The Scorned Heiress: No More Mercy novel Chapter 459

The person standing just a few tables away is Lucinda.

This isn't a coincidence. Lucinda came to this specific café with a clear objective, but she masks it perfectly. Feigning ignorance, she strolls purposefully in Deanna's direction.

"Oh, Lucinda! What a surprise to see you here," Deanna calls out, her sharp eyes catching the younger woman as she passes by.

Lucinda pauses, affecting a look of mild surprise. "Mrs. Dennis? Wow, what a coincidence. I'm just here waiting for a friend. Are you here alone?" Her tone is polite, perfectly hitting the notes of a well-bred socialite.

"Yes, I just needed some time out of the house, so I stopped by for some dessert," Deanna replies warmly. She had been debating whether or not to call Lucinda to ask about the breakup, and now the opportunity has practically dropped into her lap. She isn't about to let it slip away. "Has your friend arrived yet? Why don't you sit with me for a moment?"

Lucinda hesitates, playing the part of a busy woman caught off guard.

Seeing her reluctance, Deanna presses gently. "Just for a quick chat? I won't keep you long. I actually have a mahjong game to get to soon myself." She offers the graceful exit out of sheer pride, not wanting to seem desperate for company.

"Alright," Lucinda says, letting out a soft, elegant sigh as she pulls out a chair and sits across from her.

Deanna wastes no time on pleasantries. The burning questions in her mind demand immediate answers. "Lucinda, I assume you've heard the rumors circulating online over the past couple of days?"

Faced with Deanna's direct plea, Lucinda allows a brief moment of calculated silence to stretch between them. She takes a deep breath, as if making a difficult decision.

"Alright. Since you're asking me directly, I won't hide it from you," Lucinda says, her gaze meeting Deanna's with firm resolve. "Yes, there is a primary reason why I cut all ties with Jake, and it has nothing to do with our personalities. Jake and I actually had a wonderful relationship. I genuinely loved him, and I know he felt the same. We weren't just a business arrangement."

She pauses, the phantom sting of past frustrations hardening her tone. "But every single time we tried to be together, Jade was there. She was constantly inserting herself into our relationship. Whenever Jake and I went out for a private dinner, she would call him with some manufactured emergency. She suddenly had a stomach ache, or she tripped and fell, or she needed him right that second. And he would always go running."

Lucinda leans forward slightly, the polite veneer cracking just enough to show her underlying anger. "I could never understand how one person could have so many daily crises. It even ruined our vacations. We had finally managed to align our schedules for a trip we spent a month planning. The flights, the luxury resort—everything was booked and paid for. We were at the airport, literally about to board the plane, when Jade called him crying about a minor fender bender. Jake panicked, abandoned me at the terminal, and rushed back to the city."