Chapter 133

Joseph changed direction and walked straight toward the figure he had just spotted. Wasn’t that the same woman he’d seen at Walton Corporation’s front desk, posing as the younger heiress of the Walton family?

In an instant, the anger inside him reignited.

If not for this woman, he never would’ve said those things in front of Aurora.

Now, every time he faced her, there was an awkwardness he couldn’t shake, especially after spewing all that harsh nonsense and ending up thoroughly humiliated.

It was all this woman’s fault.

He had to find out who she really was.

Joseph stormed forward and saw her nestled against a man.

Without hesitation, he yanked Tessa away. “You bitch, who the hell are you?”

Tessa had still been stewing over Aurora’s moment of glory, her mind spinning with schemes for what to do next.

She was caught off guard when someone suddenly dragged her aside, and before she could even react, she was being showered with verbal abuse.

No one would tolerate that calmly.

When she got a clear look at Joseph’s face, her fury erupted. “Let go of me, you lunatic!”

But Joseph refused to release her.

He’d finally caught this woman; he wasn’t letting go so easily. “No, I won’t. What can you do about it?”

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have mistaken her identity!”

Julian didn’t hesitate.

He punched Joseph straight in the face and swiftly pulled Tessa back into his arms, shielding her protectively. “Are you okay, Tessa? Did you get hurt anywhere?”

Tessa shook her head and gripped Julian’s arm tightly. “I’m fine. It’s this man–he’s spouting nonsense.”

“Nonsense?” Joseph wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, glaring darkly at Tessa.

“That day in the lobby, weren’t you the one who told me you were the younger heiress of the Walton family?

“How else would I have made that mistake? Turns out you’re pretty calculating after all.”

To Joseph, she was nothing more than an opportunist, willing to say anything for a shot at climbing higher.

Tessa frowned. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. And for the record, you were the one who came up to me that day. I don’t even know you.

“This is a Walton Corporation event. Don’t come here looking for trouble.”

Joseph scoffed, clearly unbothered. “Walton Corporation? Please, I know exactly what that means. But you? You’re nothing but a fake. What are you even proud of?”

He reached out again, trying to grab her. “You’d better give me a proper explanation, or the Hunts won’t let you off the hook.

“And that man beside you–he had the nerve to hit me? I won’t let either of you go.”

Julian’s patience finally snapped.

He swung his fist again, landing it squarely on the other side of Joseph’s face, creating a perfect match.

After the punch, Julian straightened his cuff and looked at Joseph with mock seriousness. “There. Nice and symmetrical. That’s better.”

Tessa glanced at Joseph, now doubled over and groaning in pain, a cold glint flashing in her eyes, utterly satisfied.

What a worthless idiot.

At a time like this, instead of figuring out how to deal with Aurora, he was still clinging to her like some deranged stalker.

How could anyone be this brainless?

He was utterly useless.

Joseph exploded. “You hit me? Do you even know who I am?”

That line triggered a wave of laughter from the surrounding crowd.

Chapter 134

Thinking back carefully–Tessa never admitted she was the younger heiress of the Walton family that day.

He’d been too impulsive.

Now that he was forced to face the reality, Joseph reluctantly looked at Tessa and muttered an apology.

“Apologies, Miss Walton. I mistook you for someone else that day.”

Joseph ignored the voices around him.

But Julian had no intention of letting him off so easily. “So what? You got the wrong person, and a simple apology makes it all okay?”

“What do you want, then?”

Joseph turned to face Julian’s icy expression, completely at a loss as to what this man was after.

He had only heard bits and pieces about Julian–knew his family background was decent–but as for the man himself, Joseph thought he was just a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Julian curved his lips into a faint smile.

“I don’t want anything. Just saying–if you are so blind with your surroundings, you really shouldn’t show your face around us. I don’t have the patience for clowns.”

Joseph understood the mockery in Julian’s words, but with so many eyes watching, he didn’t want to escalate the situation.

“Fine. I’ll make sure to remember Miss Tessa’s face clearly next time. I won’t mistake her for someone else again.”

Julian let out a cold snort, glancing at the two fist marks on Joseph’s face.

In the end, he didn’t press any further.

Among prominent families, nothing mattered more than reputation and appearances.

Everything else could be negotiated.

“Since it was a misunderstanding, I hope you’ll be more careful in the future, Mr. Hunt,” Tessa said with a polite smile.

She couldn’t afford to make an enemy out of Joseph now.

There was no telling when he might prove useful.