Divorced and Pregnant My New Life with a Billionaire Drives My Ex Crazy novel Chapter 631

Neil stepped forward, raising a hand to stop them. “Enough,” he said, voice sharp. “Even if the Salisbury family is broke and Jace is the last one left, you don’t get to treat him like this. He’s still my friend, from way back. We made a pact as kids, remember? Isn’t that right, Jace?” Neil smiled as he reached his hand out to Jace. But behind that smile, his eyes were cold, full of contempt and mockery. The look cut deeper than any insult.

So that’s how it was. The person who looked down on him the most wasn’t some outsider. It was Neil. The friend he’d grown up with, the one he always thought of as family.

To everyone else, it just looked like Jace had tripped by accident. Most people were still caught up in Wiona’s beauty, not noticing anything was wrong.

Then, with a sharp crack, Jace slapped Neil’s hand away. “I don’t need your fake sympathy,” he snapped. “Neil, I can’t believe I never realized how disgusting your feelings for Wiona really are.”

It was only then that Jace saw the simmering resentment in Neil’s eyes. He wanted to punch Neil right then and there.

Neil pulled his hand back and gave a cold smile, shoving his hands into his pockets and leaning in with a mocking look. “So this is how you want to play it? Jace, what do you think you’ll gain by pissing me off? But I’m not about to make a scene in here. I’m not ruining Wiona’s show. Let’s take this outside.”

He waved his hand, and his bodyguards moved in, grabbing Jace and lifting him up. Before anyone from the Sullivan family could react, they politely but firmly took Jace out of the room.

Molly leaned in close to Wiona and spoke quietly. “Wiona, I think I saw Jace. He just got taken away by that guy from the Holmes family.”

With so many people around, Wiona hadn’t even noticed Jace or Neil. She listened calmly and nodded. “Check if there’s any danger. If not, just let it go.”

Molly nodded and went to find Tim.

The Sullivan family’s bodyguards were all in plain clothes today. Four of them stayed close to Wiona, forming a quiet barrier. When the crowd of fans surged forward, almost bumping into her, the bodyguards quickly made space.

Wiona smiled at everyone, her voice gentle but clear. “Thank you all so much for coming and for your support. Please, be careful and watch your step. I’ll spend the whole day here with you, so we can take our time with the paintings and chat together. I’ve even set out coffee and snacks. If you get tired, feel free to sit and rest or have something to eat. No need to rush. I’m not going anywhere.”

After being awed by her looks, the crowd was now equally charmed by her warmth. People’s voices bubbled with excitement.

Wiona nodded with a small, apologetic smile. “You can take photos, but please try not to post them online. Thank you.”

Not post them? That was never going to happen. Someone had already uploaded a video of Wiona coming down the stairs, revealing her true face. It was already blowing up online.

Meanwhile, outside Cassian K., down a quiet alley, Neil’s fist landed hard in Jace’s stomach. Jace doubled over, clutching his gut and sinking to the ground.

Neil shook out his hand and gave a sneer. “Only someone as stupid as you would trample all over a real jewel. Let me tell you something. I’ve known for a long time that Wiona is W. Did I ever mention my uncle’s in the art world? Turns out, he knows Bronwen, Wiona’s mentor. One time, just by chance, I was at my uncle’s place when Bronwen brought Wiona over. She was only sixteen.”

He looked down at Jace, voice filled with twisted pride.

“You have no idea how stunning she was even back then. At sixteen, she was already dazzling. She was the prodigy everyone talked about, the rising star of the art world. Too bad my reputation was already shady by then. I was the spoiled rich kid nobody liked, so I never went up to her or tried to get close. I didn’t want to disturb her world. I was just happy to watch her from a distance, to see her rise higher and higher.”