Bet''s ck SUV wasn''t the most luxurious car, but its military license te was unmistakable.


    Yvonne didn''t answer, her lips pressed into a thin line.


    Queena, standing beside her mother, eyed the pale pink dress Yvonne was wearing. "Is that another one of Mr. Cooper''s designs? I''m so envious. Now that you''ve hooked Mr. Thompson, you can wear a dress worth a fortune whenever you want."


    Her voice, dripping with envy, suddenly turned sharp. “But I heard Mr. Thompson already has a girlfriend. They''re about to get engaged. Yvonne, you''re not nning on being his secret mistress, are you? His girlfriend is the deputy mayor''s daughter. If you anger the Walkers, they might cause trouble for our family."


    Teresa''s expression changed at Queena''s words, her gaze turning reproachful. Over the years, she had beenpletely brainwashed by George and Queena, believing whatever they told her. Despite Yvonne''s hints that Queena was George''s illegitimate daughter, Teresa had never bothered to investigate, always siding with them. Her blind devotion was truly a lost cause.


    "Bet gave me a ride, and you jump to the conclusion that I''m his mistress. Queena, is your mind filled with nothing but sordid affairs?" Yvonne shot back.


    Queena, taken aback, put on her signature pitiful expression. "That''s not what I meant."


    "Yvonne, your sister didn''t mean it like that, she just-" Teresa started to defend her, but Yvonne cut her off.


    "She knows exactly what she


    meant," Yvonne said, her cold gaze shifting to Teresa. "There is nothing going on between me and Bet. You don''t have to worry about retaliation from the Walker family, and you can forget about using this to get close to the Thompsons."


    Not in the mood to argue, she turned and headed upstairs.


    The Istra Film F


    Festival opening ceremony was that weekend.


    Yvonne wore the dress Mr. Cooper had made, paired with a set of jade jewelry She looked like a


    noblewoman who had stepped out of a bygone era. Sandra


    apanied her, along with an, assistant and a makeup artist. They left early to avoid traffic, and during the ride, Sandra went over the ceremony''s protocol onest time.


    As Yvonne listened intently, the car suddenly lurched. The screech of brakes, the crunch of metal, and the screams of the assistant filled the air. Yvonne instinctively shielded her head, bracing for impact.


    After a chaotic moment, the car


    came to a stop. They were part of a multi-car pile-up. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured. Yvonne and Sandra were fine, but the driver and assistant in the front had minor injuries. Someone had already called for help.