Chapter 302 - 301: An Eye for an Eye

A few young ladies from wealthy families nearby were still gushing about how she was even more beautiful in person than on screen, and how they wanted to get a photo with her later.

Michelle Pemberton’s fingers tightened. She stared fixedly at the flash of red ahead, her eyes filled with contempt, but even more so with bitter jealousy.

The memory of the ridicule she had endured over the past two days made the jealousy and hatred in her eyes burn even brighter.

In truth, Michelle Pemberton didn’t believe Simon Lockwood had it in him to defy his family. She thought he had stormed off in a momentary fit of pique and would soon have to come crawling back to get engaged to her. That was why, when friends at a party had asked about the engagement, she had confidently let them assume it was true.

But she had been brutally humiliated. Simon Lockwood didn’t give a damn about her; to resist the marriage, he hadn’t even returned to the Sinclair family.

Somehow, the story got out. The rumor mill twisted it until it sounded like Simon Lockwood was avoiding her like the plague. The same people who had once envied her now mocked her, calling her shameless for desperately trying to cling to him.

As the sole daughter of the Pemberton family, she had been doted on and placed on a pedestal her entire life. She was the one who did the rejecting; never before had she suffered such humiliation.

She hid at home crying for days. Then, the day before yesterday, a stranger sent a file to her email. When she opened it, she found it was full of photos.

A tall, imposing man was bent slightly, pulling a delicate, slender girl into his embrace. The tender, doting smile on his face was completely unconcealed.

Joanna Kennedy... Joanna Kennedy...

She nearly ground her teeth to dust. As the flash of red in her line of sight moved toward an open-air corridor, Michelle Pemberton stood up and picked up a nearby glass of red wine.

A light evening breeze drifted through the open-air corridor. The late autumn air was cool against Joanna Kennedy’s skin, soothing the flush on her cheeks and clearing her head from the effects of the alcohol.

At an event like this, refusing a drink was out of the question. When the brand director had proposed a toast, she’d had no choice but to accept.

She stayed in the breeze for a while, until she felt chilled through and the effects of the wine had mostly worn off. Joanna Kennedy turned to head back inside.

She had barely taken two steps when someone emerged from around the corner, nearly colliding with her. With an almost imperceptible frown, Joanna Kennedy stepped back and said politely, "Excuse me."

The person opposite her neither moved nor responded. Joanna Kennedy glanced over, puzzled. It was a sweet-faced girl with a gentle look about her, but Joanna didn’t recognize her.

Out of politeness, Joanna Kennedy offered a faint smile and a nod by way of greeting. She was about to walk away when she heard the girl speak.

"Are you Joanna Kennedy?"

Joanna Kennedy wasn’t surprised by the question. To put it bluntly, her face was quite famous.

"I am. Is there something I can help you with?" Joanna Kennedy responded.

Her tone was polite yet distant. Joanna Kennedy had no idea who she was.

Michelle Pemberton’s grip on her wine glass tightened, but her face was all smiles as she began, "This might sound a bit forward..."

Michelle Pemberton introduced herself: "Hello. My surname is Pemberton."

"I love your show. Could we get a photo together?"

Michelle Pemberton’s smile was warm and friendly, and her words were modest and polite. But Joanna Kennedy saw little real admiration in her eyes—in fact, she could faintly detect a hint of contempt.

’Another one,’ Joanna thought. ’These wealthy young ladies are really something else. They clearly look down on celebrities from the bottom of their hearts, yet they still take the initiative to ask for a photo. It must be so hard for them.’

Despite her thoughts, Joanna didn’t let it show. She simply nodded with a practiced smile. "Of course, Miss Pemberton."

’It’s just a photo. Not worth making an enemy over.’

"That’s wonderful," Michelle Pemberton said, looking delighted. She took her phone out of her purse and opened the camera app before asking, "Is it okay if we use my phone?"

"Of course."

After the photo, she could leave. There would be no need for the hassle of adding contacts and sending pictures. Joanna Kennedy let Michelle Pemberton come and stand next to her.

Michelle Pemberton held her phone in one hand. In the hand closer to Joanna, she held a glass of red wine. She put on a troubled expression. "It’s a bit hard to take a picture with one hand. Miss Kennedy, could you hold my glass for me?"

Michelle Pemberton’s face was full of anticipation, and she even feigned a bit of embarrassment. Her movements, however, were swift and direct as she offered the wine glass.

The crystal-clear wine glass held a crimson liquid that sloshed gently as she extended it. The faint aroma of red wine was noticeable, and a few drops spilled over the rim.

Joanna Kennedy stared at the glass for a few seconds. Her eyes flickered almost imperceptibly. Meeting Michelle Pemberton’s expectant gaze, she replied, "Alright."

The word had barely left her lips when a flash of triumph and contempt flickered in Michelle Pemberton’s eyes. Joanna Kennedy saw it all, but the smile on her own lips never wavered.

’When you don’t know your opponent’s goal, seizing the initiative is the best strategy.’

Joanna Kennedy took the glass and looked toward the phone’s front-facing camera. With a soft CLICK, the picture was taken.

The photo was taken, but Joanna Kennedy didn’t let her guard down. She offered the glass back to Michelle. "The banquet is about to start," she said, taking the lead. "We should head inside."

Michelle Pemberton didn’t take the proffered glass. Acting as if she hadn’t even seen it, she suddenly moved closer, shoving the phone in front of Joanna’s face and gushing over the picture.

"Oh my, Miss Kennedy, you really are a star! You’re so photogenic."

She crowded in without warning, her arm bent deliberately, about to knock into the wine glass. The triumphant smirk on Michelle Pemberton’s lips was almost impossible to contain.

She was wearing a long white dress today. One glass of red wine would completely ruin it. And from the perspective of the paparazzi hidden downstairs, it would look as if Joanna Kennedy had deliberately thrown wine on her.

’Top Star’s Diva Act: Throws Red Wine on a Fan.’ Now that would be a "great" trending headline.

At this thought, Michelle Pemberton subconsciously glanced down at the paparazzi’s hiding spot, her triumphant smile becoming almost impossible to suppress.

Downstairs, in the bushes, the hired paparazzo held his camera steady. He aimed the lens at the second-floor corridor, his finger hovering over the shutter button, ready to capture the most explosive moment.

The paparazzo stared excitedly through his viewfinder. The next second, a stream of liquid rained down from above, drenching him from head to toe. The sharp, pungent scent of wine filled his nostrils, and his camera didn’t escape the deluge.

"FUCK! My camera!"

The paparazzo cursed instinctively and scrambled up from the bushes, his first panicked action to wipe the red wine from his camera.

He wasn’t quiet, and his shout alerted the security guards stationed outside, who quickly approached.

Paparazzi weren’t allowed inside the event grounds; all accredited media were already in the main hall. Though the guards didn’t know how he’d gotten in, they still escorted him away.

The commotion downstairs was in plain view from the second floor. Joanna Kennedy slowly drew back the now-empty wine glass, her expression utterly unchanged.

As an actress, camera awareness was second nature to her. From the moment she had stepped out onto the corridor, Joanna Kennedy had sensed a lens pointed in her direction.

So, in the split second before Michelle Pemberton’s arm could touch the glass, Joanna didn’t panic or try to hastily pull the glass away. Instead, with swift, sure reflexes, she flung the entire glass of red wine straight down into the bushes below.