She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 401

Aria was completely taken aback.

Sitting directly across from her, Evelyn was battered black and blue, her face swollen beyond recognition.

After the initial shock wore off, Aria couldn't hold it in. She covered her mouth and let out a snicker.

Evelyn's already bruised expression darkened.

She knew she was being mocked.

But she desperately needed an alliance with Aria to take down Melanie; she couldn't afford a falling out now.

"Who did that to you? Don't tell me you were targeted by some online mob," Aria said.

The scandal of Dominic's affair with Evelyn and their illegitimate daughter had blown up entirely, causing an absolute uproar online and in real life.

Dominic had Nathaniel protecting him, and since the Hale Group hadn't completely collapsed, he managed to fade comfortably out of the public eye once the heat died down.

Evelyn hadn't been so lucky.

Tabloids and influencers had ruthlessly dragged her name through the mud, branding her as a shameless homewrecker. They accused her of being an ungrateful adopted daughter who seduced her own adoptive brother and destroyed his family.

Still, the height of the scandal had passed.

If Evelyn hadn't been assaulted back then, Aria doubted a random hater would do this to her now.

Evelyn could see Aria eagerly waiting for the juicy details, reveling in her misery. There was no way she was going to reveal the true story.

In reality, the bruises were courtesy of her adoptive mother, Camilla.

A couple of days ago, a package had been delivered to the run-down apartment where she and Lila were currently staying.

It was a far cry from the luxury of Rosecrest Villas.

It was an absolute dump.

The package had no return address. Evelyn had opened it suspiciously, only to find a Hermès handbag inside.

A quick image search confirmed it was the brand's most sought-after model, worth over three hundred thousand dollars!

Evelyn had been ecstatic.

The only person in the world who would gift her something so extravagant was Dominic. Without missing a beat, she snapped a photo and posted it on her social media.

That was why Evelyn had shown up to meet Aria covered in bruises, forcing her to bundle up tightly to hide the damage.

"Enough about me," Evelyn said.

She looked at the woman sitting across the table. The mockery in Aria's eyes was glaringly obvious.

Truth be told, Evelyn despised Aria.

The girl was nothing more than an affair partner's child brought into the Royce family. What right did she have to enjoy the status of a legitimate daughter and fight Melanie for the inheritance?

They were fundamentally the same.

Evelyn just hadn't been blessed with Aria's sheer luck.

However, this wasn't the time to be picky about personal preferences.

The enemy of her enemy was her friend.

"Aria, I'll be straight with you," Evelyn said evenly. "I want to team up. We can be allies and take down Melanie together."