Oliver looked down at me with a look of disgust.
"Jessica, you disappeared for three years and came back even more shameless. Not only are you wearing a fake necklace, but you even had the nerve to say Mr. Holden gave it to you. You're just making things up!
"I can put up with your tantrums, but you should've never made up a story about being with Mr. Holden. That's crossing the line. He bought that necklace for his wife, not for you!
"Jessica, watch your mouth! Stop spreading these ridiculous lies! We're here to pick up Mrs. Holden and leave a good impression on her. If she hears you making up stuff about being with Mr. Holden, don't think I'll let it slide.
Oliver's friends also glared at me and began criticizing me.
"Oliver worked so hard to become the general manager of Holden Group's Stonevale branch. That's the only reason we even got a chance to join the company. And now, you're here causing trouble! Are you trying to get him fired?"
I sat on the ground, wiping away the blood from my scraped arm, and stared back at Oliver coldly.
Maybe I looked too fierce, or maybe Oliver realized he had gone too far. Either way, a flicker of guilt crossed his face.
He took a step forward, reaching out as if to help me up.
However, Angela quickly stepped between us, blocking his path.
"Jessica, you're really ungrateful. You found out we were coming to welcome Mrs. Holden, and you showed up on purpose to stir up trouble, didn't you?
"You're spreading lies about being involved with Mr. Holden just to upset Mrs. Holden when she gets here, hoping she'll get Oliver fired!
"Even if you're still angry about Oliver leaving you three years ago to marry me, destroying his career isn't the way to take revenge.
"Back then, Oliver only married me because I was dying of leukemia and he wanted to fulfill my last wish of having a wedding.
"Now that I'm healthy again, he plans to marry you. What more could you possibly want?"
Hearing this, I couldn't help but laugh.
Angela was up to her old tricks again, painting me as petty and spiteful so that everyone would turn against me and keep their distance.
Oliver had fallen for the same tricks three years ago. At first, he stood by me and believed in me.
But over time, Angela's manipulation wore him down, and he started to see me in the way she described. In the end, he took her side.
Just like now, Oliver nodded along with Angela and added dismissively, "That's enough. You should leave. Don't waste our time anymore. We need to pick up Mrs. Holden."
He reached into his pocket, took out a check, and handed it to me as if he were bestowing a generous gift.
"Here's a check for 100,000 dollars. Buy yourself some decent clothes instead of these rags. If you really can't stomach working as a janitor, I'll arrange a different position for you later."
I didn't take the check. Instead, I stepped forward and firmly took the necklace back from Angela's grip.
"You can keep your money. We're not that close anyway. But this?" I replied calmly, holding up the necklace. "This belongs to me. I'm taking it back."
