Free Web NovelChapter 40: Chapter 40: The Ruined Cheongsam
Penelope Quincy’s voice was filled with a mixture of shock and fury.
Vivian Linton looked at the qipao, confused.
She was instantly dumbfounded.
There, on the expensive qipao, near the side slit at the right waist, was a new, exquisitely lifelike white camellia.
This flower was not part of the original design.
Although the embroidered camellia made the qipao look even more exquisite, it severely damaged the dress’s intrinsic value.
"Why is there an extra flower? Miss Linton, this isn’t how it looked when you showed it to me last night!" Penelope Quincy demanded harshly.
"I’m sorry, Miss Quincy, please let me explain..." Vivian Linton was just as baffled.
"Explain what? What is there to explain? Who gave you permission to add this flower on your own? Do you have any idea how stupid your actions were? You’ve ruined my grandmother’s favorite qipao!!"
Penelope Quincy was seething, the finger she pointed at the qipao trembling with rage.
Vivian Linton whipped her head around and glared viciously at Holly Sinclair.
’Why would she do this?’
’Is she trying to take me down with her?’
’That’s it.’
’Holly Sinclair has nothing to lose right now.’
’She has no money, no connections—a worthless life with nothing to her name.’
’But I’m different!’
’I have Tristan’s affection. I’m the future matriarch of the Sterling Family.’
’My life is so much more precious than Holly’s.’
’This bitch wants to die, and she’s trying to drag me down with her.’
’How utterly vicious!!’
Vivian Linton clenched her fists so tightly, she wanted to skin Holly Sinclair alive and tear her limb from limb.
"Miss Quincy, I wasn’t the one who embroidered this flower."
Facing Penelope Quincy’s fury, Vivian Linton said hurriedly.
"The qipao was fully entrusted to you, and you just admitted you stayed up for several nights restoring it. Now you’re telling me it wasn’t you?!" Penelope Quincy’s head throbbed with anger, her expression grim.
’The qipao is ruined. How am I going to explain this to my grandmother?’
Vivian Linton was kicking herself.
’If I’d known this would happen, I wouldn’t have tried to take the credit.’
"It was her!"
Vivian Linton pointed a finger at Holly Sinclair and declared righteously, "Miss Quincy, after I finished restoring the qipao last night, I immediately sent you a video for confirmation. The video proves that the camellia wasn’t on the qipao then. She added it without permission!"
"Who are you?" Penelope Quincy glared at Holly Sinclair.
"She’s my assistant."
Before Holly Sinclair could answer, Vivian Linton cut in.
Then she turned to Holly, demanding with righteous indignation, "Holly Sinclair, what is the meaning of this? Why did you add a flower to the qipao?"
"Don’t you all think it looks better with the flower?" Holly Sinclair asked nonchalantly, perfectly calm and composed.
"Are you insane?!"
Seeing her so calm and unconcerned, Vivian Linton’s voice shot up an octave, like a scalded cat. "This is an antique! If you add something that doesn’t belong, how can it possibly retain its original value?!"
Holly Sinclair pressed her lips together, her smile unreadable.
"Holly Sinclair, you’re doing this to ruin me on purpose, aren’t you?"
Vivian Linton took two steps forward and hissed through clenched teeth, her voice low enough for only the two of them to hear.
"I told you before not to do anything you’ll regret." Holly Sinclair lifted her eyes slightly, her mocking half-smile infuriatingly condescending.
"You!"
Vivian Linton’s face twisted with hatred, her teeth grinding together as if they might shatter.
Turning back to Penelope Quincy, she immediately tried to pass the buck. "Miss Quincy, she’s the one who embroidered it, it has nothing to do with me—"
"Nothing to do with you? Are you kidding me, Vivian Linton? I signed the contract with your Vervain Studio, and she works for your studio. Now that there’s a problem with the qipao, I’m holding you responsible!"
But Penelope Quincy was no fool. She wasn’t falling for that act. Seeing Vivian try to shift the blame, she naturally wouldn’t allow it.
’How could a mere assistant afford to pay such a huge amount in compensation?’
"No, Miss Quincy..."
"This qipao of my grandmother’s is a posthumous work of Master Melody Mayfield. Do you have any idea how precious it is? Let me tell you, Vivian Linton, you couldn’t afford to compensate for it even if you went completely bankrupt!!"
"If she can’t afford it, I will."
The moment Penelope Quincy’s words fell, a deep, cold voice cut through the air.
The group turned toward the sound.
Tristan Sterling stood there in a tailored black suit. His figure was tall and handsome, and an air of nobility radiated from his very bones, like the arrival of a king.
His sharp gaze swept over the crowd as he walked in, his presence commanding.
"Tristan."
Seeing him was like a lifeline for Vivian Linton. She immediately rushed over, her eyes red with grievance as she leaned into his embrace.
"It’s alright."
Tristan Sterling patted Vivian Linton’s shoulder, projecting an aura of someone who could handle anything.
Vivian Linton shot Holly Sinclair a triumphant glance.
’Scheme all you want, Holly Sinclair, but what good will it do?’
’Do you really think you can harm me?’
’I have Tristan to back me up. What do you have?’
’Just give up. You can’t win against me!’
Watching Tristan Sterling hold Vivian Linton in a protective embrace, Holly Sinclair secretly clenched her fists.
’I’m the one who is rightfully Mrs. Sterling, yet all I can do is watch my own husband dote on another woman.’
’As Mrs. Sterling, I’m probably the most pathetic trophy wife in this entire circle.’
’How tragic!’
’But it doesn’t matter. I don’t want him anymore!’
’From now on, whoever he’s good to, whoever he loves and cherishes, has absolutely nothing to do with me.’
"Mr. Sterling, I know your Sterling Family is wealthy enough to buy a country, but some things can’t be fixed with money!"
Penelope Quincy was furious.
For any other matter, she might have shown Tristan Sterling some deference, but not when it came to this qipao.
"Then what does Miss Quincy want?" Tristan Sterling asked, his voice cool.
"Restore the qipao to its original state, or this isn’t over!"
Penelope Quincy roared indignantly before storming out of the VIP room.
「...」
Restore the qipao?
That was simply impossible.
With such a large area of embroidery, the fabric would be warped even if the stitches were removed.
This qipao was truly ruined.
"I’m sorry, Tristan, I never knew Holly hated me this much—enough to want to destroy me..."
Vivian Linton’s eyes reddened as she choked out her accusation, "She ruined the qipao on purpose. She wants Vervain to offend the Quincy Family so I can never establish myself in the qipao industry..."
Tristan Sterling frowned, his gaze turning to Holly Sinclair.
Holly Sinclair met his gaze coldly, a mocking smile playing on her lips.
"Holly, why do you always have to target me? I told you, what happened to you had nothing to do with me. You framed me, you hit me, you cursed me—and for Tristan’s sake, I let it all go. But why do you still insist on hurting me like this?" freeweɓnøvel.com
Tears streamed down Vivian Linton’s face as she sobbed with increasing grievance. "Is it because I’m always so patient with you that you think I’m an easy target?"
Tristan Sterling’s gaze on Holly Sinclair grew a shade colder.
Vivian Linton knew her words were having an effect and felt a surge of triumph.
"I don’t want to make things difficult for Tristan, it’s not that I’m truly afraid of you. If you keep bullying me like this, I... I won’t go easy on you anymore!"
With tears in her eyes and a trembling voice, she flawlessly performed the role of the endlessly bullied, innocent victim.
"Vivian Linton, were you raised in a teapot? All this fake sweetness is making me sick."
Holly found it nauseating, every word dripping with mockery.
