< Chapter 32.
Chapter 32.
The sound of the dial tone cut through the air, piercing Jovana’s eardrums.
She gripped her phone tightly, her hands shaking.
“Armando still hasn’t come. He clearly doesn’t care. Maybe he’s with someone else now,” one of her relatives sneered.
“Exactly. Poor Jovana. She’s given all these years and got nothing in return.”
“And if Ingrid finds out, she’ll be devastated. Who knows how much longer she’ll even last.”
Jovana’s hand trembled as she held the phone, her face ashen.
Yes, she had stood by Armando from the ground up, helping him build everything from scratch. Back when the company was starting, she worked as a PR, drinking herself to the point of gastric bleeding.
And in the end, what had Jovana gotten?
She had gotten a lover who strutted around, making a mockery of her.
She had gotten endless humiliation.
She never imagined that he wouldn’t even bother to protect her family’s dignity.
A thought began to form in her mind.
Her eyes burned with tears as she turned, walking toward the exit.
She headed to Room 808, Solestra Club.
When Jovana arrived, she saw the door slightly ajar.
Despite steeling herself for what she might see, her heart still broke when she caught sight of the scene inside.
She pressed her hand tightly to her mouth, stifling a sob.
The room was filled with romantic helium balloons, and vibrant rose petals covered the floor. Clearly, someone had put effort into the setup.
In the center of the room, Armando was kneeling, delicately placing an exquisite ring on Juliette’s finger.
The sight pierced Jovana’s heart like a dagger.
She had seen that ring before. Since last year, she had noticed Armando designing it.
It was beautiful, with intricate craftsmanship. The sapphire was rare, and it was clear that a lot of thought had gone into its design.
She had thought it was the anniversary gift Armando was planning to give her.
But now, it seemed this was a gift for Juliette’s birthday.
She thought, “Have they already been together back then?”
And Jovana, foolishly waiting for their wedding anniversary, wondered what to give him as a gift.
Jovana’s eyes blurred with tears as she fought to hold back the sobs.
Armando reverently placed the ring on Juliette’s finger and kissed her hand, saying, “Baby, happy birthday.”
Juliette’s face radiated happiness, while Jovana, standing at the door, felt like a voyeur to their bliss.
Some of Armando’s friends cheered.
“Give her a kiss! You can’t put a ring on her and not kiss her!”
‘Yeah, kiss her!”
“It’s such an important day. How can you not kiss her?”
Armando smiled briefly, stood, and cupped Juliette’s face, leaning in to kiss her.
Jovana could no longer bear to watch. She steadied herself against the wall to keep from collapsing, then stumbled out.
Unexpectedly, she collided with a waiter.
11:33
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< Chapter 32.
The cake he was holding crashed to the ground.
Jovana’s wrist hit the tray, sending a sharp pain up her arm.
Before she could recover from the pain, an angry voice lashed out at her.
Menu
“Watch where you’re going! Are you in such a rush to get yourself hurt?” the waiter complained, bending down to pick up the tray. “This cake was specially ordered by Mr. Dunbar. Can you afford to pay for it?
“Really, what a bad day.”
Jovana quickly apologized, but when she heard the waiter mention the cake was ordered by Armando, her heart tightened painfully, and she could barely breathe.
So it wasn’t that Armando was careless. It was just that her family wasn’t as important as Juliette.
He was happily celebrating Juliette’s birthday here.
Meanwhile, her family was being ridiculed because of him, and Ingrid’s heart condition had flared up again.
“How am I going to explain this to Mr. Dunbar?” the waiter muttered in frustration.
Jovana shut her eyes, fighting through the pain in her wrist as she pulled out a wad of money.
“This should cover it. I’ll make sure another cake is sent over and explain to your manager. Is that alright?”
The waiter’s eyes lit up when he saw the money. After a brief hesitation, he reluctantly agreed. It was, after all, the best solution.
Just then, the door to the private room suddenly opened.
