Noah looked at Yvonne''s beautiful, foxy eyes and wondered, *Could she really be some kind of enchantress, capable of bewitching people''s minds?*


    Meanwhile, Karina and Ynda were in the kitchen making ravioli.


    Ynda, a prim and proper heiress who had never lifted a finger in her life, was merely pretending to help. Karina was doing most of the work, talking as she folded


    the pasta.


    "I was shocked when Bet suddenly showed up with that Ms. Jones. Wasn''t she Thomas'' girlfriend? How did she suddenly be Bet''s? It''s all so confusing. Is she the reason Bet wants to break up with you?"


    "Yes," Ynda nodded, her eyes red.


    "Well, she must be quite calcting, ying two wealthy young masters like that, twisting them around her little finger," Karina sneered with contempt.


    "Aunt Emma values family background above all else; she would never allow Bet to marry an actress. Men just y around with women like her, don''t they? Besides, she''s ying a dangerous game with two brothers. It''s bound to end badly for her."


    Karina chattered on, and soon a pot of ravioli was ready.


    She put the ravioli on to boil and, with the nanny''s help, began setting the table.


    The long wooden table wasden with dishes. The freshly cooked ravioli was brought out, steaming and fragrant.


    "Let''s eat first. Ms. Jones, this is your first time here. Please, try my cooking," Karina said. Although she disliked Yvonne, she maintained a veneer of perfect hospitality.


    The four of them sat at the long table, with Noah and Karina on one side.


    Karina had Ynda sit next to her.


    Bet and Yvonne sat opposite them.


    Of all the delicious dishes on the table, half were seafood, and the other half held no appeal for Yvonne.


    She suddenly realized how much time had changed things.


    Bet picked up his cutlery and ced some of the dishes Yvonne could eat into her bowl.


    "Ms. Jones, you must try this signature seafood bisque. It''s my specialty," Karina said, gesturing to the dish in the center of the table.


    Yvonne nced at it but didn''t touch her fork. Bet spoke up, exining for her, "Yvonne is allergic to seafood."


    "Oh, what a shame," Karina


    remarked, then looked at Yvonne et


    and continued, "How old are you US year Ms Jones? You look like you could still be a university student."


    "I''ll be twenty in a few months," Yvonne replied.


    "Nearly ten years younger than Bet. You really are just a young girl," Karina went on. "Thest time saw you, you were with Thomas. was busy with guests and didn''t get a chance to speak with you. Your surname is Jones, you said? Which Jones family is that? I haven''t heard


    of any prominent Jones family in Istra. Perhaps I''m just out of touch?"


    Indeed, there was no powerful Jones family among Istra''s high society.


    Karina was clearly siding with Ynda, deliberately trying to embarrass Yvonne.


    Ynda inwardly smirked and


    chimed in, "It''s normal that you wouldn''t know, Karina. This Ms. Jones is the granddaughter of the James family but her mother was never favored and holds no influence. You''ve probably heard of her father, though-he''s the CEO of Nexus Media who was just sentenced to prison."


    Karina feigned a look of shock, then added with false sympathy, "Ms. Jones, your family history is truly tragic."


    Yvonne had just picked up a ravioli with her fork. It was beautifully shaped, like a little golden ingot.


    While the main dishes weren''t to her liking, the filling Karina made for the ravioli was delicious. It was a shame, really, that this meal hadn''t been prepared for her.