?<strong>Chapter 348:</strong>
The director nodded in agreement, ying along. “Lise’s health is the priority. Her condition has always been delicate. Head to the hospital for a check-up. We’ll handle things with Vicky; don’t worry about it.” He was genuinely terrified that Lise might storm onto the stage and turn the show into a messy showdown between the wife and the mistress. Sure, he wanted high ratings, but not at the cost of courting disaster.
Vicky watched the scene unfold, seething as everyonevished praise on Carrie, her frustration building with eachplimentary word. The female emcee who had been ttering her moments ago now gushed about the couple’s perfect chemistry. Forcing a tight smile, Vicky stepped forward, cutting through the mor. “Since Carrie’s friend has graced us with his presence, shouldn’t we move on to the next segment?”
Her interruption was met with a frosty nce from the female emcee, whose earlier warmth had vanished faster than a snowke in the sun. The host turned to Vicky, his cheerful facade faltering. With a grin that didn’t reach his eyes, he said, “Actually, Lise mentioned she wasn’t feeling well and decided to leave, so we’ll have to tweak the schedule a bit.” The subtle dig didn’t escape Vicky. She knew all too well that the host wasn’t about to give her any opportunities to shine, especially since shecked the sort of clout Kristophermanded.
Hearing Lise’s name, Kristopher’s brows knitted together in a frown. He leaned in close to Carrie, muting the microphone she held with a flick of his finger. “Lise is here too?” he asked.
Carrie’s lips twitched, and she noted the way he instinctively shielded her. Yet, deep down, she couldn’t forget that it was his fault Lise had been dogging her like a shadow.
“She came to humiliate me,” Carrie replied coolly, her tone as cutting as a shard of ss.
Kristopher raised an eyebrow, a wry smirk curling his lips. “You? Humiliated? With your sharp tongue, you’re practically untouchable.”
The words slipped out before he could think better of them. Realizing they were still on camera, he softened his tone, adding with a sigh, “Don’t hold it against her. With her heart condition, she’s more sensitive than most.”
Carrie pressed her lips into a thin line, refusing to reply. It was always the same story, the same tired excuses trotted out on Lise’s behalf.
Interpreting her silence as agreement, Kristopher reached out and gave her a light pat on the head. The gesture was oddly tender yet condescending, like pacifying a petnt child.
On the sidelines, Vicky’s eyes narrowed as she watched them. The way Kristopher and Carrie seemed lost in their own little world sent an ache of jealousy coursing through her.
The host, ever the diplomat, stepped in with an easy smile. “Since Vicky’s friend had to leave, why don’t we switch gears and have a talent showcase instead?”
The suggestion lit a spark in Vicky’s eyes. She pounced on the opportunity like a cat spotting a mouse. “I can y the violin,” she announced, her voice brimming with confidence.
For ten years, she had honed her skills on the violin, always keeping it on hand for moments just like this. Her gaze darted toward Carrie as she added, “Ms. Campbell, since you’ve managed to marry into wealth, surely you have a few tricks up your sleeve. Care to join me for a duet?”
The challenge hung in the air like a gauntlet thrown at Carrie’s feet. Inwardly, Vicky smirked. She was convinced that Carrie’s poprity was little more than a cleverly orchestrated mirage. If the woman had any real talent, she’d have unted it a hundred times over by now.
In her mind, the stakes were clear. She had already burned her bridges with Carrie, and any apology would fall on deaf ears. If she was going to face bacsh after this show, she might as well go all out and drag Carrie down with her. Vicky imagined the headlines: a self-made talent standing tall against a woman propped up by her husband. Public sympathy would flow her way like water seeking its level.
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