Chapter 1169
"Thank you for the ride, and for helping me out today," Yvonne said as she got out of the car in front of Nina's house.
There was no hesitation in her actions, so swift and final that it left Nigel, momentarily stunned. He was used to girls eagerly wanting to establish a connection with him, but Yvonne was different. She seemed eager to distance herself. Feeling a pang of disappointment, Nigel called out, "Aren't you going to invite me in for a moment?"
When Yvonne turned to look at him, he flashed his most charming smile. "I'm suddenly really thirsty. How about a cup of tea?"
Yvonne frowned slightly. "Sorry, I'm just a guest here too. It wouldn't be appropriate. You should head home, Mr. Gibson."
With that, Yvonne turned and quickly walked away without another word.
Watching her retreating figure, Nigel felt a wave of frustration, muttering under his breath, "I'm such an idiot." He realized too late that Yvonne wasn't like the other girls. The usual lines he used didn't work on her, and he cursed himself for not recognizing that sooner.
As the second-floor curtains parted slightly, Nigel caught a glimpse of Yvonne's figure. Her graceful silhouette stirred something in him, igniting a surge of adrenaline.
One rejection wasn't enough to deter him. In fact, it only fueled his resolve. A single setback wasn't going to stop him. He would keep pursuing her, more determined than ever.
With that thought, his mood lifted, and he left humming a cheerful tune.
Inside the house, Nina had been watching Nigel's car from the window. When he finally drove away, she turned to Yvonne. "You really don't have any interest in Nigel?"
Yvonne sighed and sat down. "No. I'm leaving soon, and I don't want to form any ties with anyone here except for you. Besides, love feels too distant for me now. It's something I can't afford to hope for."
Her eyes dimmed with sadness, a heaviness settling over her.
Nina moved closer and wrapped her arms around Yvonne, offering comfort. "No matter what happened before, believe me, things will get better. What's meant for you will come back to you."
Yvonne's eyes welled up with tears, and she quickly pushed Nina away with a playful scolding, "I've been trying not to think about the sad stuff, and now you go and remind me! Looks like you're sleeping with me tonight as punishment."
Nina laughed but shook her head. "No way! Nash would never agree to that. Plus, if you want to get the money to pay Nigel back, you need to forget that idea."
Nina sat back down, casually
flipping through the notebook on the table when something caught her eye. Seeing the receipts jogged her memory She quickly pulled out her phone and checked the security. footage. Every time someone came to collect Yvonne's paintings, it was the same person, arriving in the same car. Everything seemed fine at first glance, but Nina wasn't satisfied and decided to review the footage from the very first day.
That's when she spotted the inconsistency.
The person who came on the first day had greeted her warmly and was polite to the staff. But the person who showed up the next day acted cold and distant, almost as if they didn't recognize anyone. They had swapped people after the first day.
But why hadn't the first painting been displayed at the exhibit?
As she pondered this, something
else caught her eye-the license
plate number. It looked familiar. Her mind raced back to the day she and Yvonne were being followed. It was the same car that had been tailing them, the same one that the woman had used to leave afterward.
As she pondered the situation, the car's license plate caught her attention. It looked familiar, and
suddenly it hit her. Her mind racet
back to the day she and Yvonne were being followed that woman. It was the same woman who had left in the car bearing this very number.
Yvonne noticed Nina's distraction and asked, "What's going on?"
"It was Winona," Nina said, pointing to the license plate on the screen. "She's the one who sabotaged the exhibit."
Yvonne frowned in confusion. "But why? Wouldn't that damage Joe's reputation as well? She's his wife. Shouldn't she care about protecting his name?" "You don't believe me?" Nina asked, surprised by Yvonne's doubt.
Yvonne shook her head. "It's not that I don't believe you. I just don't understand what she gains from it."
Nina smirked. "It's simple. She wants to ruin you. When Joe was around, she couldn't touch you. But now? She can do whatever she wants."