No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 1225

But Vanessa was no ordinary woman. She smiled. "You're joking, Mrs. Brown. Ian and I are ancient history. Besides, we were just friends. You shouldn't believe all those rumors."

The two women exchanged a look.

Friends? They weren't blind. Vanessa had failed to snag Ian, which only meant her technique needed work, but hearing her try to distance herself now was rather amusing.

Vanessa then looked toward Walden with an affectionate gaze. "But then I met Walden. He's mature, stable, and he understands me better. Being with him is the greatest blessing of my life."

The two women shared another meaningful glance, their faces still plastered with polite smiles.

"Well, congratulations on finding true love, Miss Shannon."

"Yes, true love is rare. And as they say these days, age is just a number when it comes to true love."

Vanessa's smile faltered slightly.

The women's smiles held a knowing, unspoken meaning. After a few more pleasantries, they left.

Back at their table, they couldn't help but whisper.

"Did you hear what she just said? Just friends? The way she used to look at Mr. Goodwin, she wanted to glue herself to him. Does she think we're blind?"

"Exactly! She was quite scheming back then. I almost thought she was going to replace Mrs. Goodwin. I even made an effort to get on her good side!"

Many prominent figures from the business world were taking this opportunity to toast him, all of them influential people in their own right.

Ian sat at his table, not putting on any airs, but the natural aura of someone long accustomed to power was undeniable.

His status was not just a symbol of wealth but also a trendsetter, a master of capital. A single decision from him could affect the fate of many companies; a single word could be interpreted and reinterpreted by the market.

Watching these people, who were usually so unapproachable, behave so humbly and cautiously in front of him, Vanessa felt her heart being squeezed and twisted.

This man was the one she could never get over, the obstacle she could never seem to cross.

He stood there, doing nothing, his mere presence enough to make her heart flutter.