Chapter 351 - 335: It’s Better to Have Some Use Value

Seeing this, the reporters snapped another flurry of photos.

Erin Irving and Joanne Donovan both got into the car. After they had driven some distance, the smiles vanished from their faces.

Joanne Donovan’s lips twisted into a sneer. "Anyone who didn’t know better would think you’re actually deeply in love with me!"

"If you weren’t still of some use to me, do you think you’d be sitting here right now?" Erin Irving shot her a vicious glare. This woman was the cause of all his current problems, and he was the one left to clean up her mess.

"It really is better to have some value, isn’t it? Otherwise, the great Mr. Irving probably wouldn’t even know a small fry like me exists!"

"Cut the crap. Be smart and lie low until the wedding. Don’t give me any reason to come after you. For me, getting rid of you would be as easy as lifting a finger!"

Joanne Donovan laughed out loud. "Go on then, if you have the guts!"

The words had barely left her mouth when Erin Irving’s hand shot out and wrapped around her neck. He could feel the tense, vulnerable swallow under his fingertips.

It wasn’t that Joanne Donovan wasn’t afraid. Feeling his grip on her throat, the air struggling to enter her lungs, her heart began to race. She instantly regretted provoking Erin Irving.

She had known Erin Irving for too long. She knew exactly what kind of man he was.

Provoking him had been a momentary lapse in judgment.

Holding her breath, she stared at Erin Irving with wide, fearful eyes, terrified that he would squeeze harder and crush her windpipe.

"What’s this? Scared now?" Erin Irving leaned in, his face close to hers. "Don’t think I won’t do it."

With that, he slowly released his grip. Joanne Donovan gasped for air as if she’d been granted a pardon.

"Remember to put on a sweet smile when you get out of the car. I don’t want to see your miserable face in tomorrow’s papers!"

The car door unlocked, and Joanne Donovan impatiently shoved it open. She scrambled out and bolted toward her apartment building.

’Erin Irving is a madman, a complete and utter madman.’

The man in the car sat in silence for a while, only driving away ten minutes later.

Erin Irving and Joanne Donovan’s press conference was held as scheduled, an event anticipated by all.

When asked about the wedding date, Erin Irving answered readily, "Next month!"

Sitting beside him, the color drained from Joanne Donovan’s face. But a warning glance from Erin Irving made her quickly resume her smile.

Facing the reporters’ questions, she did her best to appear sweet and docile, letting Erin Irving take the lead on everything.

In reality, she knew nothing about any of it.

It was already June; wasn’t a wedding next month a bit too soon?

Some reporters focused their attention on Joanne Donovan, asking if they were expecting good news soon.

As soon as the question was asked, all eyes fell on Joanne Donovan’s stomach. The implication was clear.

Erin Irving deflected the question with a deft touch. "I can only say that we’re hoping for double happiness by the time we get married."

「A few days after the press conference」

Photos of Erin Irving and Joanne Donovan on dates were constantly being released.

Georgia Thorne was in her studio, so busy hand-sewing embellishments onto a skirt that she couldn’t even look up.

Nearby, Sylvie was staring at her phone with great interest, letting out an envious sigh. "Getting to marry a big boss like that... I’m so jealous!"

Erin Irving was rich and powerful, not to mention handsome. Plenty of women adored him, which made them even more envious of Joanne Donovan.

「Over the next few days」

Nearly every photo captured by reporters showed Erin Irving and Joanne Donovan together, flaunting their affection for all to see.

With a single marriage announcement, all the negative press surrounding Erin Irving was wiped clean. He had instantly transformed into a model man in the public eye.

People grew even more excited for the wedding, now just a month away.

Georgia Thorne finally finished sewing a row of beads. She sat up straight and saw Sylvie beside her, staring at her phone with a star-struck expression.

"Sylvie!"

"Yes, Miss Thorne!" Sylvie immediately put down her phone, pretending she had been hard at work.

In truth, Georgia Thorne wasn’t trying to supervise her. She was just hungry and remembered that Sylvie always kept snacks in the studio, so she wanted to ask if she had any left.

They say you get hungry easily when you’re pregnant. She hadn’t really felt it at first, but the feeling was overwhelming now.

She had eaten a lot that morning, but it was only mid-morning and she was already starving.

Sylvie had some crackers left in her drawer and gave them all to Georgia Thorne.

"Miss Thorne, did you not eat breakfast?" Sylvie asked, pouring her a glass of water.

The crackers only half-filled her stomach; she was still hungry.

After the small snack, she went back to her sewing.

「In the afternoon」

Georgia Thorne and Sylvie were on their way back from delivering some clothes to a client when Georgia received a call from Erin Irving.

Georgia Thorne glanced at the caller ID, then hesitantly answered, "Hello?"

"Where are you right now?" Erin Irving asked directly from the other end.

"I’m out."

"Then don’t bother coming back. I have a job for you. Go to this place first..." Then Erin Irving rattled off a long address.

It didn’t sound like a public place; it seemed more like someone’s apartment.

Georgia Thorne told Sam Yates to turn the car around and head to the address Erin Irving had given her.

The address Erin Irving had provided was exactly where Joanne Donovan was currently living.

The moment the door opened and they saw Joanne Donovan, both women’s faces showed surprise.

Georgia Thorne thought about Joanne Donovan’s current relationship with Erin Irving and quickly understood what kind of "job" he had sent her here for.

Joanne Donovan, on the other hand, couldn’t accept Georgia Thorne’s presence. She let out a cold snort. "Come in!"

The apartment was huge. It was one of Erin Irving’s properties, which he planned to use as their marital home.

Joanne Donovan couldn’t care less about the place. She would rather go back to living with Quincy Rhodes than be watched by Erin Irving’s people.

Standing behind Georgia Thorne, Sylvie quietly tugged on her sleeve. "Wow, this place is beautiful!"

This apartment complex was famous for its luxury. Many of Portmire’s wealthy elite chose to live here.

A maid was present, and upon seeing the two guests, she purposefully poured them some tea.

"I’m sorry. I thought President Irving had sent for me. I wasn’t expecting to see you, Miss Donovan." Georgia Thorne glanced around. The apartment was luxurious, but it felt cold and deserted.

Joanne Donovan must have only moved in a few days ago.

"Given my relationship with Erin Irving, you couldn’t have guessed?" Joanne Donovan seethed with hatred for Georgia Thorne. She hadn’t managed to get rid of her before, and now here she was, standing before her as an equal.

"I’m sorry." Georgia Thorne sat up straight. She felt thirsty and wanted to drink some water, but seeing that the cup contained tea, she didn’t touch it.

Before Georgia Thorne arrived, Joanne Donovan had also received a call from Erin Irving, telling her a designer would be coming over.

It was obviously for a wedding dress or something similar, but Joanne Donovan never imagined that person would be Georgia Thorne.

She maintained a cold expression the entire time, arms crossed, refusing to let Georgia Thorne take a single step closer to her.

If she wouldn’t let Georgia get close, that was easy enough to solve. She just had Sylvie do it.

When Erin Irving arrived, Joanne Donovan deliberately started a fight, arguing with Georgia Thorne.

"Georgia Thorne, I want you to apologize to me!" Joanne Donovan yelled hoarsely. She couldn’t stomach the sight of Georgia Thorne.

"Apologize for what?" Erin Irving pushed the door open just in time to hear Joanne Donovan’s voice, which only made him angrier.

He shot Joanne Donovan a stern look, and her bravado immediately deflated. "They broke one of your vases!"

The moment she finished speaking, Sylvie immediately denied it in a small voice. "I didn’t..."

Sylvie’s voice was quiet. She blinked her eyes, hoping Erin Irving would believe her.

Erin Irving strode over, frowning at the shattered vase on the floor. "What exactly happened?"

Joanne Donovan had deliberately picked a fight. She had noticed a vase behind where Georgia Thorne was standing. Any one of the decorative vases here was worth hundreds of thousands.

She had originally intended to embarrass Georgia Thorne, but she hadn’t expected Sylvie to suddenly step forward, inadvertently taking the fall.

Sylvie had broken the vase, but she had clearly felt a pair of hands push her from behind.

There were only three of them in the living room. Georgia Thorne was in front of her, so she couldn’t have reached around from behind. And Joanne Donovan just so happened to be standing right behind her. What a coincidence.

The vase shattered, and Joanne Donovan started making a scene, screaming and cursing at Sylvie.

Georgia Thorne naturally stepped forward to defend Sylvie, at which point Joanne Donovan immediately turned her fury on Georgia, demanding an apology.

Erin Irving had walked in right in the middle of their argument.

"It’s just a vase, what’s all the fuss about!" Erin Irving snapped. Joanne Donovan wanted to say more, but another glare from him forced her to stop.

She sulked down onto the sofa. Erin Irving couldn’t be bothered with her. He turned to look at the composed Georgia Thorne. ’She really is so much easier on the eyes than Joanne Donovan.’

Erin Irving didn’t want to hear Joanne Donovan’s version of the story, as she was prone to exaggeration. He turned back to Georgia Thorne. "What exactly happened?"

"Sylvie accidentally broke your vase. I’m sorry. No matter how much it costs, we’ll pay for it," Georgia Thorne said sincerely.

"Pay for it? Can you even afford it?"

"Joanne, shut your mouth!" Erin Irving snapped at her, annoyed.

Joanne Donovan clamped her mouth shut.

"It was Sylvie’s mistake. I apologize for causing trouble for you, President Irving, and Miss Donovan."

Hearing Georgia Thorne’s explanation, Sylvie tugged on her sleeve, wanting to explain what really happened.

’It was obviously Joanne Donovan who pushed me from behind! Why isn’t she telling Erin Irving?’

On TV, Joanne Donovan looked like a great beauty, a perfect match for Erin Irving. Who would have thought she had such a terrible personality in real life?

It was like she had all the bad traits of a spoiled rich girl rolled into one.

The matter was thus settled. Erin Irving said, "Have you talked to her? About the wedding dress design?"