Your Guise Is Slipping, Miss Pearl Novel novel Chapter 818

Esther's eyes lit up when she saw who it was. "James, what brings you here?" she asked, clearly surprised and confused.

James smiled, amused by her reaction. "I just came to check on you. When are you planning to return to work?"

At his question, Esther looked disappointed. She rubbed her forehead and sighed, while throwing a pointed look at Winona. "I'd love to get back soon. But there's someone here, acting all important because she's engaged to the sponsor, causing delays on set. It's a tricky situation," she said, not naming Winona directly, but making it obvious who she was talking about.

Winona, catching the indirect jab, became furious. "Watch your mouth, Esther! I won't let you off if you keep talking nonsense!"

Esther glared at Winona and snorted. "Oh, dropped the nice act, have we? Weren't you just playing the victim, calling for Richard?"

James, catching on to the drama, chuckled. "So, this is Mister Richard's fiancee. Seems quite hot-headed."

Winona wasn't new to being called out, but it stung coming from James. She pointed at him angrily and said, "I don't care who you are. You're clearly on Esther's side, and I won't stand for your lies!"

James, unfazed by her anger, watched Winona's outburst with a cold detachment.

Richard eventually intervened. "Enough, Winnie. Stop making a scene."

Richard's words seemed to settle the matter, leaving Winona feeling wronged yet unable to protest. Pearl had pushed her down, but she became the unreasonable one here.

But everyone was waiting for her to embarrass herself. Of course, she couldn't give them that satisfaction and ruin her image.

"Mister James, I'm sorry about this," Richard spoke to James with a cool detachment, his demeanor showing clear displeasure at him for siding openly against Winona. Since James had openly rebuked his fiancee, he had embarrassed him as well.

James just nodded, seemingly indifferent to Richard's fame in Enswood. He then turned his attention back to Esther. "Why didn't you tell me you were being bullied?"

Esther rolled her eyes. "Why bother you? Besides, it's Pearl they're after, not me. It's all so confusing with Winona constantly targeting Pearl." Her words, loud enough for others, implied Richard's role in the drama.

James glanced at Pearl, who remained calm and detached. "Look at Pearl. She's so calm, yet you got angry and wanted to seek justice for her. But I think Mister Richard isn't the kind of person to let his fiancee bully his ex."

The conversation between James and Esther continued, touching on the dynamics of past and current relationships. This prompted Richard to leave, clearly annoyed and tired of the bickering.

Winona, left alone as Richard departed abruptly, felt increasingly isolated and blamed Pearl for her predicament, her frustration obvious in her glare.