The Jilted Heiress' Return to the High Life - Chapter 137

Chapter 137:

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Her past encounters with everyone in the room had been harmful. They carried an air of refinement and nobility, but their actions were disgraceful and unethical. It was mercy enough that she hadn’t sought revenge. Thinking she would grovel for their favor was pure fantasy.

“All dressed up and dismissive as ever. I guess you think you’re better than the rest of us now that you’ve found a stronger backer,” a woman in a purple dress said, her tone dripping with contempt.

Tone heavy with sarcasm, she shot Corrine a mocking smile and a scrutinizing glance.

Bruce’s uncle’s wife had once been known for her beauty in her younger days, but age had sculpted her features into sharp lines of bitterness. Back when Corrine had lived with the Ashton family, this woman frequently belittled her, and her disdain only grew after Corrine’s departure.

With such a large gathering, drama was inevitable, and the swirling gossip seemed ready to drown Corrine in criticism.

“Strutting around like a peacock, have you dismissed your humble beginnings?” the woman said.

“Had Bruce not generously brought you into our family, who knows where you’d have ended up? Now that you’ve moved on, you turn your back on us? How ungrateful can you be, Corrine?”

Corrine couldn’t help but laugh, though her eyes remained cold.

“You think you’re qualified to preach gratitude to me? Have you forgotten that without my intervention, the Ashton family would have faced ruin? Now, tell me—who’s being ungrateful?”

“How dare you!” Tracy exclaimed, slamming her fist on the table as she stood up suddenly.

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“Do you think this is the place for your careless behavior?”

Corrine met her gaze with a smirk.

“Whether you permit it or not, I’ve acted this way before. What’s one more instance?”

“You!” Tracy’s anger was unmistakable, her sneer cutting.

“You publicly humiliated and hurt Leah, and now you disrupt the peace here. Is this how you admit defeat in joining our family, by causing chaos?”

Corrine arched an eyebrow, her eyes sweeping the room. The delight in their expressions was clear. They weren’t just here for idle chatter; they were here to hold her accountable. Her face betrayed nothing but a slight, sardonic lift of her eyebrows.

They were great at coming together, using their position as elders to judge and criticize.

In the past, she put up with it all for Bruce. Now, there was nothing stopping her.

Corrine settled into a single-seater sofa, her posture rigid with defiance. Her gaze swept coldly across the Ashton family women, led by Tracy, challenging them with an unspoken daring that seemed to crackle with barely contained tension.

“Leah got exactly what she deserved,” Corrine said, her tone cold enough to freeze the room.

“That’s ridiculous!” Rita shot back, jabbing a finger in Corrine’s direction. Her voice was shrill with anger, like a knife scraping against metal.

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