Chapter 423

Back when I only knew Emily Chancellor’s name, she already seemed to know a whole lot more about me.

I agreed to meet her.

She picked an exclusive rooftop café, the kind of hidden spot where all the stunners loved to come for their selfie sessions. I heard they had this chocolate dessert that was to die for.

Peering through the glass, I saw groups of gorgeous girls snapping selfies, but there was one beautiful silhouette sitting quietly in the corner. It was my first time meeting Emily Chancellor, and she made a surprisingly strong impression on me. Her looks weren’t exactly jaw-dropping, but she had this understated grace that set her apart. The other girls nearby were all glammed up, striking poses for their selfies–their features were way more striking than hers, but none of them could match her quiet presence.

I walked up to her, and Emily gave me a quick once-over before looking me in the eye. “Wow, you really are gorgeous,” she said. “Way prettier in real life than in your pics.”

I sat down across from her and smiled. “Miss Chancellor, you asked to meet. Did you have something you wanted to talk about?”

Emily looked down, stirring her coffee with a casual air. “Such a shame,” she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “A beauty like you, playing the other woman.”

The words stung, sharp as a bee’s sting, and I shot her a sharp look.

Emily sat there with all the poise of the rightful wife, her eyes sweeping over me, a faint, mocking smile tugging at her lips. “Does it bother you when I call you that?” she asked, taking a sip of her coffee, her smirk growing even more pronounced. “Don’t you think it’s ironic? You divorced your ex-husband because of a homewrecker, but look at you now–aren’t you doing the exact same thing?”

I shot back, keeping my voice steady. “I’m not the other woman. When I was with Nathan, he never even mentioned you. I didn’t know you existed.”

Emily’s eyes narrowed. “Nathan, seriously? Four years ago, we agreed that when I got back from studying abroad, he’d marry me. But you ruined everything for us, Victoria. I know you’re proud–even if you didn’t mean to, you’re in the middle of our relationship now. I hope you’ll have the sense to walk away, instead of doing something you’ll regret.” Her gaze locked onto me, like she was trying to see right through me.

I wasn’t about to just sit back and let things happen to me. I’ll take responsibility for what I’ve done, but I won’t let her blame me for things I didn’t do.

“So, you mean, just because the Chancellor Family backed his career, he’s supposed to pay you back with his feelings? Is that what you’re saying?” I asked, keeping my tone cool.

Emily didn’t even blink. “Yeah, that’s about right,” she replied. “My dad and I both believed in him, and he’s never disappointed us.”

I let out a laugh. “If we’re talking about paying back kindness with love, then the first person he should be grateful to is me."

Emily’s expression stiffened in disbelief. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

I replied coolly, “Seven years ago, I represented the Holcomb family at a school charity event. I spotted Nathan’s name on the list–he was buried in debt, his father had died, and his grandmother had just passed away a month earlier. I donated 250 thousand dollars to help him clear his debts and graduate.”

Emily’s face turned ashen, her eyes wide with shock. “So that’s the real reason he’s been hung up on you all this time.”

I kept my tone cool. “You knew he had feelings for someone else, but you still stuck around. That means deep down, you’ve already accepted that there’s another woman who matters more to him than you ever could. And now you’re calling me the homewrecker? Miss Chancellor, haven’t you been trying to become more like me all along?”

Emily looked utterly humiliated, like she’d just been hit with the harshest truth. “He told me he knew you were married, that there was no way he’d ever have a chance with you. Victoria, he really did describe you to me–and yeah, I tried to turn myself into the kind of graceful woman he’s drawn to, just to win him over. For him, I was willing to do all that.”

I lowered my voice, cold as ice. “If you’re willing to go that far, then take back your insult.”

Emily was still just a young woman–looked like she’d grown up sheltered and pampered. She had that quiet elegance, but you could tell she was still pretty naive about how the world really worked.