Chapter 282 Defective Substitute
That comment felt like a lightning strike on Vanessa’s body as she could not believe Eva. “How is that possible…” I have been with Isaac for six years, so I know his personality very well. No matter how much he fools around outside, he would never do such a thing! For one, the Grahams are extremely strict with their rules. Hence, the Graham Family would never acknowledge a child whom he shares with an artist at the bottom tier. On the other hand, I know that he doesn’t love the women he fools around with.
“That’s impossible.” She scrambled from the floor, as though she was ready to tussle with Eva.
“Nothing is impossible.” Isaac stood in front of Eva. “Eva is right—she is pregnant with my child. I am taking her home to the Graham Residence.”
Vanessa had heard a lot of hurtful comments from him in the past, but she was unprepared for something like that. She was stunned into silence because she could not believe her ears. “Are you insane? Mom and Dad would never agree for you to marry a woman like her.”
“Nothing is impossible as long as I insist.” Isaac’s determined and composed expression shook Vanessa. He wasn’t even so certain when I previously wanted to be married to him. In fact, I had to figure out ways to make Isaac’s parents like me. Does he know how much effort I put in to join the Grahams? How can this woman obtain everything by relying only on her charms and seductive methods? I don’t believe it.
She looked up at the woman who was standing behind Isaac. She has a petite figure—she isn’t shapy or voluptuous. She is just much younger compared to me. I can’t help but compare her with me. Nevertheless, she realized the truth with a start when she saw Eva’s eyes before bursting in laughter. “Haha! Haha!”
He was confused and he scowled. “What are you laughing at?”
Vanessa pointed at the woman behind him and she cackled maniacally. She questioned him insistently, “Are you actually in love with her? Or, you can’t forget the person whom you can’t have? Is that why you’ll be happy even if she’s just a defective substitute?”
“Who are you referring to as a defective substitute?” Eva was bewildered, so she frowned at Vanessa while waiting for an explanation.
Nevertheless, Isaac immediately understood what Vanessa meant and his gaze turned icy-cold. “Vanessa, I am warning you. Nobody thinks you are dumb if you don’t say anything.”
“The mouth is mine. I will say whatever I want. Why are you afraid of what I have to say if you have the audacity to cheat?” She supported herself against the marble top of the basin as her face twisted into an ugly expression. “Do you think highly of yourself? Previously, you were the one who betrayed Courtney, but now, you’ve found a woman who resembles her. Are you trying to pretend to be devoted to her?”
“That’s enough!” He looked livid.
“Who is Courtney?” Eva appeared lost.
“Courtney?” Vanessa guffawed. “She is a—”
Smack! There was a loud smack across her face and the crisp sound rang loudly in the bathroom. She lost her balance due to the impact and she fell onto the ground.
Isaac spat coldly, “You are unworthy of mentioning her name. You better shut up if you want to retain your position as Mrs. Graham.”
After saying those words, he strode away.
Despite her curiosity, Eva did not want to be alone with Vanessa. In the end, Eva went after him hastily. “Isaac, wait up!”
Vanessa was left alone in the bathroom—she was a mess as she sat on the washroom floor. She held a trembling hand over her reddened cheek. I have worked hard for so long. It has been so many years now. Am I not on par with Courtney? I don’t believe that.
In the banquet hall, Courtney was chatting with the guests at the cocktail party. She turned to look when she heard the word ‘Isaac’. From afar, she saw him walking down the stairs while wearing a gloomy expression and the young artist was holding onto her gown as she chased after him from behind.
Courtney frowned, but just as she was about to look away, he looked up and their gazes met.
Isaac stopped dead in his tracks from walking down the stairs. I haven’t seen Courtney for half a year, but I have heard a lot about her in the past six months. In fact, her life has been more interesting and vibrant ever since she left me. Out of all the independent and confident women in my life, Courtney takes the lead and she will always be the one who got away.
They locked eyes for a few seconds and she gently nodded as a greeting. Then, she turned naturally to continue chatting with the person beside her.
Isaac was in a daze, but Eva was already clinging onto his arm. “Isaac, please don’t be mad. It is entirely my fault. Why don’t you come to my place tonight and I will make it up to you?”
He suddenly felt uneasy, so he retrieved his arm. “I want to be alone for a bit. Stop following me.” With that, he walked down the stairs alone.
After greeting her close friends, Courtney felt slightly tipsy, so she wanted to look for a place to rest. She scanned her surroundings, but she could not find Alexander. He must have left to use the washroom. Hence, she put her wine glass down before making her way to a conspicuous spot to wait for him.
Just as she looked down, she saw the hem of a pink flowy gown swishing in front of her. She heard Vanessa’s voice before she could look up. “Courtney, it has been ages since we last met.”
Courtney saw Vanessa the moment she looked up. The right side of her face is red and swollen, for some reason. Then, she immediately recalled the rumors about her and Isaac.
She frowned and looked at Vanessa with pity in her eyes. “It has been such a long time. How have you been?”
“I am great.” Vanessa’s gaze significantly darkened. “What do you mean by that?”
“You are overthinking it. I don’t mean anything at all.” Courtney no longer felt sorry for Vanessa. Well, with me attending the cocktail party with my status, she must have misinterpreted my pity as gloating at her.
Vanessa looked rather upset, but she gave Courtney a thorough once-over.
Her blatant stare obviously made Courtney uneasy, so she scowled deeply. “What are you looking at?”
“I am guessing you weren’t aware that the small-time online streamer somehow resembles you. Isaac is now dating a female online streamer and she looks a lot like you.”
Vanessa seemed to be waiting for a reaction from Courtney. However, Courtney looked distant and avoided her gaze while advising, “Vanessa, why are you telling me this? In all honesty, this has nothing to do with me at all if you truly want to live a happy life with Isaac.”
“Are you saying that the problems in my marriage with Isaac are caused by me?”
“I never said that.” She felt that Vanessa lacked basic comprehensive ability.
“That is exactly what you said.” Vanessa stubbornly barked. After that, she burst into laughter all of a sudden while giving Courtney an evil stare. “Are you pleased with yourself? You have many men hanging around you. In fact, it has been that way since you were in school. They treat you like the unattainable Ice Queen. However, do they know that your own older sister once sold you off? Do they know that four to five men took your virginity away?”
Courtney felt as though lightning had struck her; everything exploded suddenly and she was left with pieces of ruins everywhere.
The surrounding guests started to gather around them.
She noticed that Vanessa’s lips were moving in slow motion. “That is why Anna deserves to die—she harmed her own younger sister. I can’t believe she sent you off to those people to rape you. Don’t you think she deserves to die?”
