The story of Joyce Monroe and Ina Sutton fighting over a man had spread all over Graymoor, so of course, entertainment reporters were staked out outside the police station.
So, the news that Julian Griffin had given her flowers and taken her home quickly made the rounds in all the gossip chats.
Julian Griffin hadn't expected Joyce Monroe to agree to let him take her home. He smiled apologetically. "I went to your studio today to ask you to dinner. I never thought something like this would happen because of me."
"You haven't eaten yet, have you? What would you like? My treat."
"I'm not really in the mood to eat. Let's reschedule dinner for another day." Joyce clutched the flowers, lost in thought.
'Another day?'
'Doesn't that mean I can see her again?'
Julian had his own agenda.
Ina Sutton was his devoted lapdog, a complete fool. The Sutton Family still had some power, so if a more suitable marriage candidate didn't appear, choosing her wouldn't be a bad option.
Joyce, however, was a much better catch.
Though rumors claimed she was arrogant and domineering, with divorced parents who didn't care for her, she had a beautiful face and was very capable.
Besides, her older brother doted on her.
That man was no ordinary figure in Northgate. If Julian could get in with him through Joyce, his own career would skyrocket.
It was just that back then, she'd been in love with someone else, and every man who pursued her was turned away…
He had been one of them!
'If some bastard could be her boyfriend, why couldn't I?'
But Joyce was hard to get close to, and Ina was certifiably crazy.
That's why he'd had the idea to deliberately leak the fact he was sending flowers to Ina, hoping to play the hero saving the damsel in distress. He just hadn't expected there would be no opportunity for him to make his grand appearance.
To avoid any complications, he said, "There's no time like the present. How about tomorrow?"
A small smile played on Joyce's lips. "Alright."
"Then, can I get your number?"
"No need. Just pick me up from the studio after work tomorrow evening."
Julian quickly nodded with a smile.
"By the way, how did you know I like poppies?" Joyce voiced her question.
"I remember at your high school graduation, Mr. Monroe attended the ceremony and gave you a bouquet of poppies."
Julian smiled. "Actually… I've always been paying attention to you."
Joyce nodded, a bit vexed. 'So that's what it was.'
When the car reached the outside of Joyce's residential complex, she got out. He doted on her, fawning over her until she was out of sight before he finally drove away.
Just then, Joyce's phone vibrated. It was her brother.
'Here comes the interrogation.'
As she answered the call, she casually tossed the poppies in her arms into a nearby trash can.
"Joyce Monroe, what the hell are you doing!"
"What's wrong?"
"Photos of you and that dog Griffin have already reached me! It's the middle of the night where Dad is, but once he wakes up, he's definitely going to call you to account. Thorne is still in Graymoor, and even if it's a loveless marriage of convenience, you can't be seen like this with another man."
"Mr. Thorne went to Oakhaven for a business trip."
"So because he's not here, you plan on cheating? And with a piece of trash like that! Anyone who gets mixed up with Ina Sutton can't be any good! When Mom asks about this, I won't know how to explain it to her. And don't forget about the Thorne family."
"My husband is so wonderful—broad shoulders, long legs, rich, handsome, powerful, and influential. I'm not blind or stupid. Why would I ever cheat?"
"Then you're… up to some new scheme, aren't you?"
"Brother, you were the one who told me that killing someone is boring. It's better to break their spirit."
"You…"
"Aren't those your words? Or did I remember it wrong?"
"I told you to work on your relationship with Thorne, but you wouldn't listen. But you seem to have no problem remembering all this other nonsense."
"In that case, you can handle Mom, Dad, and the Thorne family for me."
"..."
He only had one sister. What could he do?
He could only spoil her.
So, just as that call ended, Silas Thorne's phone started vibrating. A certain older brother had come to clean up his little sister's mess.
**
「The next day.」
The news about Joyce Monroe and Julian Griffin had spread throughout the entire studio. Lily Kennedy, who had been her best friend for nearly a decade, knew her well. Julian was not her type at all.
'She must be brewing up some trouble.'
"Lily, I need you to do something for me." Joyce motioned for her to lean in.
"What is it? So secretive."
"Spread the word that I'm going out to dinner with Julian Griffin."
"..."
Lily Kennedy had always lived for the drama. She sent some small cash rewards in a couple of group chats, and someone immediately started spreading the news.
Graymoor's social circle wasn't large, and everyone was speculating:
This time, Ina Sutton had really taken a major fall.
She'd been slapped a few times, and now even the man she liked was about to be stolen from her.
She was usually arrogant and domineering and had offended plenty of people. While most flattered her on the surface due to the Sutton family's power, quite a few were eager to see her get her comeuppance.
But Ina Sutton, who had been grounded by her father, couldn't stay put any longer. As soon as her parents went out for a social engagement that evening, she snuck out, found out which restaurant Julian and Joyce were at, and rushed over.
A private room on the top floor of the Grand Sovereign Hotel.
A candlelight dinner. 999 red roses, dazzling to the eye.
Joyce claimed she wasn't very hungry and only ordered a cheese plate to go with her red wine.
"Joyce, I really didn't think you'd agree to have dinner with me." Julian had put on a suit for the occasion. He had a handsome face; otherwise, Ina Sutton wouldn't have been obsessed with him for so long.
"I really didn't expect Ina Sutton to cause a scene at your studio. It's my fault for not handling my relationship with her properly."
Joyce frowned. "Are you... boyfriend and girlfriend?"
"No!" Julian's denial was swift.
"But that's not what she said. She said I was meddling in your relationship." Joyce said helplessly, taking a bite of cheese with her small fork. "You know, even if I really like someone…"
"...I would never be the other woman."
Julian was stunned for a few seconds.
'What did she mean by that? Could it be… she actually likes me?'
Julian was very confident in his looks. The fact that Joyce had accepted his flowers for several days in a row made him even more convinced that she had feelings for him.
"It's all Ina Sutton's doing. She's been pestering me since our school days. I can't stand it, which is why I occasionally humor her. I really don't like her."
"Could you post on your social media to clarify your relationship with her?" Joyce propped her chin on her hand and looked at him. "I'm trying to run a business here, and all these recent events have caused me a lot of trouble."
Julian froze.
'If he could date Joyce, he'd naturally have to dump Ina.'
'A girl from a prominent family like her would never tolerate the slightest deceit.' So, to show his loyalty, he immediately posted on his social media:
[I have no relationship whatsoever with Ina Sutton. I ask that everyone stop spreading false rumors.]
[There is no truth to the claim that Joyce Monroe interfered in our relationship.]
After posting, he even made a point of showing it to Joyce.
It was set to be publicly visible to everyone.
"Joyce, is this okay with you?"
Joyce nodded.
"I'm so sick of Ina Sutton. She's a psycho, clinging to me like a lapdog that I can't shake off. If I get even a little close to any other girl, she goes and makes trouble for them. It's disgusting."
"In my heart, she's not worth one-ten-thousandth of you."
"Just seeing her makes me sick to my stomach."
Joyce spooned up some cheese, watching him with great interest. "I heard you two dated?"
"I don't deny that we dated once, but she's too controlling. She wanted to possess me completely, every single day. I just couldn't take it."
"..."
"Joyce, from the day you transferred to our school, it was love at first sight for me. All these years, even though I've had other girlfriends, the one I've always loved the most, in my heart, is you."
The next second,
The door to the private room was thrown open. Ina Sutton stood in the doorway, and the color drained from Julian's face.
'Holy shit—'
'Isn't she grounded? How did she get here?!'
Joyce raised an eyebrow.
'The timing is just perfect.'