Female Novel
Chapter 396
Donna thought to herself, 'Why doesn't he keep his promise?'
She had been alone in a foreign land when she received those photos from a private investigator.
These images showed him intimately involved with another woman, prompting her to yearn for the
truth.
When she finally saw the photo on his office desk at Arnold Corporation, the undeniable proof
shattered her world.
Gazing at the imposing Arnold Corporation building, Donna struggled to contain the bitterness welling
up within her. With a heavy heart, she left the scene behind.
As she walked away, tears welled up unexpectedly, smudging her makeup. Lost in her thoughts, she
walked aimlessly, oblivious to the curious stares and distancing gestures of passersby.
A few minutes later, a black car pulled up in front of Donna, and a bodyguard in a black suit got out of
the car.
"Ms. Jolie," he said, "Mrs. Arnold Sr. is aware of your return. She requests your presence. Please step
into the car."
Collecting herself, Donna entered the front passenger seat, using the tissues provided to fix her
smeared makeup. As she did so, she muttered, "How is that old woman still alive after all these years?"
The chauffeur cautioned, "Ms. Jolie, please be careful with your words!"
Ignoring her recent emotional breakdown, Donna retorted, "I used to call her that, and Ethan nevernovelbin
objected. Who are you to lecture me?"
The chauffeur maintained a stoic silence.
An hour and a half passed before Donna arrived at the Arnold residence.
She confidently navigated the familiar path, passing the entrance where a servant halted her progress.
"Ms. Jolie, Mrs. Arnold Sr. awaits you here."
Donna, full of arrogance, followed the servant to the front of the mansion where Ethan lived.
Evelyn Anderson, dressed modestly, sat on a stone bench in the yard, sipping roasted beet soup.
"It has been quite a while, Mrs. Arnold Sr.," Donna remarked, her disbelief evident. "I never anticipated
you'd still be among the living!"
Evelyn didn't respond to her but continued to enjoy her soup. With a smile, she said to a nearby
servant, "Madelyn's cooking is much better than yours."
Marta, who had been taking care of Evelyn for many years, chimed in, "Yes! The texture is so tender, it
melts in your mouth, and the sweetness is just right. Her cooking is almost as good as the chefs we
hire."
Donna had no idea what game Evelyn was playing. After finishing her roasted beet soup, Evelyn stood
up and asked Marta to leave them alone for a while. Evelyn then turned her attention to Donna.
After a long pause, Evelyn shook her head, her displeasure evident. "You're still the same after all
these years. You returned so eagerly, perhaps to size up Ethan's current companion. Well, you've seen
her now."
Donna clenched her teeth and questioned, "Is all of this a scheme orchestrated by you?"
Evelyn leaned on her cane and fixed her gaze on Donna. She responded, "I promised not to meddle in
your relationship with him all those years ago. I've upheld that promise."
"It's impossible! If it weren't for your meddling, how could he have fallen for someone else? You must
have arranged for that girl to be near him!"
One of the bodyguards, sensing Donna's escalating emotions, took a step forward but was halted by
Evelyn's gesture.
Evelyn continued, "Blame yourself for not failing to appreciate him. Ethan spent so many years with
you, and for your sake, he did countless things against our family's rules. His academic performance
suffered as well. He even raced cars with you, had a near-fatal accident, and barely made it back. How
many times was his life in jeopardy? How... could you forget?"
Donna was left speechless.
Evelyn smiled, "You never really cared. All you enjoyed were the privileges Ethan brought you. Every
time you got into trouble, who was it that bailed you out? Back then, he was young and foolish,
influenced by your charm, and he did some unthinkable things. Now that you've come back early,
according to the bet we made three years ago... you've already lost."