Chapter 3 I've Never Seen a Woman More Beautiful Than Her

Three years later, a black Rolls-Royce Ghost glided smoothly down the wide avenue. Inside the car, Leon Reid turned to look at Gregory. "Gregory, it's been three years. Still haven't been able to reach that woman, Veronica?" Gregory lounged lazily, his long legs crossed. His sharply defined fingers flipped through the documents resting on his lap. At the mention of Veronica, his handsome face remained completely expressionless. A low, husky sound rumbled from his throat, a wordless acknowledgment. Today, he wore a silver-gray suit that was perfectly tailored to his tall, strong frame. His face looked like the masterpiece of a world-class sculptor, painstakingly carved and polished to perfection. From every angle, not a single flaw could be found—handsome, flawless, and utterly impeccable. Leon cursed under his breath, his expression twisted with disdain. "That woman… She's shameless. To avoid divorcing you, she actually chose to disappear completely. Does she really think that would let her keep the title of Mrs. Sutton? How delusional." "Gregory, you…" His next words died on his lips. Through the car window, his gaze froze on the black sedan not far away. More precisely, it landed on the face of the woman inside the car. It was a face so perfect it took his breath away. Her face was a flawless oval, with striking and seductive almond-shaped eyes, a high, elegant nose, and full, crimson lips. Every glance and every smile seemed to tug at the heart, utterly irresistible. Before he could get a clear look, the car window slowly rolled up. The black sedan then hit the gas and quickly sped away. "Goddess! Goddess!" Leon couldn't hold back and shouted out in amazement. Gregory frowned, glancing at him from the side. "You losing it?" "Gregory, didn't you see her just now? The woman in that car just now… She's stunning! I swear, I've never seen anyone more beautiful than her. She's literally my dream girl!" Leon's face betrayed a hint of obsession. Gregory remained expressionless, completely uninterested. The so-called "goddess" Leon was raving about was now holding a small bottle of dark liquid, carefully applying it to the right side of her face. Soon, a large, very menacing dark patch appeared on her otherwise flawless, delicate features. "Veronica, are you really not going to show your true face?" Veronica's assistant, Minerva Stone, asked. Veronica removed the black wig from her head and adjusted her hair. "No. By now, many people worldwide are familiar with Eleven's appearance. I absolutely cannot let them find out that she and Veronica are the same person." "True. Otherwise, your house would probably be swarming with admirers by now. Eleven, the world-renowned top surgeon—everyone would want to have you in their grasp!" Minerva said. Veronica just let out a soft laugh. … Tonight, the Steele residence was alive with the heiress' 20th birthday celebration. Ranked third among Bircanda City's eight most prominent families, the Steeles had drawn all the city's elite to the event. In a corner, Leon suddenly seemed to remember something and looked at Gregory. "Gregory, according to the law, as long as you and Veronica have been living apart for two years, you can go ahead and file for divorce with the court." "I mean, who knows when Veronica will show up. You might as well go ahead and file for divorce in court now," he added. As he spoke, he turned his gaze toward Camelia. "Besides, Camelia has waited for you all these years. Don't you owe her an explanation?" Hearing this, Camelia's heart raced with excitement. She looked shyly at Gregory, who kept his head down, sipping his drink, and spoke in a soft, gentle voice, "As long as I can be with Gregory, I'm satisfied. I don't ask for anything more." Even so, the look in her eyes as she gazed at Gregory was full of expectation. Gregory remained expressionless, his handsome face calm and unreadable, ignoring their words entirely. After exchanging a glance with Camelia, Leon was about to speak. But at that moment, his gaze froze on the woman slowly walking into the villa, dressed in a dark green gown. With a sudden jolt, Leon sprang up from the couch and rushed toward her. "Goddess! I didn't expect to see you again so soon!" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with delight. This was the same breathtaking beauty he had seen earlier on the road. Veronica slowly turned her head. However, when Leon saw the large, dark patch on the right side of her face, stretching from her right eye to the corner of her mouth, his expression changed instantly. He examined her carefully. Aside from the angle he had seen earlier, which made the side of her face resemble his goddess, there was almost no resemblance anywhere else. He wondered why the dark patch on her face seemed so familiar. At that moment, a slightly shocked, low voice called out, "Veronica? Is that really… you?" From the crowd, a beautiful woman in a pale yellow gown stepped forward. "Three years apart, and you've lost so much weight. It's unbelievable. Veronica, you're finally back. Mom and Dad have missed you so much," Rowena Walsh said. She was the heiress of the Walsh family and Veronica's older sister. Nearby, when Gregory heard the name "Veronica", his brow twitched slightly. He lifted his gaze and glanced at her briefly before quickly looking away again. "You're Veronica?" Leon frowned after hearing Rowena's words. He studied her carefully once more and finally confirmed it really was Veronica, only much slimmer than before. Leon's expression instantly soured, as if he had swallowed something foul, and pure disgust washed over his face. "Damn it! What bad luck," he cursed, then turned and walked away while muttering under his breath. He couldn't believe he had just mistaken Veronica—that fat, ugly woman—for his goddess. He must have been blind. Someone in the crowd spoke up. "So she's the Walsh family's adopted daughter who was brought back from the countryside. What kind of place is this? Does an adopted daughter like her even have the right to be here?" "Exactly. If I looked like that, I wouldn't even dare step outside and embarrass myself," another voice chimed in. Faced with their sarcastic, insulting remarks, Veronica's expression didn't change at all. It was as if the person they were mocking had nothing to do with her. Only when she heard the words "adopted daughter" did she let out a cold laugh internally. Veronica was just about to speak when a sharp, piercing cry suddenly rang out. "Carter! Carter! What happened to you?"