Tiana Williams's starry eyes narrowed slightly, as she glanced at him neither coldly nor warmly. Before she could utter a word, a soft and pleasant voice came from ahead—
"Maxwell, where did you go? I've been looking for you for ages..."
Upon hearing the woman's voice, the man's tense and handsome face finally relaxed a bit.
Having known him for many years, and having spent so much time together, Tiana had rarely seen the thing called tenderness on him. She always thought it was due to his personality, that he was always this cold and icy.
It was only later that Tiana found out there was an exception to his demeanor—Berlina Holmes before her eyes—
Her features, delicate and not too sharp, yet her angelic, pure and clear face radiated a simple and pure beauty that felt approachable. Her eyebrows were curved, her clear and captivating large eyes shone brightly, her complexion was as white as jade, and her beautiful long straight hair fell behind her back. Though she looked fragile, she possessed a resilient strength within her, exuding a fresh and tough temperament, charming and lovely!
He told her, "You alone can manage, but she can't. I don't want to see her cry..."
Ever since Berlina, this precious gem, arrived at the Tower Clan, many things began to change. Now, Vincent Holmes and his wife Jasmine Hayes had slowly taken control of the clan's affairs; Berlina was evidently a major contributor to that.
Berlina was the daughter of Vincent's good brother, Richard Lewis.
Richard died while saving Vincent, and later Vincent took Berlina Lewis and Jasmine under his wing and personally looked after them. Then, after Jessica Holmes died in the line of duty, Vincent married Jasmine, went on to have a son Hugh, and Berlina Lewis changed her name to Berlina Holmes...
Leaving her rural background, Berlina utilized her intelligence and charm to become an internet sensation, slowly climbed up to stardom through entertainment shows, became a popular newcomer, and worked hard to establish herself as an outstanding designer. She enjoyed a thriving career and love life, with countless fans, indeed a role model of an inspiring goddess.
Berlina became everyone's favorite, the beloved of the group. Even the originally designated heir of the Tower Clan, Luther Holmes, was almost losing his status, not to mention her, who has long been discarded.
"Tiana, it's you, you're also here!"
When Berlina saw Tiana Williams—
She was dressed casually in understated black and white, simply yet with presence, all thanks to her naturally favorable conditions!
Her features were exquisitely beautiful, her face stunning and cold, her eyes bright and clear as the stars, black pants paired with a white loose-fitting thin shirt over a black tube top, white flat shoes on her feet, her beautiful wavy hair flowed like a black waterfall behind her, moving with an air of cool detachment and intellect. There was a faint sense of melancholy in her face, distant and icy.
Her height over one point seven meters, a well-proportioned figure with perfect lines, she often worked out, so despite appearing lean, she had an aesthetic of power.
Despite her fallen state, her breathtaking beauty couldn't be concealed. Berlina felt somewhat heavy-hearted, but a smile quickly surfaced on her face, her voice tinged with joy, "Perfect, you don't answer your phone. Let's have supper later, there's a private party at my house tomorrow, and I've left the invitation card in the car. I'll give it to you later..."
Before she finished speaking, Tiana's silhouette passed by her.
Berlina instinctively clenched her right hand, the palm-sized small face momentarily stiff—
She was still the same as before, always looking down on her from a lofty place, those disdainful eyes always displaying her as worthless. Yet, it was Tiana who was the poor soul, unloved and uncared for—where did she get this confidence from!
Was it simply because she was a Professor at G University?
How much was her salary?
She was nothing but a poor teacher!
Berlina, now also a returned overseas graduate, was about to become Will's chief designer, with countless fans. In terms of wealth and status, could Tiana compare with her? Berlina really didn't understand where Tiana got her sense of superiority from. Do all these so-called scholars have such laughably absurd pride deeply embedded in them?
Even Maxwell Perry had left her, only caring for and adoring Berlina alone.
Why couldn't she see her own status clearly, living in self-denial?
When Berlina first saw Tiana, she too was mesmerized by her beauty and temperament; she even envied and jealously admired her. This woman not only had a decent family background, a stunning appearance but also impressive talent!
Fortunately, this woman was just a bookworm; all she knew was to bury herself in her studies, rigid, lonely, and extremely boring!
After being kicked out of the Tower Clan, she heard Tiana was in poverty, even dropping out of school to work. Somehow, she managed to strike it lucky, finished her studies at G University, and stayed on to teach!
They had never had a head-to-head competition, but...
Thinking of the man standing by her side, Berlina suddenly felt a thrill of triumph, her confidence immediately restored as if finding her lost self-belief within an instant. Her face quickly switched expressions, wearing a hint of ruefulness, she said awkwardly and with a bitter smile, "Maxwell, did I... say something wrong?"
Maxwell Perry's icy gaze followed Tiana's retreating form, responding to her question with reassurance, "Don't mind, she's disrespectful."
Disrespectful?
She never knew he could utter such cutting words.
Tiana furrowed her brows slightly, slowing her steps, her cool tone laced with sarcasm, she said deliberately:
"First, I have not received any phone calls from you, second, handing out invitations now for tomorrow's party shows no sincerity, third, do you think you're in charge of the Tower Clan? That I need an invitation from you as well? Do you really believe that by changing your surname to Holmes, you actually become the master of the Tower Clan?"
This retort left Berlina speechless, her complexion turning a bit unsightly.
"The reason I don't want to talk to you is because your rank is too low and your EQ and IQ are not online. I am not in the habit of lowering my own standards. A performance without technical content has no appeal. I suggest you study 'Criminal Psychology'; it might elevate the quality of your acting and your tactics, so you don't always resort to such embarrassing tricks. They might work on the mentally weak, but not on the rest of us. You're a disgrace to all the social climbers out there!"