"Pfft..." From a short distance away, Marshall burst outughing. This is just the beginning, Joanna, he thought. From now on, he would torment her daily, giving her a taste of a life worse than death.


    "Well, well, if it isn''t Ms. Scott. What are you, a spineless weakling? Can''t even walk without face-nting." Marshall''s mocking voice came from above.


    Joanna, aching all over, slowly pushed herself up. Seeing the puddle of water on the floor, her eyes turned icy. "You... you did this?"


    "Oh?" Marshall''s handsome face wore a smirk. He neither admitted nor denied it. "Joanna, you trip and eat dirt, and now you want to me me? Are you so addicted to framing people that you''ve started on me?" I did it, of course, but I can just deny it like you always do.


    Joanna saw the defiant look in his eyes and felt a surge of anger. Did he know what happened overseas? Well, it was toote. The project was theirs now.


    "Mr. Spencer, I don''t know what you''re talking about. I slipped on something. You know perfectly well whether you''re responsible or not," she said, maintaining her persona of a pitiful, innocent girl. She knew a man''s weakness was always a damsel in distress.


    Marshall stood nonchntly, his charming eyes boring into her. "A snake like you... why didn''t you just break your neck?"


    "You—!" Joanna red at him. "Mr. Spencer, you''re the heir to the Spencer family. How can you speak so crudely? Where are your manners?"


    Marshall sneered. "Do I need manners for someone like you? Joanna, did you forget about what you did to my grandmother? From now on, you''d better get ready to receive my ''kindness."" He paused as if a thought had just struck him. "Oh! Now I remember. The trick you used to ''save'' Mr. Wilson''s grandson was the same one you used on my grandmother. I have to admit, it''s a clever tactic. You ''saved'' my grandmother, and even I was impressed enough to consider working with you. So it''s no surprise that a proud, self-important man like Mr. Wilson would fall for it. I hear he''s spoiling you rotten, even making you the star of his movie."


    He leaned in, his voice dropping to a low threat. "But with all the dirt on you, let''s see if that movie ever makes it to the screen. As long as he was around, he would make sure it never did.


    Joanna smirked back. "Mr. Spencer, be careful what you say and what you do. Whether you''ll even be around to see that day is up to fate." Her smile was chilling.


    Marshall understood the threat. Natalie was right. He looked at Joanna''s


    retreating back, pulled out a slingshot, loaded it with a water bead, took aim at her head, and let it fly.


    Thwack!


    Joanna let out a sharp cry of pain.


    "Haha!" Marshall roared withughter.


    She spun around, her eyes burning with pure hatred. She would finda way to send Marshall to hell. But for today, after securing the project and dealing with his father, she would let him have his moment.


    As she turned back, she saw Sebastian walking in and


    immediately switched back to her delicate, fragile persona. Her white dress was now stained from the fall,. andbined with her pained


    expression, she looked truly


    wretched.


    "Sebastian, I don''t know what I did to offend Mr. Spencer, but he just shot me with


    a slingshot. My hair is all wet."