Chapter 178
The next day, noon.
Lucy had just finished lunch and was heading back to her office when her phone vibrated. A stranger’s number flashed on the screen.
It didn’t look like spam, but she ignored it.
The ringing stopped, then stubbornly started again.
Lucy raised an eyebrow and answered, staying silent.
Joyce’s voice, pretentiously crisp, came through. “Lucy, let’s meet p>
“Oh, Joyce,” Lucy replied, her voice dripping with lazy sarcasm. “That’s funny. Why would I meet with you p>
Joyce immediately switched to provocation. “Because I’m your rival. Afraid to face me p>
“Don’t insult the word ‘rival’,” Lucy laughed softly, her disdain palpable. “Afraid of you? Joyce, you overestimate yourself. Address p>
Joyce paused, then rattled off a location.
Lucy hung up and grabbed her bag. Passing Emma’s desk, she called out, “I’m heading out. Call if anything comes up p>
“Okay!” Emma nodded.
Half an hour later, Lucy pushed open the café door. Joyce sat by the window, her face pale with a sickly sort of beauty.
Lucy smirked. “Put a lot of effort into the makeup, I see p>
She walked over, sat opposite Joyce, and stared at her coolly. “Joyce, start your performance p>
She didn’t plan to watch this show alone she had sent a text on the way.
Joyce immediately adopted her ‘fragile flower’ persona, voice trembling. “Lucy, you divorced Kingsley. Stop pestering him. He loves me, not you p>
“Mmhmm, loves you. Go on?” Lucy waved a waiter over and ordered a coffee, looking unbothered.
Seeing her indifference, Joyce cracked, her voice rising. “Lucy! I am talking to you p>
“I’m listening. I didn’t stop you,” Lucy said, leaning back. “If you don’t continue, I’m leaving p>
Provoked, Joyce lashed out. “Lucy, you aren’t worthy of Kingsley! Stay away from him p>
“You’re right, I’m not worthy,” Lucy agreed easily. Then she pivoted. “You two are a perfect match. One’s a scumbag, the other’s a manipulative fake p>
Joyce’s eyes blazed. “Who are you calling a fake p>
“Is there a second person in front of me?” Lucy sneered. “You really know how to act p>
The waiter arrived with the coffee. Lucy took a sip.
Joyce’s hands shook with rage, her voice turning shrill. “You’re just the daughter of a murderer! A wild thing with no mother to teach her! What right do you have to call me fake? Your father destroyed my family-don’t you feel any guilt p>
At ‘no mother to teach her,’ Lucy’s eyes turned to ice. “You had parents to teach you and you still turned out this pathetic? Since they failed, f don’t mind finishing your education p>
Without warning, Lucy raised her hand.
Slap! The sound cracked across Joyce’s face.
Before Joyce could react, Lucy threw the cup of coffee directly into her face. Joyce shrieked, exploding in rage. “Lucy! I’ll kill you! You dare hit me p>
She raised her hand to strike back, but her wrist was caught in a vice-like grip.
Lucy took the opportunity to slap her again. “Just because you like trash doesn’t mean I want it. Don’t worry, Kingsley is yours. No one is fighting you for him.” She smiled cruelly. “He loves you too! Go get married immediately p>
Joyce, stunned and slapped twice, didn’t even hear Lucy’s words. Her left cheek was swelling rapidly tears welling in her eyes, she instantly switched back to her pitiful victim mode, crying out to the owner of the hand holding her.
“Kingsley, she hit me! She threw coffee on me p>