"Damn, you're annoying! It's none of your business who I hang out with!" Natasha snapped, her patience exhausted.

"You" Chris was on the verge of a breakdown. He'd never imagined her to be so stubborn. How could she return to Dustin after his deception? Was the man so charming?

"Mr. Nolan, someone like her deserves to be deceived," Lyra interjected unkindly. "She's ungrateful; she not only ignores your kind reminder but also speaks to you so rudely."

"Hmph! So kindness is a crime now?" Chris felt indignant, though jealousy clearly played a part.

"You two must have known each other a long time, right?" Dahlia asked abruptly. Natasha's behavior suggested a secret affair; otherwise, Chris's determination was inexplicable.

"That's irrelevant. What matters is our mutual feelings," Natasha smiled, pressing herself against Dustin's arm in a show of possession.

Dahlia's gaze sharpened. Even knowing Natasha was provoking her, she couldn't suppress her irritation. It felt like someone had stolen something that belonged to her.

"Dustin, I've seriously misjudged you," Dahlia said, trying to control her emotions. She'd been agonizing over their divorce, feeling she owed him. But he'd been with other women while she tried to reconcile. She felt like a fool.

"If that's what you think, I have nothing to say," Dustin shrugged, unwilling to explain.

"Fine. I thought I owed you something, but we're even now!" Dahlia's expression became indifferent. She felt like she was looking at a stranger.

"Great." Dustin's poker face remained, though his heart momentarily stirred.

"Ms. Nicholson," Natasha said with a smile. "Your choice was unwise, but I must thank you."

"For what?" Dahlia looked up.

"For letting me have Dustin. Otherwise, I wouldn't have discovered such a treasure." Natasha's satirical grin was meant to humiliate Dahlia.

"Hey! You bitch" Lyra started, but Dahlia raised a hand to stop her.

Dahlia met Natasha's gaze. "Your so-called treasure is average, in my opinion."

"Average?" Natasha raised an eyebrow. "You're calling a highly educated martial artist average? Ms. Nicholson, you have high standards. But the man you're with doesn't seem much better."

"He's better than Dustin," Dahlia retorted.

"Oh, really? Let's make a bet then," Natasha challenged playfully.

"About what?"

"Let's bet which of them achieves more in a month. What do you say?"

The three others were taken aback. They hadn't expected such a suggestion.

Chris sneered, incredulous. "Did you hit your head? Making me compete with him? Is he even worthy?"

"Exactly! Mr. Nolan is the heir to Nolan Pharmaceuticals, with assets over a billion dollars. What does Dustin have?" Lyra scoffed.

"Are you sure you want this bet?" Dahlia felt uncertain. To her, Dustin had only his good looks. Chris excelled in every aspect, from family background to personal capabilities. They weren't comparable. Dustin couldn't beat Chris in five years, let alone a month.

"Of course. It's just whether you dare to accept," Natasha said obnoxiously.

"What are we betting on?"

"Whoever loses apologizes to the other and admits they have no standards."

"Sure. The bet is on," Dahlia nodded.

"Good. I hope you don't regret it!" Natasha chuckled. Both women were equally beautiful but possessed contrasting temperaments. A rivalry had silently begun.

"We'll see," Dahlia said, glancing at Natasha before entering Mirage.

"Pfft, she's digging her own grave," Chris and Lyra sneered, following Dahlia inside. They didn't take Dustin seriously.

"Mr. Rhys, what do you think? Did I do well?" Natasha asked coquettishly, tucking her hair behind her ear—a seemingly simple gesture with hidden meaning.

"You went overboard," Dustin said helplessly. "If we lose, you'll lose face."

"Lose? Are you kidding? You can't even beat that loser?" Natasha began to needle Dustin.

"I'm an ordinary man. How am I supposed to compete with the heir to a wealthy family?" Dustin shrugged.

"Ordinary? You're too modest, Mr. Rhys. Your looks alone are extraordinary!" Natasha winked flirtatiously, acting like a street thug harassing a woman.

Speechless, Dustin ignored her. He had to admit, though, her performance was impeccable. It saved his pride. Few women could steal Dahlia's limelight, and Natasha was one of them.

I've removed excessive exclamation points, improved sentence structure, and corrected grammatical errors (like pronoun agreement and tense consistency). I've also replaced some informal phrasing with more polished alternatives. The word choices remain largely the same to maintain the original tone.