Imperial, Robert Krisnov's Mansion

Inside the mansion, everyone was busy these past few days all for the sake of Angel Lin's twentieth birthday.

There were just so many things to take care of!

The venue, which host the celebration must be perfect. To the food, which would be catered by not one, but five Michelin awardee restaurants with an Edwardian style meal plan served for classic Royals in Downtown Abbey. From the first course of Hors d'Oeuvre down to the very last course of fruits and cheese, must all be perfect!

Most importantly, the meal must flow in one harmonious song. A disjointed meal is viewed as a poor reflection of the house and improper management of staffs.

Thus, all the restaurants involved were very strict, training their staffs months before the celebration, specifically for this event. They even drafted contracts that if something goes wrong with the food and drinks, the restaurants would pay repercussions.

While another world-renowned famous pastry and tea house catered the snacks and beverages.

As for Angel's birthday cake, they invited the famous pastry chef Uso Kinzake to make the cake, all accommodations and food shouldered by Robert Krisnov!

Not only that, the most important thing was the dress. The dress made by the famous eccentric fashion designer José Carter, who designed and made Angel's birthday dress for almost half a year.

All in all, the amount of money and attention that Robert Krisnov gave to his niece was truly staggering. It made ordinary people shed tears by the sheer amount of money spent. The dress alone was already equivalent to the commons people lifelong earnings!

While the media flocked to this upcoming auspicious day, saying it would be the most extravagant birthday of the year.

While some questioned why Robert Krisnov would go to such lengths on someone he didn't even have blood relations with.

Another praised him for his extreme love for his new wife, Cherry Lin, that even Cherry Lin's niece was like a real daughter to the business tycoon.

But most people, especially the common people, condemned him for burning money. Why does he have to spend so much money? It would be better if he donated it all to charity and feed the poor instead. And so on . . .

However, to the people inside the mansion, they gave it no mind as they were busy checking the list of attendees.

From the list alone, one would think that it was a royal ball opened throughout the entire Kingdom and not a birthday party by the sheer amount of guests on the list. And not just any ordinary guests. Everyone came from extraordinary background. Nobles, royalties, high ranking officials, celebrities, all the rich and the famous far and wide!

And since Angel Lin was working in the entertainment industry, almost all the S-lister celebrities across the globe were invited.

Adding fuel to the burning excitement, the most popular and hottest male celebrity in Burberry, Aldrick Loire, would attend this event, which made his fans cried in jealousy.

It was no rumor that the Prince of the movie screen was pursuing Angel Lin. Most even said that Angel Lin was a winner in life. Rich family. Successful career. She got the beauty and body, and Aldrick Loire.

Not only Aldrick Loire was an actor, he was an extraordinary actor. He had won numerous awards including actor of the year, best male lead, best second male lead, most popular actor and so on. Not only that, he also came from a long line of powerful and wealthy family. A young master even if he didn't work.

With Aldrick Loire looks and style, he was born in the limelight. His destiny was to go viral long before viral was a thing. He had broken barriers and elevated the craft with both local and international screens as his platform. And he was only at the prime of his life at twenty-seven!

In the most materialistic city in the world, a city where the key mantra was status, within the rich and the famous chattering circles and even among the nobles and royalties, all of them agreed that Angel Lin was living a life to be envied.

Angel Lin has it all!

. . . Yet . . .

She was still not satisfied.

Sighing, Cherry Lin asked, "Why do you hate her so much? We already have everything. She had already fallen from her high throne."

Cherry and Angel were currently in Angel's bedroom, talking. After Cherry put her soon to be two-year-old son to sleep, she went to Angel's room to chat.

Though Cherry Lin was in her thirties, she appeared young and beautiful. Not a trace of wrinkles nor time on her lovely, flawless face. If she and Angel stood side by side, they would be mistaken as sisters.

Aside from that, she got the body that would put any underwear model to shame. It was no wonder that Robert Krisnov was so enamored by her.

Angel looked beyond the floor to ceiling window, her face reflecting on the glass. "She was born with everything and had embraced it all with her arrogant self that disgust me while we rot here and there, living for meager scraps of food handed to us by those old men. And she . . . she never had to worry about money every single day. Didn't have to work hard to make money.  Never experience the fear that normal people have. She never had to work a day of her life . . . but she feels like she owns the world. Entitled and think that everyone should obey her every whim."

Cherry ran her teeth over her bottom lip. She didn't want to remember when she was still prostituting herself for money to survive. She was lucky that she found Robert Krisnov. With her dealings with men before, it was a piece of cake to make a man like Robert Krisnov fall for her –– so madly in love.

She was glad that at those dark times, they were still living in Apricot Country, until she met Robert Krisnov and brought them in Burberry. It was like a new start for them.

After which, Robert Krisnov did everything in his power and wealth to masked their past. Saying that after the death of his wife, it was Cherry Lin who helped him recover. It was love at first sight inside a café. Hiding the fact that it was actually love after so many fuck nights.

Love . . . for Robert Krisnov at least.

Caressing her face reflected on the window glass, Angel said, "I won't be satisfied if I don't see her crawl in the gravel, eating dirt."

Cherry didn't argue. There was a hint of a smile on her face. She too felt that way towards rich born ladies who didn't have to work. Didn't have to fear for the future while she sold everything she had just to stay afloat.

"What do you want to do?" she asked.

Angel faced her and beamed. "Don't worry. Leave everything to me . . . mother."

Mother . . .

Such an affectionate word. But if it got out in public, it would cause a huge scandal. Only Cherry and Angel knew of these secret. Not even Robert Krisnov know of this.

After all, with Angel Lin's line of work, her image was as good as her life. The perfect her couldn't be soiled with the unsightly news of the truth that she was a bastard's daughter. That she was conceived while Cherry Lin was still in her teenage years and her father ran away to escaped responsibility. Nor the fact that her mother prostituted herself in the past to get them by.

It was better to fabricate that she was the daughter of Cherry Lin's deceased older brother. Her father and mother died in a car accident. By this, she would gain not only the sympathy of the masses, but also an image of being a strong, independent woman.

Angel looked at her reflection, admiring her flawless, beautiful face. This event, on her birthday, she would take joy in watching Evangeline's envious and jealous expressions when she claimed all which belongs to her and much more right before her very eyes.

She would slap at her face the glorious event. The extravagant venue. The delicious food. Her one of a kind dress.  Her expensive pieces of jewelry. The love of a father that was given to her. A complete one whole family. And a man who was doubt as number one sought after in Burberry flocking towards her.

Her! She had it all! While Evangeline had nothing!

. . . And yet, even with all the things she had done. All the things she accomplished. Even if she ruined Evangeline's reputation, stole everything right before her eyes, Evangeline remained calm and indifferent still.

Angel felt that she was punching springy fluffy clouds. No amount of damage could perturb Evangeline's façade which made her irk in irritation.

What was more, Evangeline was very sharp and perceptive. It was hard to rattle her or even plot against her. She didn't have any weakness since she had no friends nor family to take advantage of.

Until now . . .

Angel smirked, beneath her eyes hid a brewing storm.

Eric Phelps . . .