He Lost Me to His Best Friend novel Chapter 412

Back when Julian and Sylvia tied the knot, Scarlett and Yardley's relationship was strictly that of an employee and her boss.

She had vaguely heard that the Croft family hosted an incredibly lavish wedding, but she never knew the gritty details.

Now, listening to Elara's detailed rant, Scarlett finally realized just how frustrating and absurd Julian's marriage had been from the start.

Julian felt his pride taking a hit. "Mom, can we please drop it? It's in the past..."

"Our family took a massive loss, the kid wasn't even yours, and you still gave her a fifty-million-dollar settlement in the divorce! Why shouldn't I talk about it?"

"Not only will I talk about it, but I'm going to tell anyone who will listen! I want every socialite in Bay City to avoid that entire family like the plague!"

"Out of Corinne's three nieces, only the middle one is married off. The oldest and the youngest are still single! If some poor, unfortunate family ends up marrying one of them because I didn't warn people soon enough, that's on me!"

Julian was speechless.

His mother was truly better off standing there looking elegant and keeping her mouth shut. The moment she spoke, her refined aura vanished, replaced by an unstoppable gossip machine.

Scarlett held back her laughter. Her eyes rested on Elara's animated, expressive face, and a strange sense of warmth washed over her.

She had assumed that a woman like Elara—born into old money and working as a university professor—would be incredibly guarded in private, choosing every word carefully.

But it turned out this seemingly aloof elder had a fiery, vibrant soul hidden beneath the surface.

The stark contrast reminded Scarlett of her mentor, Madeleine Dawson. Madeleine was exactly the same—imposing and dignified at first glance, but once you got to know her, she was a hilarious, easygoing lady.

In an upper-crust circle filled with hypocrisy and people wearing masks, Elara's unfiltered authenticity felt like a breath of fresh air.

It was a trait Scarlett recognized in Julian, too.

While Scarlett was lost in thought, Elara abruptly changed the subject. "By the way, Scarlett, when the Flynns married you, how much of a wedding gift did they give your family?"

Scarlett blinked, then answered honestly, "Nothing at all."

"Dealing with a family like that? You have to crush them, exactly the way you're doing!"

"I've been sick of Sylvia, the Flynns, and the Stetsons for a long time! But you and your father kept holding me back, telling me to think about our 'family reputation' and the 'innocent child'!"

"Looking back, I feel like we all lost our damn minds!" Elara was so angry she was insulting herself now. "That kid had zero Croft blood! My brilliant son was cheated on by that tramp, and our family hasn't said a single word in retaliation. But what did they do?"

Elara slammed her hand on the table and put her hands on her hips, glaring at Julian.

"They actually dared to spread vile rumors about you and Scarlett online! You two are the real victims of these disastrous marriages!"

"If a tiger doesn't roar, they think it's just a sick cat!"

"Scarlett, starting today, I am changing my strategy. I'm joining your camp!"

"It's time I gave them a taste of my fury!"