Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

Pearl's problem was swiftly and satisfactorily resolved, and within a week, everything seemed to have been buried deep under the sea, with no one mentioning it anymore. What surprised Bella even more was that the artist VB turned out to be a genuine partner of the company after the incident.

Bella had no idea how Max managed it, but the situation left her both uncomfortable and pleased. Uncomfortable because undoubtedly, if the artist VB collaborated with the company, Pearl would become even more arrogant, and her prestige would not only be restored but also recognized by many. At least, this collaboration had dispelled any doubts about Pearl's competence.

However, Bella was also pleased because Max had helped her father's company cover up Pearl's dirt.

As usual, Lauriel would be the one delivering documents to Pearl, but after this news, she felt uneasy and didn't want to meet Pearl, so she handed the documents to Bella.

"Help me deliver these documents to her. I don't want to see her at all," Lauriel said. Without waiting for Bella's acceptance, Lauriel quickly walked away, leaving Bella with no choice.

Bella stood in front of Pearl's door holding the documents, knocking for a while before hearing a response from inside, "Come in."

Pearl was calmly painting her nails during working hours, seemingly unconcerned about whoever came. As Bella approached the desk, she heard Pearl say, "Just leave it there and get out of the room."

Bella raised an eyebrow at Pearl, who, engrossed in painting her nails, was unaware that the person in the room was Bella. Bella spoke without irritation, "These are the documents Diana sent for you. This is just the outer part; the crucial part she sent to the director."

Recognizing the voice, Pearl immediately looked up, her expression changing as she quickly cleared some items from the table. "Bella, why are you here? You startled me."

Patiently, Bella tilted her head and looked at Pearl. "I'm helping Diana deliver the documents to you. Is there a problem with me being here?"

Knowing she couldn't argue back, Pearl felt extremely uncomfortable. "If you've brought the documents, you can leave."

Bella also didn't want to stay, but she didn't want to leave easily either. Placing the documents on the table, she turned toward the door. Before leaving, she addressed Pearl, "By the way, Pearl, that dress you're wearing is beautiful, but it doesn't suit you at all. It looks cheap. And the nail color you chose is quite tacky. I don't mean anything by it; just offering my opinion." Bella smiled and left, indifferent to Pearl's changing expressions.

Pearl clenched her fists, angrily looking towards the door. She couldn't believe Bella had mocked and judged her appearance like that.

"What do you know about fashion? Truly a cheap and ignorant girl!" Pearl exclaimed in frustration, unable to accept Bella belittling her. Everyone could talk to her on equal terms, but Bella is not allowed to, Bella never deserves to be on equal footing with her.

Bella returned to her office, unable to contain her laughter. She knew Pearl was furious, but what she said was accurate. The tight-fitting dress Pearl was wearing didn't suit her, making her look like the usual girls found in bars.

"Indeed, a cheap person who, no matter what expensive clothes they wear, still looks cheap." Bella smirked, feeling foolish for once thinking that Pearl understood fashion and admired her. But looking back, Pearl's fashion advice was utterly hideous, making Bella appear much older.

Seeing Bella return, Lauriel approached and asked, "How was it? Did she give you a hard time?"

Given Bella's identity, Pearl naturally didn't dare to cause trouble for her. However, Pearl only refrained from doing so because she knew Bella's true identity; if Lauriel had been the one delivering the documents earlier, it might have been different.

"She's busy, so she doesn't pay much attention to me," Bella replied with a gentle laugh. Hearing this, Lauriel lightly patted Bella's shoulder and sighed, saying, "You're lucky. If it were me, she wouldn't let me return to work so easily."

"Now that the artist VB has agreed to collaborate with the company, it means that Pearl's design, originally considered a copy, has now turned into a collaboration. While this is beneficial for the company's reputation, it also makes her more arrogant than before. I wish someone could teach her a lesson to get rid of that arrogance," Lauriel lamented.

Bella looked at Lauriel's frustrated expression and remembered the times when Diana deliberately didn't bring documents to the director, realizing the not-so-pleasant attitude of Pearl at the company. If Pearl were merely arrogant, it wouldn't make employees avoid her like this.

Employees like Lauriel, instead of speaking up, choose to avoid it, partly because they don't want to cause trouble for themselves and partly because they know that even if they speak up, superiors won't do anything, and it might even cost them their jobs.

Continuing her work, Bella received a message from Max, who privately texted her. He wanted to have dinner with her and Levi after work, just like last time. Bella, understanding that Max probably wanted to discuss the land deal with Levi, immediately agreed.

After work, Bella waited in front of the company's door. By this time, almost all the employees had gone home. Bella purposely stood in a shadowy corner to avoid being noticed. As she anticipated, Max came down with Pearl. Pearl wore a tight, short red dress that revealed her long legs, and her nails were painted a striking red.

Pearl walked confidently alongside Max, and her self-assured demeanor made her stand out in the company's large lobby. Employees nearby couldn't help but turn to look. From a distance, Bella observed the apparent intimacy between them and felt nauseated. Still, she didn't intervene; she wanted to see if they would continue their display of affection in the company lobby.

"Max, how does my dress look? Is it beautiful?" Pearl asked coquettishly. Max, avoiding staring at her ample chest pressing against his arm, immediately responded, "Of course, it looks stunning. In my eyes, you're always the most beautiful."

"Really? You don't lie to me." Pearl smiled, her mood visibly improving. She attributed it to Bella belittling her and couldn't accept it. In her mind, Bella was just jealous, which prompted her to speak that way.

Trying not to look directly at Pearl's ample bosom, Max said, "Alright, today I have a meeting with Levi about some matters, so I can't stay with you tonight. You go home first, and next time, I'll make it up to you, okay, sweetheart?"

Upon hearing this, Pearl expressed regret and sadness, looking up with glistening eyes. "Oh hmmm... I'm so sad... but you have to make it up to me next time, okay?" She said, holding onto Max's arm, appearing like a loving couple.

Bella, watching from a distance, couldn't bear it any longer. She stepped forward, pretending as if she had just arrived. "Max, I'm here."

Max, noticing his wife, stiffened and withdrew his hand, maintaining some distance from Pearl. "Bella, have you been waiting long?"

"I just finished changing, so it took a bit longer. I thought you would have to wait a long time," Bella said, intentionally ignoring Pearl's presence.

Seeing Bella, Pearl couldn't hide her envy. Bella was also wearing a black, tight-fitting dress, but it was long with a high slit, revealing her slender and fair legs. The beautiful dress not only highlighted Bella's fair skin but also accentuated her attractive curves. Bella had light makeup, flowing long hair, and wore an expensive silver-white jewelry set, enhancing her beautiful face. The combination of dark clothing and sparkling jewelry created an elegant and impressive style.

Looking at Bella, who appeared like a sophisticated and graceful lady, both dignified and charming, Pearl felt her own outfit seemed crude. Though it was alluring, it looked cheap and somewhat sloppy.

Even someone not particularly intelligent could recognize the stark difference between the two women. Pearl was well aware of this difference, which fueled her envy and resentment, though she dared not show it openly.