loved you, why wasn’t it you he married? Why would he start a family with Joelle? Joelle had her choice of suitors. Marrying Adrian was hardly her pursuit—it was the Miller family who sought this union. And you? What are you in this tale? Frankly, you’re merely a shameless mistress. Even if Joelle divorces him, it doesn’t entitle you to step into her shoes!”


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