Chapter 605
Chapter 604:
Jocelyn took a slow sip of her herbal tea, meeting Chelsea’s gaze over the rim of her cup. She smiled — a small, composed curve of her lips. “Thank you. But I’ve always believed a woman’s value comes from who she is, not who she marries. Don’t you agree, Mrs. Vanderbilt p>
The counter-attack was subtle and devastating — a quiet reminder that Chelsea’s only claim to relevance was the name she had married into.
Chelsea’s smile tightened. She had not expected the quiet newcomer to have such sharp teeth.
Later, during a live-streamed Q&A, the host asked each woman to share how her husband was preparing for the baby’s arrival.
The doctor described a hospital-grade infant monitoring system. The lawyer mentioned a multi-generational educational trust fund. Chelsea, preening for the camera, announced that her husband had reserved an entire floor of the Lying-In Hospital and hired a team of three world-renowned night nurses.
𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘯
All eyes turned to Jocelyn.
She paused for a moment, a genuine, thoughtful expression settling on her face. “Gaston,” she said, her voice soft and honest, “has been trying to learn how to change a diaper. He keeps putting the legs on backward on the practice doll p>
A ripple of warm laughter moved through the room. The comment was so real, so endearingly human.
Chelsea produced a barely audible sound of contempt. “How… hands-on of Mr. Collins,” she said, ensuring the microphones caught every word. “My husband prefers to leave such things to the professionals p>
The implication was clear — she was trying to reframe Gaston’s involvement as a lack of seriousness, a sign that he wasn’t focused on the things that truly mattered, like running an empire.
Jocelyn didn’t rise to it. She simply offered that same quiet, unreadable smile.
“I suppose,” she said, her voice clear and unhurried, “some things can’t be outsourced. Love, for instance p>
The line stopped the room cold. It silenced Chelsea completely and drew approving nods from the other women. The live chat flooded with responses.
“‘Love can’t be outsourced.’ I’m getting that tattooed p>
“Jocelyn is pure class p>
Chelsea sat very still and watched Jocelyn effortlessly win over the room, the cameras, and the entire internet. The jealousy was a physical sensation — hot and bitter, rising in her throat like acid. This woman had the Collins fortune, and worse, she possessed a charm and an authenticity that Chelsea could never acquire no matter how much she spent.
The rivalry was no longer about screen time. It had become personal.
During a break in filming, Chelsea slipped into a quiet corner and pulled out her phone. She composed a text to the head of her personal PR firm.
Dig up everything you can on Jocelyn Wolfe’s past. Every man she’s ever dated. Especially a designer named Julian Croft. I want all of her dirt.
If she couldn’t win in a fair fight, she would burn Jocelyn’s perfect image to the ground.
The parenting lecture resumed, the air in the room still crackling with the leftover tension from the earlier exchange. An expert was detailing newborn sleep-training techniques. Jocelyn listened intently, her phone in her hand, ready to take notes.
Chelsea, across the room, was distracted — her attention fixed on her own phone, a smug, impatient look on her face.