"How about your cousin Yeri? Could you ask her? Are you two close?"
Another girl chimed in, "I watched one of your livestreams, Venice. You didn't seem to get along with her. Is she really that mean and arrogant? Oh, and how did she even meet Shin Keir?"
Venice paused.
It wasn't just about how. It was about what method. If she had known, she would have acted first, raced ahead, and claimed that position herself.
"I think it was her brother, JJ, who knew Shin Keir," Venice said with a shrug, her tone casual but edged. "I saw him attending with the others at Yeri's debut banquet. As for what happened after that… I have no idea."
"Maybe you just have to be incredibly beautiful," one friend said offhandedly, "and also really good at programming."
"Actually…" Venice hesitated, glancing around before lowering her voice. "I trust you all, so please keep this a secret, okay?"
The group leaned in, forming a tight circle of curiosity.
Venice exhaled softly, then began weaving her narrative.
She described Yeri as spoiled and arrogant, a pampered only daughter raised by doting parents. Someone who adored the rich and looked down on the poor.
She painted her as manipulative, someone who used her delicate appearance and fragile health to stir men's protective instincts, drawing them in without effort.
"Well, that's just how it is. Whatever method she used, she succeeded," one friend commented. "But was she the reason Calin Ricci and Shin Keir broke up?"
Venice wasn't sure either. She only remembered Calin hinting at how close she had been with Shin before Yeri came into the picture.
"I'm not too sure about that, but I did have the chance to chat with Calin. She's very close with Shin Keir… it seemed to me that Yeri doesn't like her. Almost like she sees Calin as a rival," Venice said.
"Alright, forget about Shin's circle. What about your cousin Jj? Is he dating anyone? You know he's very popular at his university, and soon he'll be Shin's brother-in-law," another chimed in, clearly implying Jj would be a great catch.
Venice smiled enthusiastically and promised to "help," though she had no intention of doing so.
After all, their university was no different from any other. Crossing paths with men from the upper class was already rare, let alone the elite of the elite.
Her connection to Yeri had undeniably elevated her status. These days, old acquaintances, high school classmates, and even distant college friends suddenly resurfaced, eager to "catch up." Like moths drawn to a chandelier they once ignored.
Just then, her gaze snagged on a familiar figure in the distance, her smile vanished as if snuffed out.
That bitch Jade… following her again.
Since their confrontation at the hospital, Jade had been relentless. Calls laced with curses and threats, appearances out of nowhere, public scenes crafted with surgical precision to embarrass her.
Venice had grown so wary that even stepping outside felt like walking into a trap.
"Are you okay, Venice?" one friend asked, noticing her sudden stiffness.
Venice nodded quickly and sent Hadi a message: Jade is harassing me again.
But Jade wasn't her only concern.
Hadi had barely been seeing her lately, always citing work. And the card he had given her? Useless for weeks now.
Could this be Serenity's retaliation?
"What a coincidence! You're here too, Venice."
Venice stiffened, looking up.
Jade stood there, smiling sweetly, but her eyes gleamed like sharpened blades.
"Your friends?" Jade greeted the group casually.
"We're not that close," Venice replied coldly, her gaze sharp with warning.
Jade only laughed it off and slid into a seat as if she belonged there. "I was supposed to meet someone, but he's not here yet. You don't mind if I sit for a bit, right? I hate sitting alone."
Venice's friends exchanged uncertain glances, their expressions hovering between polite and trapped.
But Jade moved like a seasoned performer, effortlessly weaving herself into the conversation. Soon enough, some of them began to relax, drawn into her rhythm.
"By the way, how did you two get acquainted?" one of them finally asked.
Jade's lips curled as she glanced at Venice, something unreadable flickering in her eyes.
Before Venice could answer, Jade spoke.
"As strange as it sounds… we actually dated the same guy."
"What nonsense are you talking about?!" Venice snapped.
Jade lifted a brow, amused. "Relax. Dated. Past tense."
The table fell into a stunned silence.
"So… did he date both of you at the same time?" someone asked hesitantly.
Venice shot that friend a glare sharp enough to cut glass. "Why are you asking her? Don't believe everything people say so easily."
The friend mumbled an apology, though curiosity still burned in her eyes.
The atmosphere turned thick, like air before a storm.
"Look, my date's finally here!" Jade suddenly exclaimed, waving brightly toward the entrance.
Hadi paused upon entering, scanning the room before his gaze landed on them. His expression darkened instantly.
He strode over and grabbed Jade's arm.
"Baby~ what took you so long?" Jade stood and wrapped herself around him with practiced intimacy. "Ah, these are Venice's friends~ you know Venice."
Venice "…"
"This man looks familiar… where have I seen him?" the friend beside Venice whispered.
Hadi ignored everyone, clearly trying to pull Jade away but she resisted, clinging to him.
"What's the rush? Since we're already here, why not join them? They don't mind, right?"
Venice's friends "…"
"It's been so hard to see you lately," Jade continued sweetly. "Oh, and the day before yesterday, you left something at my place."
She tilted her head, smiling.
"But don't worry, I already washed it for you."
Venice's expression hardened, her friends exchanging deeply uncomfortable glances.
This kind of conversation felt wildly inappropriate for a public setting.
Still, Jade kept going, flirting shamelessly, while Hadi looked like he was one breath away from snapping.
Venice's nails dug into her palms, her jaw tightening until it ached.
"Jade, you really shouldn't put people on the spot like this," Venice said through clenched teeth. "Maybe he just doesn't want to embarrass you, but anyone here can see he's unhappy."
Jade turned to Hadi, then back to Venice, a grin spreading slowly.
"Oh? He wasn't unhappy when we were- "
"Enough!" Hadi yanked her arm sharply, his voice cutting through the air like a whip. "Haven't you caused enough trouble already?"
Venice watched the two argue like any other toxic couple, painfully reminiscent of her own parents.
The bitterness in her chest thickened like storm clouds refusing to disperse.
Back then, Hadi had claimed Jade was merely an ex-girlfriend, but is that really the case?
Jade's bold, relentless harassment spoke volumes. It meant she was confident Hadi would never truly cut her off, nor harm her, no matter what she did.
"Oh, I remember!" one friend suddenly exclaimed. "Aren't you Hadi Keir?"
The others turned to look. One quickly checked online before confirming, "Yeah, he really does look like Hadi Keir."
Venice scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "If he really is Hadi Keir... then we all know he's already married. So, Jade, are you proudly flaunting your status as a homewrecker?"
Hadi frowned, shooting Venice a stern look.
Venice met his gaze head-on, stubborn and unyielding, as if to say: if Jade could act shamelessly, why couldn't she?
"So what if he's Hadi Keir?" Jade sneered. "And so what if I'm a mistress? Unlike some people, I'm not afraid to admit it. We're the ones truly in love. That bitch of a wife just refuses to let him go."
The table fell silent. Even Venice was momentarily stunned. It wasn't every day you met someone who wore that title like a badge of honor.
Even her own mother had hidden in the shadows for years, terrified of being labeled the same.
Jade's lips curled into a wicked smile. "What about you? Do you dare admit that the child you're carrying is a bastard?"
Venice flinched, with her friends staring, she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Hadi finally snapped.
Slap!
"Who are you calling a bastard?" he barked. "Do you think I don't have a bottom line?"
Jade stared at him in disbelief as nearby tables began to notice the commotion.
"Maybe... you guys should take this outside?" one friend suggested nervously.
"Yeah, Jade, can't you see you're embarrassing yourself?" Venice pressed on, her tone cutting. "Just because you have no morals doesn't mean others don't. You might want to get your brain checked. I have a feeling you'd pass the asylum criteria."
Jade's gaze turned murderous.
The murmurs grew louder. Venice's friends tried to calm things down, voices overlapping in panic.
But Venice sat there, expression sharp and provoking.
Then, Hadi had slapped her.
Something in Jade snapped, her eyes flicked to the table knife.
Before anyone could react, she grabbed it and lunged.
Venice instinctively raised her hand.
The blade sank into her palm.
For a heartbeat, the world froze, then chaos erupted.
Screams tore through the air. Chairs scraped violently as people stumbled back.
Venice's friends shrieked like scattered birds, retreating without a second thought.
Jade yanked the knife free, raising it again.
Panicking, Venice shoved Hadi, who was still frozen between them and the knife plunged into him instead.
"Ahhhh!"
Hadi screamed, staring down at his stomach. Terror flooded his face so completely that he lost control of himself.
Jade trembled, reality crashing in. "It... it wasn't supposed to be you... I- I'm sorry!"
But pulling the knife out only made things worse.
"Are you insane?!" Hadi howled. "Why would you pull it out?! Damn it- it hurts!"
The restaurant descended into full-blown pandemonium.
"Police! Call the police!" one of Venice's friends screamed hysterically.
"Someone's stabbing people!" another shouted.
Jade dropped the knife, then suddenly pointed at Venice, her expression twisting.
"You bitch! You used my baby as a shield! I knew it- you never cared about him! You're just after his money! Otherwise, why would you let him get hurt?!"
She grabbed Hadi, shaking him frantically. "Do you see it now? I'm the one who truly loves you! Hahaha! she pushed you to get stabbed!"
"I'm pregnant, you lunatic!" Venice shouted, her voice shaking. "If I hadn't blocked you, you would've killed two people!"
Fear clawed at her chest. She grabbed Hadi as well, desperate.
"Brother Hadi, I didn't mean it! I was protecting our baby- you understand, right? I... I just panicked..."
In the chaos, no one noticed Jade quietly picking the knife back up.