Female Novel
Chapter 653
Sadie glanced at Esther, and Mandy responded with a warm smile. “I’ve just returned from overseasand don’t have many local friends yet. Besides, my brother thought it’d be good for me to bond with myfuture sister-in-law.”
Eager to keep things smooth with Mandy, Esther invited, “Sure, come on over. Let’s hang out together.”
“Sounds great.”
The nearby hot spring villas were decked out in festive decorations. After dinner, the three womenrelaxed before heading to the outdoor thermal baths.
Wearing a swimsuit that accentuated her figure, Mandy stretched out beside Esther. However, Esther’sgaze fixated on a small, almost-healed scar under Mandy’s arm.
“Mandy, did you injure yourself there?” Esther asked.
Instead of revealing the scar’s true origin—a remnant from her plastic surgery transformation fromLiliane to Mandy—she deflected, “Don’t you have one?”
Neither Esther nor Sadie had any such scars.
“Maybe it’s more noticeable because of my extremely fair skin?” Mandy casually suggested.
Sitting beside Esther, Sadie looked at Mandy in the thermal water and softly asked, “Are you fairer thanEsther?”
Mandy reluctantly replied, “No.”
Deep inside, she knew her fair complexion was the result of skin-whitening injections. On the otherhand, Esther’s fair complexion was natural, radiant, and glowing.
As Liliane, standing beside Esther always made her feel like an ugly duckling, regardless of how wellshe dressed. Even as the transformed, stunning Mandy, that sense of inferiority lingered whenever shefound herself next to Esther.novelbin
Mandy’s phone buzzed, capturing her attention. Seeing it was a text from X, she smiled coyly at Esther,pretending it was from Bradley. “Excuse me, I have to take this.”
Watching Mandy’s mix of excitement and shyness, Esther felt like a jar of spilled vinegar, both bitterand sour.
Sadie merely observed and couldn’t understand why Bradley would choose to marry Mandy. However,she supported it as long as Esther was spared.
‘Bradley can mess up anyone’s life, as long as it’s not my beloved Esther,’ Sadie thought.
Amidst the warm mist, Esther’s eyes followed Mandy to the fireplace, where she took her call. Herthoughts drifted back to her fleeting happy moments with Bradley.
These happy moments were disappointingly few throughout their relationship. She often felt like a lonetraveler navigating a path riddled with emotional landmines.
Mandy was aware of Esther’s gaze and was also watching her. When she received further instructionsfrom X, she gasped in confusion. “Why? I don’t understand the purpose of this.”
X’s cold, robotic voice echoed in her ear. “You don’t need to understand. Just do as I say.”
After a brief hesitation, Mandy whispered, “Understood. I’ll get it done.”
Whatever X demanded, Mandy would willingly carry out. He had saved her, earning her loyalty. Estherand Bradley were her enemies, deserving her vengeance. For Mandy, the lines between gratitude and
vengeance were starkly drawn.