?Chapter 228:


    All of a sudden, a car rolled to a stop right next to her, and she instinctively nced over, half-expecting to see some spoiled heir or glittering socialite behind the wheel. Instead, it was nothing but a nondescript ck sedan—so in that it might as well havee from a used car lot.


    She squinted at the driver, her irritation ring when she recognized Christina behind the wheel. That battered old clunker looked ridiculous parked between rows of six-figure supercars.


    Katie raised an eyebrow. Seriously? Christina? Of all people? What the hell was this useless woman doing here, nosing her way into Cloudcrest Heights like she actually belonged? Did she honestly believe she could blend in with that worthless pile of metal in this crowd?


    The longer Katie stared, the more her temper simmered. If Christina hadn’t sted Ynda all over the inte, Ynda wouldn’t still be rotting in a cell! All of this—every bit of the scandal—was that bitch Christina’s fault.


    Seething, Katie reached for the handle and flung open her door. “Katie, what are you doing?” Brendon’s frown was obvious as he watched her climb out.


    Katie’s tone dripped with mock sweetness as she circled behind her Ferrari. “Just saying hi to an old friend. We’re not in any rush—the line’s practically at a standstill.”


    With a leisurely smirk, Katie sauntered up to the ck sedan and rapped sharply on the driver’s window.


    Inside, Christina was hunched over her phone, thumb poised above the screen, when the abrupt knock shattered her focus. She nced up, immediately catching sight of Katie’s infuriatingly smug face hovering outside the ss.


    Christina’s lips tightened in annoyance. Of all people, it had to be Katie—relentless, insufferable, and always in the way. She barely spared Katie a second look before dropping her gaze back to her phone, her fingers flying as she fired off a message, determined to ignore the provocation.


    The cold shoulder only stoked Katie’s anger. She mmed her palm against the car roof, twice, her patience wearing thin. This fucking bitch!


    Your source of stories: gαlnσν??s.c??m


    Katie’s jaw clenched, her re burning with spite as she growled, “Get out of the car!”


    Christina, however, didn’t so much as flinch. Her apathy formed an invisible shield, leaving Katie’s temper to ricochet back on itself—utterly ineffective, like a fist swinging through fog.


    Katie’s temper snapped, scorching hotter than ever. She sucked in a breath and then let her anger twist into a mocking grin.


    “Hey, everybody, take a look over here!” she shouted, her voice sharp as broken ss. “Recognize her? That’s my ex-sister-inw. She cheated on her husband and got tossed out on her ass, but now she’s crawling back, desperate for attention. Can you believe it? She’s nothing but a washed-up housewife,pletely useless. My brother dumped her, and all she could manage is this pathetic wreck of a car. I’m guessing her slimy boyfriend kicked her to the curb too. And now she’s trying to sneak into the Hubbard family’s party without an invitation, acting like she belongs here. Look at her—just lurking for her next target!”


    In an instant, luxury car windows slid down. Some guests even stepped out, drawn by the promise of drama. They craned their necks, curiosity gleaming in their eyes, hungry for the humiliation about to unfold. All of them stared, sizing up the outsider who dared show her face at such an elite gathering—arriving in a battered old car, without so much as an invitation.


    .


    .


    .