The Perfect Wife's Perfect Revenge

The premise was simple: leave, once she'd secured her grandmother's painting.

"Well then, we'll be heading out first."

Everyone took a moment to say their goodbyes to her.

"I suppose Mr. Everhart's been keeping a close eye on her."

"Yeah, I heard Hans picked her up from the office yesterday. Someone saw her get into Mr. Everhart's car."

"Seems like Mr. Everhart is serious this time."

"So what about Miss Yvette? She's been waiting around for Mr. Everhart for years."noveldrama

The voices faded into the distance. Yvette, overhearing them by accident, felt her cheeks flush with anger.

Gwyneth had only been here two days, and already the whole company was buzzing about her being Hawthorne's woman. What did that make Yvette's years of dedication? Now everyone was just waiting to see her make a fool of herself.

Hans arrived to pick up Gwyneth, just as he had the day before.

"Hans, could you let Mr. Everhart know I'm having dinner with Leonie tonight? I won't be heading back with him for now."

Hans's usually cool expression softened into a gentle smile.

"Mr. Everhart said you're free to go wherever you like, Miss Langford. Just let me know and I'll take you. He has a dinner engagement this evening and won't be coming home either."

Gwyneth let out a sigh of relief. Hans, for his part, took it as a sign of a doting girlfriend. Miss Langford seemed so petite and sweet-no wonder Mr. Everhart had chosen her. Miss Yvette was far too serious, a workaholic through and through. Hans decided, when the time came, he'd want a girlfriend like Miss Langford.

"Then could you drop me at the Everhart place?"

She'd been ignoring Leonie's messages all day, but now she called her right away.

"I'm on my way to see you."

It had only been two days, but to Leonie it felt like ages.

"Great! I'll change and wait for you."

Leonie ran upstairs, then scrambled back down, excitement written all over her face. Mrs. Everhart saw her bounding about and couldn't help but worry.

"Honestly, you're twenty years old but still act like a little kid. Can't you be a bit more mature?"

She nearly missed a step and tumbled down the stairs, giving Mrs. Everhart such a fright her heart nearly gave out.

"I know, I know! Gwyn's coming to dinner with me, Mom. I won't be home tonight."

At the mention of Gwyn, elegant and lovely, Mrs. Everhart's eyes crinkled with a smile.

"You never used to bring home any decent friends, but finally, you've found a good one. You'd do well to learn from Gwyn."

Then she ruffled Leonie's hair with a fondness only a mother could give. "Of course, you'll always be the best in my eyes."

"Mom, please, enough already! I'm twenty, not in grade school."

Leonie grumbled, but her voice carried the warmth of a daughter's affection.

When Gwyneth arrived at the Everhart home, she caught sight of the mother and daughter together Leonie snuggling against her

mother, laughing and teasing ne

The

scene tugged at something deep inside her.

She remembered herself as a little girl, clinging to Victoria Turner's side, begging for affection. Ever since her father had fallen into a coma, moments like that had vanished from her life.

With Chris and Celia to look after, she'd forgotten she was just a child, or maybe she'd tried to forget tried to shoulder the blame. If not for her mistakes, her father wouldn'@have ended up like that. S to'

It was her fault her mother lost her husband, that Chris and Celia grew up without

a father's love. The happy memories of childhood faded, replaced by guilt.

No. After everything she'd done-trusting the wrong person, making all those mistakes-she didn't deserve warmth like this.

"Gwyn?"

Leonie, still laughing with her mother, noticed Gwyneth being led into the house by a maid and stopped her playful complaints.

"Hey," Gwyneth replied, momentarily lost in thought, then managing a faint smile.

"Mrs. Everhart. Leonie." She handed over a gift bag.

Mrs. Everhart opened it and found a delicate jade pendant inside.

"Oh? What's this?"

She'd seen her share of beautiful things, but this pendant was something else-an exquisite piece of imperial jade, rare enough that even a family like the Everharts would be lucky to own one antwo in a lifetime.