From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent (Anthea )



Violet caught the hidden meaning in Ileana's words, "Ileana, you're the diamond finder of my life. Without you, I would've never met Nanson! You can bet, no matter what happens, you're my sister through and through. When I hit the jackpot, you won't be left sipping soup while I feast!"

Her words were heartfelt, devoid of any deceit. After all, Violet and Ileana were in this together, thick as thieves. If Violet decided to enjoy the spoils alone, Ileana would certainly turn her back, and that would be a loss Violet couldn't afford. So, she was determined to share the wealth and glory with Ileana.

Hearing this, Ileana felt a bit better, "We come from the same roots, grew up together. If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have sought you out in the first place."

With Ileana having reached out to Violet, she was prepared. She had enough dirt on Violet to ruin her in front of Nanson if needed. So, she wasn't worried about any betrayal.

Violet, smiling, linked her arm with Ileana's, "I bet you haven't eaten yet, right? Come on, let me treat you to dinner! Oh, and by the way, I'm not Jenny anymore, you've got to call me ViVi from now on."

Jenny, indeed. That was just so passé.

"Sure," Ileana nodded, and as they walked and talked, Violet inquired, "So, Nanson's living with his sister, huh?"

"Yes."

"And you mentioned Nanson's conservative because of his sister's influence. What's her deal?"

Knowledge is power, and Violet needed all the intel she could get.

Ileana explained, "His sister's a single mom."

Hearing that, Violet frowned in disgust, "And she's got a kid in tow?"

"Yep."

Violet sighed, "I can't stand the thought of living with outsiders after marriage! Nanson's loaded, why can't he just give his sister some cash to keep her at bay? Why does he have to drag her and that kid along?"

Once she married Nanson, his wealth would become hers. Why should she spend it on strangers?

Wasn't it better spent on Louis Vuitton and Gucci?

And the last thing she wanted was a life under someone else's scrutiny.

So, Carole had to go!

Ileana, looking seriously at Violet, corrected herself, "Vivi, as I told you, Nanson deeply respects his sister and adores his niece. If you want to marry him, you've got to win Carole over. Otherwise, no matter how

won't

much Nanson likes you, he marry you." Accepting Nanson meant accepting Carole too.

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From Ileana's three-year experience with Nanson, he often said, "An elder sister is like a mother." Though Carole wasn't the eldest, she held a place in Nanson's heart more significant than that.

Violet narrowed her eyes, "Don't worry, Ileana. Even if I were foolish, I'd know better than to cross Carole now. Winning her over? That's my specialty!"

She knew she had to play her cards right, at least for now. Once everything was set in stone, it would be a different story. After all, even the strongest relationships could be sabotaged by a whisper in the right ear.

Ileana, aware of Violet's cunning, gave her a few words of advice and left it at that.

The next morning dawned on Cloudcrest Island.

At 6 a.m., driven by her internal clock, Anthea awoke promptly.

Her first act of the day was to pull back the curtains and open the window, letting in the refreshing sea breeze that instantly cleared away any remnants of sleep.

Overlooking the stunning view, a verse came to mind: "I have a house, facing the sea, with flowers in bloom come spring." No wonder everyone yearned for such beauty.

After lingering by the window, Anthea got ready for a morning run, changing into her sportswear. Her dark, lustrous hair was tied up, exposing her graceful, swan-like neck.

Earbuds in and a serene expression on her face, Anthea descended the stairs, only to find Sherman lounging in the living room, engrossed in the newspaper.