From that point on, caught between George''s maniptions and her own ambition, one wrong step led to another. Now, she was trapped, with no way back.


    Marina''s emotional state was fragile. Yvonne managed to calm her down, and with the help of Marina''s assistant, they got her home.


    The assistant stayed to watch over Marina while Yvonne left. She had just stepped out of the apartment building when her phone rang. It was Sandra.


    "How is she?" Sandra asked.


    "Not good. She can''t stop crying," Yvonne replied.


    "Thepany''s already doing damage control," Sandra said. "They''ve had the story scrubbed from the trending lists and shut down all of Marina''s social media ounts. For now, all we can do is let it blow over. It''ll be a long time before she can even think about aeback."


    “Right now, her career is thest thing on her mind," Yvonne sighed. “She''s worried about her fiancé."


    "Well,” Sandra said grimly, "she should have thought of that sooner."


    Yvonne ended the call and leaned back in her car seat, feeling a deep sense of frustration.


    Her phone rang again. Half-closing her eyes, she answered without checking the caller ID.


    To her surprise, it was Verna Gonzalez.


    "Yvonne, my mom and brother are so busy I never see them. I''m so bored. Will youe shopping with me?"


    "Are you out of your mind?" Yvonne snapped, her brow furrowing in irritation. Verna had never been anything but hostile to her, and now she was asking her to go shopping.


    "I''ll let you in on a secret,” Verna chirped. "I think my brother and Queena broke up. This is the perfect chance for you to get back in there. If your make me shopping and buy me a couple of Hermes bags, help you win him back. What do you say?"


    Yvonne was speechless.


    "Verna, if you''re crazy, go see a doctor. I can''t help you,” she said, and hung up.


    Verna stared at her phone, listening to the dial tone. It took her a moment to process that Yvonne had actually dared to hang up on her. How dare she?


    Her cheeks puffed out in anger like a blowfish. Just then, Matthew walked in, and she immediately ran over to him toin.


    "That witch Yvonne had the nerve to hang up on me! If she doesn''t buy me two Hermès bags to apologize, I will never forgive her. And she thinks she can be my family? She can dream on."


    Matthew had just returned from a dinner with investors, and he was exhausted. As he''d been forced to drink, his thoughts had unexpectedly drifted to Yvonne.


    Back when they were just starting theirpany, they had begged for every deal. Matthew, too proud to grovel, had let Yvonne handle all theworking. He focused on the tech while she navigated the dinner parties and Schmoozed with clients and their families. She had handled it all perfectly, never letting him worry.


    "Who did you just call a witch?” Matthew''s voice was low, his expression stormy.


    "Don''t you remember when those debt collectors almost dragged you off to some underground nightclub? Yvonne was the one who saved you. And when you were nearly attacked by those thugs, she risked her own life to protect you. She''s done so much for you, and you call her a witch? Verna, have you lost your conscience?"


    Verna''s face flushed with shame, but she stubbornly retorted, "Why are you only yelling at me? Yvonne did even more for you, and you treated her like dirt, too."


    Matthew froze, a bitter, self-mocking smile touching his lips.


    She''s right, he thought. I lost my conscience, too.