hooklinebooks Chapter 1275 - 1274: Once Childhood Sisters, Now Worlds Apart
Chapter 1275 - 1274: Once Childhood Sisters, Now Worlds Apart
Pearl Landon was just over thirty this year, a bit older than the Winton sisters, yet time had already left its marks on her face. Unlike Serena Winton—divorced, yet still maintained like a young girl, draped in jewels and radiance.
Back then Pearl cared most about saving face, famed for both talent and beauty. Serena glanced at the slightly dowdy clothes on her, raised a brow and said coolly, "Pearl, I didn’t expect you to be doing this poorly now."
Serena’s words were already considered tactful. Pearl understood very well: beautiful women are delicate flowers, needing endless money and affection to be carefully tended. Otherwise they end up like her, withering and rotting in a swamp-like marriage and family. She could barely even remember what she used to look like.
Pearl’s eyes reddened at once and she was about to complain when Sophia Winton said impatiently, "Oh, don’t start crying. Every time you call me, you cry. My sister asked you here for serious business. If you do it well, we won’t shortchange you. We might not be able to get you back to the Imperial City, but at least we can help you get a divorce."
As for returning to the Imperial City, Pearl shouldn’t even dream of it; no one on the Shaw side would dare move on that. But helping her end that mess of a marriage was nothing more than lifting a hand.
Pearl was overjoyed and said quickly, "What do you need me to do? As long as it’s something I can do, I’ll do my best."
"Do you still remember Crystal Landon? Your younger sister." Serena gave Pearl a glance, then turned her eyes away to admire her freshly done nails. "These two days, a woman has appeared in the Imperial City who looks exactly like Crystal, her personality is about the same too—arrogant and impossible to deal with. You help us go see if she really is Crystal."
Pearl’s heart jolted. Her life being reduced to this was all Crystal’s fault, the Landon Family’s downfall was also Crystal’s fault. How could Crystal possibly be alive?
"Could it just be someone who looks like her? Crystal died long ago." Pearl said anxiously.
The Winton sisters exchanged a look. Sophia said with a faint, cutting edge, "Pearl, you don’t know what kind of life that woman’s living. At the charity gala she casually donated tens of millions, the Shaw Family treats her like their eyeball. Richard Shaw is said to be pursuing her relentlessly. And she herself is supposedly filthy rich. Then look at yourself—this mink coat you’re wearing is at least five or six seasons old, and there are fine lines at the corners of your eyes from staying up. You two grew up together as sisters; she’s the clouds in the sky, you’re the mud on the ground. Are you really content with that? If Leah Squire casually threw you some money, you wouldn’t be suffering like this now."
Pearl’s face shifted between green and white at her words. She had envied Crystal since childhood; Crystal always had what she didn’t. But she didn’t dare provoke the Shaw Family. She was no longer that ignorant young heiress she used to be.
Pearl fell silent and said nothing.
Serena was a bit surprised. She stood up, grabbed Pearl’s hand, took off a diamond necklace from her own neck and stuffed it into Pearl’s hand, smiling. "We’re just asking you to go see Leah Squire and find out if she’s your sister. We’re not asking you to do anything else. Besides, if she really is Crystal, she ought to help you out. We’re actually helping you here."
Pearl clenched the diamond necklace, a flash of jealousy and hatred crossing her eyes. She’d had more than enough of this rotten life. This was her only chance.
Leah only found out the next day that she’d embarrassed the Imperial City’s noble circle at the charity gala. After so many years of being Leah Squire, she’d almost forgotten that the noble houses in the Imperial City had constraints that didn’t exist elsewhere.
If it had been a charity gala in Nanyang, tens of millions would be nothing unusual. To secure their status, tycoons and socialites would throw money around like water. Who would, like in the Imperial City, insist on both donating and strictly controlling the amount?
She had stolen all the limelight; naturally the Winton sisters became the laughingstock of the entire circle. The Zamora Family broke off the engagement and they’d offended the Shaw Family. When the Landon Family Head Alessandro Winton found out, he flew into a rage on the spot, immediately arranging a banquet of apology and forcing the two sisters to apologize to Leah.
"Just show your face and signal reconciliation, that’s enough." Richard Shaw told Leah about Alessandro’s apology banquet and said, "If you don’t go, from now on the Winton and Shaw families will be enemies."
Alessandro was about the same age as Richard’s father. For him to swallow his pride and come apologize, the Shaw Family had to give him that respect; otherwise it would be like announcing to everyone that the Shaw Family intended to suppress the Wintons, which would stir up yet another storm.
"Then let’s go." Leah nodded. She wanted to see for herself whether this was a genuine apology or if they had something else up their sleeves.
Alessandro set the apology banquet at Virtue Celebration Tower. Since it was an apology, he especially invited Drake Howard—who was on good terms with Richard—to act as mediator.
Drake’s gossiping heart was already burning. He’d missed the charity gala and regretted it so much his guts turned green. When he heard Alessandro wanted him as a go-between, he agreed without hesitation.
If he had known Old Shaw would fall headfirst like this... He hadn’t expected Leah Squire to pull off something so face-saving in the Imperial City; Drake was genuinely impressed.
Leah and Richard arrived at seven in the evening, neither early nor late. Everyone else was already there. Alessandro was adept at handling all sides, and Drake was a master at livening up a room. Even though Richard was taciturn and Leah naturally aloof, the atmosphere did not turn cold.
The Winton sisters were both present. They very straightforwardly apologized to Leah, which genuinely surprised her. But she didn’t make things difficult and thought the sisters had perhaps matured a bit over the years.
The whole apology banquet was lighter than she had imagined.
Leah had actually already eaten at the Shaw residence beforehand, worried that if things got unpleasant she’d end up hungry. She just took a symbolic couple of bites, then excused herself.
As a high-end restaurant in the Imperial City, Virtue Celebration Tower not only boasted excellent dishes, trading on the "National Banquet Royal Kitchen" brand, but also had an excellent location with a beautiful night view.
Leah walked to the end of the corridor and looked out the window at the dazzling lights of the night. She hadn’t watched for long when she heard a hesitant voice behind her: "Crystal?"
Leah’s gaze deepened slightly. She turned and saw Pearl Landon, who she hadn’t seen for years. Pearl looked more haggard than Leah had imagined, the traces of time etched into her brows and eyes. Her once sharp face was even sharper now, carrying a hint of shrewish meanness.
Leah narrowed her peach-blossom eyes slightly. She saw that although Pearl was wearing a mink coat and a diamond necklace, trying her best to put on the airs of a rich young lady, her overall bearing was unmistakably inferior.
"Sorry, you’ve got the wrong person." Leah withdrew her gaze and spoke coolly, then brushed past her, heading back toward the private room.
Seeing her walk away without so much as a backward glance, Pearl’s fingers clenched hard, hatred flashing in her eyes. It was Crystal, no doubt. That posture when she looked at people, that unique cold arrogance in her eyes—exactly the same as before. Always so high above everyone else.
Pearl’s face was ugly. They had grown up together as sisters, yet now one was in the heavens and the other in the dust. Even though Crystal was dressed in an extremely simple coat, without a single valuable piece of jewelry on her, she was still so beautiful that Pearl felt utterly ashamed in comparison, her whole body emanating that understated sense of luxury.
Pearl felt as if she’d been slapped hard. She quickly took off the diamond necklace she’d put on, stuffed it into her bag, jealousy and hatred flickering in her eyes.