Chapter 294: Chapter 291: Just Because You’re My Woman (4)
Sharon Ainsworth pouted. "Fine. I won’t get involved in your business anymore. But if you’re ever going to marry her, you have to let me know first."
"Mm."
Sharon Ainsworth left with her purse. After walking out of the Ainsworth Group building, she parked her car in front of Zoe Ellsworth’s high-end clothing boutique.
The moment she got out, the paparazzi started snapping photos. Seeing them, she smiled and waved. As if by accident, she unbuttoned her coat, revealing a wide expanse of her chest.
She let the paparazzi take their pictures.
Purse in hand, she walked up the steps and pushed open the door to the boutique.
Zoe Ellsworth stood up. "Miss Ainsworth, here to buy some clothes?"
Sharon Ainsworth had shopped here a few times, so she and Zoe Ellsworth were acquainted.
"Boss Ellsworth, I’m looking to pick out a couple of spring outfits. Do you have anything unique?"
Zoe Ellsworth used a long hook to retrieve a piece from the highest rack and held it out in front of her. "This one... if you wear this, your charisma, your entire look—it will be second to none. Go on, try it."
Sharon Ainsworth’s eyes lit up. It was indeed quite nice.
She looked up, scanned the store, and pointed to another piece. "Get that one down for me to try on as well."
"OK." Zoe Ellsworth handed it to her.
Sharon Ainsworth took the clothes to the fitting room. When she came out and stood before the mirror, she felt fantastic. The style was fresh, and it looked really good on her.
She then tried on the other outfit.
She was very satisfied with both and said to Zoe Ellsworth, "Wrap them both up."
"You’re so decisive, Miss Ainsworth. I guarantee when you walk down the street in this, you’ll turn heads everywhere."
"How much?"
"The two pieces have different prices. The one you’re wearing is seven hundred thousand, and the one in your hand is five hundred fifty thousand. But since we’re old friends, I’ll give you a discount. Let’s just call it one million. How does that sound?"
Sharon Ainsworth realized she was getting a two-hundred-fifty-thousand discount. Wanting to keep up appearances, she was too embarrassed to haggle further and simply said, "Alright, wrap them up. I’ll use my card."
"Of course." Zoe Ellsworth took out a paper bag and packed up the other outfit along with the clothes Sharon had been wearing. She then handed it to her. "This outfit is definitely the height of fashion right now."
Sharon Ainsworth took the bag and waved. "I love them. I’m off."
"Come again soon~"
"Okay."
Zoe Ellsworth watched her walk away, then turned to the two sales associates in the store. "See what a gold digger looks like? That’s one right there."
Sales Associate A said, "Ms. Ellsworth, our cost for those two outfits was clearly two thousand. How did you manage to sell them for a million?"
Zoe Ellsworth chuckled lightly. "That’s the secret. You should take some notes."
’If it weren’t for gold diggers like her,’ she couldn’t help but think, ’how could my shop do this well? Still... Sharon Ainsworth only gets two million a month. Spending one million on two outfits... Doesn’t that mean half her monthly allowance is gone just like that?’
Jean Grant had originally planned on a date with Nicholas Ainsworth after dinner that evening.
But unexpectedly, she received another text from an unknown number. It ordered her to a teahouse, threatening to expose her secrets to the public if she didn’t go.
She knew at a glance it was from Marlon Marshall.
Jean Grant immediately changed her phone settings to only accept calls and texts from her saved contacts.
But she went to the meeting anyway.
Marlon Marshall was sprawled on the sofa. A life of debauchery had made him forget he was just a fourth-year university student who hadn’t even graduated.
Jean Grant closed the door. "Why did you call me here?"
"Jean Grant, do you really not want to remarry me?"
She scoffed. "Do you think I’m stupid enough to make that mistake a second time? Remarry you? We’re already divorced. Stop harassing me."
He stood up and moved closer to her. "But, Jean, I still want to be with you."
"You’re just groveling. You know that, right?"
"So what if I am? I just can’t stand seeing you with another man. Jean Grant, as long as you refuse to get back with me, I will never stop doing this to you. Try me if you don’t believe it."
A vicious glint appeared in her eyes. "Marlon, don’t act so recklessly. Otherwise, I swear I’ll make sure you die without a burial place. And if all else fails, I’ll take you down with me."
"Jean Grant, you’re so afraid of dying. Would you really do it? Now hurry up." He grabbed a handful of her long hair.
Jean Grant washed her face in the restroom and finally said, "You truly disgust me, Marlon. People who do evil things always meet a bad end. Do you think you’re the only one with leverage over me? I have some too. A video of you and Carol Young in the guest room at her house. Would you like to have a look at it yourself?"
Marlon was unconcerned. "Whatever. Go ahead and post it online; I don’t care. I’m a nobody with no money. Who’s going to remember me? But you? You’re Quentin Grant’s sister. HA HA HA, I bet if I post my video, plenty of people will watch. They can all admire your ’precious body’ for free. It won’t even cost them anything."
Jean Grant’s heart was filled with towering rage, but it seemed there was truly nothing she could do about him.
She truly despised him to her very core.
’I have to,’ she thought. ’I have to come up with a foolproof plan that will both retrieve the blackmail material he has on me and make him disappear from my life forever, without a soul knowing!’
In that moment, the beginnings of a plan began to form in her mind.
Meanwhile, Marlon Marshall simply assumed the leverage he had over Jean Grant would be effective forever. After leaving the teahouse, he went straight back to the Young family’s apartment building.
At first, Mr. Young had thought the young man was quite decent. But over time, he increasingly felt that Marlon wasn’t engaged in honest work—he didn’t go to school and just stayed home with his daughter all day.
Ever since catching Marlon ’talking’ with his wife on the rooftop late one night, Mr. Young’s suspicions had been steadily growing.
So, upon seeing him return, Mr. Young spoke bluntly, "Drake, it’s not good for one’s reputation to keep living at our house like this. If you’re serious about marrying Carol, then wait until you’ve graduated from university and found a job. Have your mother come make a formal proposal, and we won’t object."
The words were perfectly reasonable, but in Marlon’s eyes, Mr. Young was deliberately trying to kick him out.
In fact, Mr. Young really didn’t want him living there anymore. After all, he and his daughter weren’t married, and after all this time, the neighbors were starting to gossip.
"Fine. I’ll move out tomorrow," Marlon said readily.
Seeing this, Mr. Young said nothing more.
This time, when Marlon asked her for money again, Mrs. Young couldn’t help but feel a little suspicious. "I’ve already given you nearly a million. Besides opening that supermarket, what else have you done with it?"
"Auntie~ I just invested in a hotel. It’s under construction right now, really. I’ll take you to see it when you have time."
"That’s all secondary. You’ve been with our Carol for so long now. When are you going to marry her?"
"Auntie, to be honest, I just got divorced. I’m not ready to step into the grave of marriage again. Besides, I don’t think she’s as good as you are, Auntie."
Outside the door, Mr. Young felt this was an utter and complete humiliation.
