Chapter 199

Cassandra paused a beat, patted the girl's shoulder gently, then said, “Look at the mess you're in—everyone’s pointing fingers and whispering. Has Vera even tried to step in and help you guys out? Bet she's hiding in some corner enjoying the show. If you think what I said makes sense, then take it to heart. If not, and you hate me for embarrassing you just now, that's fine by me too. I’ve got issues with Vera, not you.” With that, she gracefully took a step back, flashed a calm smile, and turned to leave. Vanessa's face turned pale, then flushed red with shame. She glanced around anxiously—and sure enough, there was Vera off to the side, quickly lowering her head the moment their eyes met. At that moment, their so-called friendship crashed and burned—no survivors. She tugged Rebecca and Scarlett along, and the three of them quickly slipped out of the ballroom. “So that’s why you were so insistent on getting that rare Van Cleef & Arpels brooch a couple of days ago—this whole thing was p