Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Insolence

The other girls pouted. Anyone could tell those words were just a desperate attempt to salvage Shawn Stuart’s dignity. ’Big picture’? ’Classy’? As if they cared.

But it was true that they weren’t part of the wealthy elite’s social circles and had no idea what those kinds of parties were really like.

Even though they weren’t fans of Cheryl Stuart, they had heard the online rumors about her family’s prestigious background.

Rumors about how she’d been sent to study abroad at a young age, how she was covered in luxury brand logos when she debuted, and how she spent money extravagantly.

“Is that so?” Jessie Sterling finally spoke. “I don’t recall seeing you at any of those gatherings. As for the Stuarts, the only ones we’re acquainted with are the Stuart family from Port Caldoria, the one in the gold and jewelry business. Oh, that’s right, their family is very close with the second-in-command at Sanctum. If you were one of the Port Caldoria Stuarts, then why didn’t you recognize Ivan Hudson earlier?”

The Stuarts and the Hudsons are both jewelry tycoons. They’ve clashed in the same industry for countless rounds. As the next leader of the Hudson family, how could Ivan Hudson possibly not recognize every prominent member of the Stuart family?

“And another thing…” Jessie Sterling paused, a faint smile playing on her lips, but her words were like a sharp sword plunging straight into Shawn Stuart’s heart. “The fireworks show in Southaven was a gift from my husband to celebrate me signing with Manhui. I don’t recall us ever being acquainted.”

After calmly finishing her piece, Jessie Sterling watched with amusement as the color drained from Shawn Stuart’s face, bit by bit.

Her words were tantamount to a harsh slap across Shawn Stuart’s face.

Shawn Stuart sat there, completely stunned, unable to process what had just happened.

He had previously used his own tricks, along with Cheryl Stuart’s fame, to deceive countless young women. Many of them were even wealthy young ladies from affluent families.

He had assumed that dealing with Jessie Sterling this time would be just as easy, a simple conquest.

Shawn Stuart opened his mouth, but no words came out. He was utterly speechless.

He never would have imagined that the fireworks show was actually for Jessie Sterling.

Who could have imagined that someone would put on such a massive spectacle just to celebrate a contract with a comic website!

Something worth millions, set off just like that, gone in the blink of an eye.

All just for signing with a website?

Would any normal person do that?

’Isn’t that just having too much money and nowhere to spend it?’

More and more cold sweat beaded on Shawn Stuart’s forehead, but he didn’t even dare to reach up and wipe it away.

“Maybe… maybe I misremembered,” Shawn Stuart said, avoiding Jessie Sterling’s gaze as he started to scramble for an excuse. “I’m truly sorry.”

Jessie Sterling was unmoved. This apology wasn’t because Shawn Stuart felt he was wrong, but because he knew he stood no chance against her and was merely feigning compromise.

“Then why don’t you go on Weibo and apologize to me right now?” Jessie Sterling’s tone was questioning, but her words left absolutely no room for discussion.

Shawn Stuart: “…”

“No?” Seeing him remain motionless, Jessie Sterling grew impatient. “Well, this is a bit of a hassle. I’ve never really sued anyone before. But one rarely loses a defamation case, right?”

Shawn Stuart looked up, his eyes flashing with a vicious glint as he stared at Jessie Sterling. “You just have to push things this far, don’t you?”

Jessie Sterling: “Making you apologize is pushing things too far?”

’Has he never seen what it looks like when someone is truly ruthless?’ she thought. ’No, that’s not right. Isn’t he the one who always loves being ruthless to others?’

Jessie Sterling had just had this thought, but before she could retort, Bella, who was sitting beside her, spoke up.

“When you orchestrated that online mob against Mianne Thorne, why didn’t you say you were being ruthless then? You posted your intimate photos with her online, completely uncensored, and let her get doxxed by the entire internet. *That* is what I’d call being ruthless, wouldn’t you? Mianne Thorne hadn’t even done anything wrong back then. You’re just facing the consequences for your own mistakes and lies, so how can you turn around and blame Little Squid?” Bella asked earnestly.

Shawn Stuart’s expression darkened as he glared at Bella. “This is none of your damn business!”

SPLASH—

Suddenly, a cold drink was splashed right in Shawn Stuart’s face.

Yvonne Rhodes, sitting beside Jessie Sterling and still looking as gentle as ever, was holding an empty cup.

The room erupted in an uproar.

“Yvonne Rhodes!” Shawn Stuart shot up from his seat. For some reason, despite his obvious fury, he was forcibly suppressing his anger as he faced Yvonne Rhodes, the veins on his temples throbbing violently. “What the hell are you doing?! Don’t think I won’t hit you just because you’re a woman.”

Hearing his threats, Yvonne Rhodes didn’t look the least bit nervous.

“Are you sure you want to try me?” Yvonne Rhodes asked.

For a split second, Shawn Stuart actually hesitated.

The commotion they were causing was simply too loud. Even the authors and editors from the website who hadn’t been paying attention to their table before couldn’t possibly miss it now.

Especially with Shawn Stuart, Manhui’s celebrity artist, standing there with his face dripping wet.

“If you want to drag this out, everyone attending this annual party is going to find out about all the crap you pulled online. When that happens, you’ll be the only one who can’t walk away from this mess,” Yvonne Rhodes said calmly and deliberately.

Shawn Stuart didn’t need to look around to know that plenty of eyes were on him right now.

Yvonne Rhodes’s words had him by the throat, and he didn’t dare make a reckless move.

It was a gamble he couldn’t afford to take.

“I’ll apologize to Miss Sterling online later,” Shawn Stuart said, his voice heavy.

Jessie Sterling: “How about right now?”

She made the suggestion lightly, but in a way that permitted no refusal.

’Who knows when “later” would actually be?’

Shawn Stuart nearly ground his molars to dust. “Does it have to be now?” He forced the words out through clenched teeth.

But Jessie Sterling wasn’t the least bit intimidated by him. She simply nodded.

’Between the two of them, she was the aggrieved party, the victim, wasn’t she? So why was this man in front of her acting as if *she* were the one forcing *him* to do something?’

’She was no saint, after all.’

Shawn Stuart clenched his fists. He had never been so thoroughly humiliated in his entire life, but at this moment, refusal was not an option.

“Fine,” he said.

Shawn Stuart quickly pulled out his phone. As his mind raced, trying to figure out how to word the apology to Jessie Sterling, her voice sounded again.

“I have two conditions for your apology. First, you will tell your fans that you spread false rumors about me, and that everything you told the public was a lie. Second, the apology statement must be public and pinned to the top of your profile for six months.”

Shawn Stuart: “…”

“What, you can’t do it?” Jessie Sterling asked.

How could Shawn Stuart say he couldn’t? Things had already come to this. It was better to just satisfy Jessie Sterling’s demands as quickly as possible and get her off his back.

A moment later, Shawn Stuart had posted the apology. He looked up at Jessie Sterling. “There. Is that good enough for you?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep