Chapter 23: Husband

"Keep dreaming." Polly Song instantly took a big step back, leaning directly against the door. "It's clearly written in black and white, divorce after a year, don't even think about breaching the contract."

Victoria Parker gave her a chilly sidelong glance, unwilling to engage with her, as it would lower her IQ.

Seeing that Victoria Parker stopped speaking, Polly Song began checking return tickets. Since it was confirmed there were no manuscripts, there was no need to stay.

Victoria Parker glanced over and knew what she was doing, "The five-million-dollar prize for the winning bid isn't just talk."

Polly Song silently looked up at him, mumbling softly, "Capitalist, pretending to be high-class even when broke."

Five million like tossing out fifty cents, does he take her for a fool?

Victoria Parker watched this little woman muttering to herself, wondering who told her that the Parker Family's bankruptcy meant he had no money?

"Not many people know the Parker Family's current situation, yet you know it quite well." Victoria Parker asked, recalling how clearly Polly Song identified the problems with the Parker Family.

As Polly Song looked at the plane tickets, the more she felt sorry for her wallet, "I read it in some gossiping black material."

Victoria Parker: "..."

Polly Song looked through them all, even the transfer flights, and then turned to Victoria Parker, "When are you going back? Should we deduct it from the thirty million?"

When Polly Song asked for favors, her eyes sparkled, but Victoria Parker knew how fake it was.

"At this rate, your thirty million won't last a year." Victoria Parker reminded.

Polly Song had talent, having no money yet daring to spend it without considering the consequences.

Returning to the hotel with Victoria Parker, Polly Song had just gotten out of the car when she saw a woman standing at the hotel entrance. Polly recognized her, the fledgling international architect Isabella Lowe, who had been compared to Polly for years and always held hostility towards her.

"Victoria." Isabella Lowe's gaze swept over Polly Song as if she didn't see her, and went directly to Victoria Parker.

"What are you doing here?"

Clearly, they knew each other and were quite familiar.

"I happened to be on a business trip here and heard you were around, so I came by." Isabella Lowe said with a smile, stopping just a step away from Victoria Parker, as if she only now noticed Polly Song, "You're here too? I heard Mr. Walker is bidding for the Parker Family project, I guess you're the lead designer?"

"Do you know each other?" Victoria Parker's question.

"Who doesn't know Master Designer Song? Surely you know, Victoria—the little princess of the architecture world, the darling in the hands of countless bigwigs is Master Designer Song." Isabella Lowe acted exaggeratedly, her gaze towards Polly Song masked with enmity.

Polly Song: "Miss Lowe, you're too kind, can't compare to Miss Lowe."

Polly Song was about to leave after speaking. The judges of Polly Song's last winning project had praised her privately, and when the award was announced, many said Polly Song bribed them, though Isabella never said it, Polly didn't think she was innocent.

"It's getting late, why not have dinner together?" Isabella Lowe stopped Polly Song from leaving, then looked towards Victoria Parker, "Victoria, it's been a while since we last saw each other, let's have dinner together."

"Ah, such a lively scene?" Michael Knight returned from outside with a jest, "The great designer is here too, what a rare occasion."

Polly Song instinctively took a small step back, watching Isabella Lowe chat with them, realizing they seemed to have grown up together.

Polly Song didn't want to hear their nostalgia, as her and Isabella Lowe's stars were misaligned.

"I won't disturb your reunion, I..."

"Join us for dinner." Victoria Parker directly took Polly Song's hand, leading her to the restaurant, ignoring her objections.

Isabella Lowe watched their interlocked hands, her eyes darkened a bit uncontrollably. Her cousin Sophie Lynn had told her Victoria Parker was married, and when she asked if the bride was the Polly Song she knew, she confirmed it.

She didn't expect it really was her!

"Come on, Master Designer." Noticing her daze, Michael Knight smiled and reminded.

Isabella Lowe returned to normal and went over with Michael Knight, "I didn't expect he'd suddenly get married, why haven't I heard before?"

"That's why he should be punished, not even telling us, isn't it over the line?" Michael Knight joked as he walked with Isabella Lowe.

Being led by Victoria Parker, Polly Song said, "I don't want to eat."

"Is it that you don't want to eat, or you don't want to eat with me or Isabella Lowe?" Victoria Parker whispered in her ear, "Do you have a grudge against Isabella Lowe?"

Victoria Parker pressed down on Polly Song's shoulders as she sat, giving her no chance to resist.

Isabella Lowe and Michael Knight sat opposite them, as Polly Song took a deep breath and smiled sweetly at Victoria Parker, "Maybe you should Google it first and see what people say online about the relationship between new architects Polly Song and Isabella Lowe?"

"Most things online aren't credible, isn't that right, Michael has the most right to speak on this?" Isabella Lowe replied to Polly Song's remark, "I really don't think there's any private spite between Miss Song and me, what does Miss Song think?"

Polly Song looked at the woman before her who appeared sincere, then glanced at the two men focused on ordering, realizing this person was a childhood friend of these two, making her an outsider in comparison. Judging from Isabella Lowe's demeanor, she probably liked Victoria Parker. Even if she hid it well, Polly Song could tell.

Given that...

"Darling, this 'hidden pearl' dish looks delicious, I want to try this." Polly Song suddenly clung to Victoria Parker's arm, sweetly calling out as they looked at the same menu.

Victoria Parker noticeably paused, looking at Polly Song's actions his motion slowed by several beats.

"Pft, cough cough..." Michael Knight almost choked on his drink, silently sipping from his cup while ordering.

"A 'hidden pearl', as Mrs. Parker likes." Michael Knight informed the waiter beside him.

Polly Song still didn't let go of Victoria Parker's arm, even tightening her grip, as he leaned in closer, his lips at her ear, "Using me?"

The proximity was too close, his heated breath made Polly Song's heart beat irregularly, but she tried hard not to blush, making her voice sound normal, "I'm helping you eliminate a hidden rival."

"I say, you two, save the PDA for your room, are we eating or not?" Michael Knight pointed out the couple's hard to watch behavior at the table.

Isabella Lowe kept her eyes on the pair leaning together, her expression always appropriate, only the constant stirring of her water revealed her emotion.

"Really didn't expect you to be the first among us to get married; we once thought you planned on never marrying in this lifetime." Isabella Lowe jokingly said, "After all, you really didn't seem like the marrying type."