Chapter 5: The Rumors About My Husband

Lillian Veblen was startled, her body trembling slightly as she nearly stood up. At this dining table, with so many people present, who would dare to openly flirt with her?

"Lillian, what's wrong?" Her mother-in-law, Melissa Coleridge, noticed the change in her expression and asked with a frown.

"N-nothing!" Lillian Veblen shook her head, flustered, and a strong sense of unease made her face turn pale. Especially when she felt the feet under the table, not only rubbing against her smooth instep but also sliding up along her thigh, covered in black stockings. Lillian Veblen's breath caught, and she froze there, ashen-faced.

Her sister-in-law, Maggie Coleridge, noticing the change in her expression, sneered, "Mom, what else could it be? She must have seen the gossip about Nelson in today's newspaper."

"Gossip about my husband?" Lillian Veblen's attention was instantly diverted, and she looked at Maggie Coleridge in surprise.

"What, you didn't know?" Maggie Coleridge snorted disdainfully, deliberately flipping through the entertainment section of the newspaper and tossing it to her.

Lillian Veblen took the newspaper in confusion. The entire entertainment section was filled with news about her husband, Nelson Coleridge, and another actress.

Lillian Veblen's husband, Nelson Coleridge, was not only the second young master of the Coleridge family but also a hotshot A-list celebrity who had established his own entertainment company years ago. Because the Coleridge family business was already set to be taken over by the eldest son, Bernard Coleridge. Nelson Coleridge, as the second young master, received only a portion of the family assets. However, Nelson Coleridge had never been interested in business; he loved the entertainment industry. So, the old patriarch supported his second son's venture into showbiz and helped him establish his own entertainment company.

"It's just another piece of gossip. Hasn't there been plenty of gossip about Nelson over the years?" Lillian Veblen glanced briefly at the headline and smiled dismissively, not taking it to heart. She trusted her husband. Over the years, because her husband, Nelson Coleridge, was both the boss of an entertainment company and a famous star, countless actresses tried to use him to advance their careers, often resulting in such gossip. But Lillian Veblen never believed them. Such baseless rumors held no real significance, and she wouldn't doubt her husband because of them, which would only play into the schemes of those with ulterior motives.

"Lillian, you really are broad-minded, turning a blind eye to all of Nelson's affairs outside. No wonder you've managed to hold onto the position of the second young mistress for so long. It seems that no other woman can take Nelson away from you," Maggie Coleridge mocked with a hint of sarcasm.

Lillian Veblen responded calmly, "Sister-in-law, the number of gossips about you over the years is no less than Nelson's. Yet, you've managed to keep your position as the first young mistress quite steadily, haven't you?"

"You!" Maggie Coleridge glared at her, her face turning pale with anger. She had intended to mock Lillian Veblen, but instead, she found herself being ridiculed, which left her feeling extremely frustrated.

Just as she was about to retort, her younger uncle, Armand Coleridge, seized the opportunity to question her further.

"Maggie, wasn't it recently reported that you were seen vacationing in Singapore with a certain popular young actor?" Armand Coleridge raised an eyebrow, asking with a teasing smile, his eyes filled with a hint of amusement.

Maggie Coleridge's face stiffened, and she hurriedly explained, "Uncle, I was there filming, and the reporters just wrote whatever they wanted."

"Is that so?" Armand Coleridge smirked, half-believing, his gaze shifting to Lillian Veblen.

Lillian Veblen pretended not to notice his intense gaze and continued to eat, her head lowered. But the feet under the table, now more brazen, slid up her thigh and directly toward the hem of her skirt.

Lillian Veblen's face turned crimson, a mix of anger and embarrassment, yet she dared not make a sound. She gritted her teeth, trying to break free, but failed. The wicked feet, with their bold and frivolous movements, became even more audacious.