Chapter Twenty Seven

Jessica's POV

"This just keeps getting better," I said, keeping my voice light. "Did you find anything else?"

Miriam thought for a bit.

"She doesn't get along with her friends," she said.

Now, that sounded sweet. If her friends didn't like her for whatever reason, that would make them perfect for me to use as my minions. Nobody could hurt you worse than a person who used to love you, after all. Since they had been close to her, they would know things about her that other people didn't. They would know her secrets. They would have all the dirt on Isabella Domitia.

"Explain," I said, snapping my fingers at Miriam.

It took me everything to bite back my excitement.

"Sometime before she went on that date with Mr Lake," Miriam continued, "she barged out of a sleepover being held at one of her friends' home. Jacqueline Kennedy, though she prefers to be known as Jackie. I don't have the details, but they quarrelled about something, and she left in the middle of the night. Later that week, she hosted a party at the Domitia mansion and invited her friends including Jackie, and they seemed to be getting along until they stopped talking again. Around the time those pictures of her and Mr Lake were released."

"So, a rocky, on and off friendship," I remarked. "Very interesting."

"Here's the strangest thing, though," Miriam said. "Our spies saw her sneaking out of the city some days ago. She was heading downtown, but we lost her a while after she got out of the taxi."

That was certainly very strange. And also very exciting. Women like Isabella Domitia did not go downtown. In fact, they would rather have their feet chopped off than go there. Yet Isabella Domitia not only went, but did so sneakily. Something told me that the scandal I needed was tied to that trip.

Was she cheating on Julian? That was very possible. She was Isabella Domitia, after all, who had a reputation for using men and dumping them.

Besides, I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me that she only wanted Julian for his money. And till she got it, she must have decided to keep her latest relationship a secret.

"Continue to watch her," I said. "Especially whenever she goes downtown. Don't let her out of your sight a second time."

"Of course, Miss Blake," Miriam replied.

"Good," I said, leaning back and taking another sip of my drink. "Now, is that all you've learnt about her?"

"For now, Miss Blake," Miriam replied.

"Well, get back to work, then," I said, waving her away. "And bring me more information than that next time."

"Yes, Miss Blake," she replied.

I leaned back into the sofa, feeling my lips curl into a smirk.

'Just you wait, Julian,' I thought, 'you and your Domitia slut. I'll make you two pay for everything you've done.'

……

Amelia's POV

On this day, I understood why rich women were always visiting spas. This place felt like heaven. Once I had enough money, I was going to be visiting spas like twice a week or something, because damn.

How was no one else tempted to pack up a suitcase and just start living at the spa?

I leaned back with a sigh as my feet soaked into deliciously warm water, enjoying the feeling of soft fingers running through my hair. Yup, I had decided to let them tend to my hair, too. In fact, I would let them tend to my whole body, if only that was possible. That was how badly I wanted to spend time here.

I sipped some yogurt while my feet were scrubbed, then massaged. Then the attendant started on my hands, and it felt so good I nearly fell asleep. By the time she was done, my nails had been trimmed to perfection and sparkled with blue nail polish. I fluttered my fingers and blew a kiss to the mirror, feeling excited.

I wished Nancy could see me now. Heck, I wished Nancy was in Goldcrest City too, enjoying a good life alongside me.

'I won't abandon her,' I promised myself. 'As soon as I can, I'll take her away from that life and bring her to this city too. For now, I should catch her up on what has been going on with me so far.'

I took pictures of my nails and sent them to her. On second thought, I posted them on Isabella's I*******m as well.

Getting a makeover like this for the first time in so many years made me eager to show it off, so I decided to hang around the city. I headed off without a destination in mind, but ended up in a coffee shop.

I was enjoying my large white coffee with cinnamon cakes when someone slid into the chair across from me. I looked up, only to come face to face with Ray.

I was so shocked that I choked on a piece of cake and began to cough.

"I'm so sorry," Ray exclaimed worriedly, shooting to her feet. She stepped around the table to thump on my back until the coughing stopped.

"Are you okay?" she asked apologetically. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's fine," I said, gulping. "But what are you doing here?"

"Having coffee," she replied with a shrug. "I was about to leave when I saw you, so I thought I'd come over and say hi."

'What?' I thought. 'What is going on?'

"That's astonishing," I replied.

"Why do you say so?" she asked. "We're friends, aren't we?"

"Are we?" I replied. "I thought you hated me. You know, for making a move on Julian."

"Oh, that," she said. "I'll admit I was mad at you. I felt like you had stolen something from me. Especially since you promised not to go after him, you know? But then I realized that you were right. I shouldn't have asked you to promise such a thing, Isabella. And I'm sorry."