Substitute Marriage With the Illegitimate Son (Ethan and Janet)

Chapter 1345 You Are Here To Cause A Ruckus!

Aware of the challenge Janet faced, Elizabeth felt a pang of helplessness. Regardless, she soldiered on, showering her with soothing words and sprinkles of inspiration.

Janet, never one to wallow in sadness, had already aligned her mind with the new reality. As a result, Elizabeth's brief comforting episode ended with Janet deftly steering the conversation elsewhere.

Their engaging chatter was interrupted by a sudden uproar from the exterior.

It seemed like someone was stirring up trouble out there.

Janet's face clouded over. Rising, she headed towards the source of the disturbance.

Elizabeth, fearing Janet might need assistance, quickly tailed her friend.

Emerging from the door, Janet spotted Mandy holding court in the lobby, her assistant and two bodyguards flanking her as she squared off with Lexi.

Upon seeing Mandy, Janet expelled a sigh, fingers brushing her forehead. She readied herself to intervene, but Mandy, having caught sight of her, spoke first. Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "Janet, is this your idea of hospitality? No wonder your business isn't booming!"

Lexi, unable to stomach someone ridiculing her boss in her presence, fired back, "Guests don't storm in with bodyguards and a hostile demeanor. You're clearly here to cause a ruckus!"

Exasperated, Mandy simply rolled her eyes skyward,

choosing to ignore Lexi's rebuttal.

While Mandy's entourage might have looked intimidating, they were also there to carry gifts; a subtle olive branch from Mandy. The bodyguards, apart from being gift-carriers, primarily served to save Mandy from any potential embarrassment before Janet.

Mandy, however, would never disclose these details to Lexi. As a result, the pair remained in a stalemate at the entrance for what seemed like an eternity.

It didn't take long for Janet to notice the gifts being carried by Mandy's posse. Understanding the underlying context, she greeted them with a gracious smile, "Lexi, every visitor is our guest. Please welcome Miss Hamilton and her associates inside."

Mandy responded, chin up, arms crossed, in a voice brimming with arrogance, "Did you catch that? Your boss has given the order to admit me!"

Lexi shot Mandy a disgruntled look and retorted, "But it's obvious that she's here to cause..."

A gentle shake of the head from Janet was all it took for Lexi to grudgingly step aside, a bitter expression etched on her face.

A triumphant smirk played on Mandy's lips as she sauntered in, chin held high. The trio following her promptly unloaded the gift bags and boxes onto the table with considerable effort.

Janet and the rest of the group gaped at the spectacle before them.

A seemingly endless cascade of gifts mushroomed on the table, forming an impressive mound.

Blinking in astonishment, Lexi managed to stutter, "All these... are all these gifts from you? Did you raid a store?"

Mandy replied nonchalantly, "Just some common offerings. If my assistant and bodyguards could've carried more, I'd have brought even more."

A sigh of disbelief escaped from Elizabeth, her lips curling in a slight smirk. "Is this how the affluent live? Casually carting along half a store's inventory?" The extravagance displayed by Mandy left Janet stunned. Scanning the pile, she noticed the sheer quantity and the undeniable luxury of the items.

This lot must be worth hundreds of thousands.

She mentally tallied the probable price.

Mandy, taking in the dumbstruck expressions around her, nodded with satisfaction. "I'm glad to see my gifts are appreciated."

Considering Mandy and W Marks were at odds, and wishing to steer clear of their dispute, Elizabeth leaned over to Janet and whispered, "I've got work awaiting me, Janet. I need to make a move."

Janet, understanding the unspoken implications, simply nodded. "Of course, Elizabeth. Safe travels."

Once Elizabeth was gone, Janet shifted her focus back to Mandy and offered her a gracious smile. "May I invite you for some coffee, Miss Hamilton?" Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

Hearing the invitation from her competitor, Mandy's arrogance reached new heights. "Well, since you've extended the invite so graciously, I suppose I can accommodate," she replied.

She turned to her entourage and instructed, "Wait for me outside."