Chapter 51

Chloe gritted her teeth, but dared not speak up for Belle in her presence. Turning to Faith, she warned, "The business is failing too! Your being here is a mistake!"

She continued, "I won't go easy on you. It's too late to regret your actions. Your family and your parents will not forgive you." She then snapped around and berated Kyle: "Kyle Archer, do you really think you could break up my friendship with Belle? We're ride or die. You can't hurt our friendship with a word or two. Besides, no one will trust the words of an ex-criminal like you."

"I don't mind being a toll because Belle makes sure to take care of me. Are you jealous because she dumped you? You must be!"

"You had no idea what Belle has created over these years. She built a company from scratch, and it's now worth more than one billion! No one in Thalarea could hold a candle to her!"

"What about you? You're a good-for-nothing. How dare you talk crap about others? Better spend that time on self-reflection!"

Faith didn't mind being insulted herself, but she wouldn't allow Chloe to insult Kyle. With a scowl, she tried to defend him, but he stopped her with a smile. "Let's not waste our time on a minion. She's just taking out her frustrations about Belle on us."

"By the way, I'm really tired of all this talk of 'female CEO' and 'business miracle.'"

Kyle smirked. He knew everything about Belle's journey. Belle was smart, but she could never have created a business miracle without his support; the best she could have done was run a small business. But he chose not to say it aloud—Chloe wouldn't believe him anyway.

Chloe sneered, "The world has changed in the six years you were in jail. Belle is influential in Kerdonia and even across Thalarea. Look it up yourself. If you don't trust me, you can try making a fool of yourself. How ignorant. People like you should be in jail for life."

Faith stood in front of Kyle. "Chloe, you can't say that about Kyle. I need you to apologize to him!" She glared at Chloe, unable to stand it any longer.

At that moment, Belle glided toward them in her long dress, a haughty expression on her face. "You have no right to make my friend apologize. What right do you have to demand an apology on Kyle's behalf? Are you his wife or what? I've never seen a woman as shameless as you."

All eyes turned to them as Belle joined the argument. Despite everything, the three women were too captivating not to attract attention. Faith didn't back down from Belle's arrogance. "Belle, you should apologize to Kyle for dumping him! You're the one who owes him. How dare you bring Chloe along to pick on him? What has he done to you?"

"Will you finally be satisfied if you see him suffer? Belle, you have no right to do that. You were the one who cried and begged to marry him. He's the reason you get to live the way you do and enjoy all this prestige right now. More importantly, he went to jail for you!"

"Belle, you're heartless. Not only did you not try to make it up to him after he got out, you dumped him right away and even sent your family after him. You jeered at him and cussed him out. Karma will get you back for the way you abused him." Faith let out all her frustrations; she couldn't take it anymore. All her words were truths Belle refused to face.

Belle scoffed, "Wow, Faith Curtis, you must have lost your mind after the beating. That's all nonsense. Kyle is a piece of trash. You're welcome to take him if you like. Don't show up in front of me and spite me. I knew you had your eyes on him all this while. You should thank me for dumping him so you stand a chance with him."

Belle gave Kyle a smug look. "Isn't that the shirt you wore at our wedding? You spent a few thousand dollars on it, remember? You must have worn this to the event hoping I'd have a soft spot for you? Just give up. No matter how much you love me, I will never fall for a piece of trash like you again."

Kyle frowned. His white shirt was commonplace; it was easy for Belle to mistake it for the one he wore at their wedding. But he didn't correct her.

Nodding at Belle, he said, "You've taken to criticizing my shirts now, haven't you? Let me make this clear. Remember how you didn't have time to shop for a shirt with me? I went shopping for this shirt with Bay at that time. She picked it out for me. I'm putting it on in reminiscence of my past with Bay, not with you. Got it?"