Transmigrated: I Became My Nemesis's Woman
Chapter 188: One lie leads to another
[Bar]
After the humiliation at the Sterling family’s get-together, Nora’s reputation had taken a severe hit.
Not only had she lost face in front of the city’s elite, but people had also begun looking at her differently.
She had believed framing Ivy would earn her sympathy, just as it always had.
Instead, an unexpected witness had appeared and exposed the truth, clearing Ivy’s name while leaving Nora to bear all the blame.
Across the table, Polly let out a frustrated sigh as she stared at her untouched drink.
"Felix isn’t answering any of my calls," she said miserably. "My parents even told me that his family is considering calling off our engagement."
Ever since the incident at the shopping mall, Polly and Olivia had assumed they would get away with mocking Ivy.
Neither of them had expected their entire conversation to be secretly recorded and uploaded online.
The video had spread like wildfire, attracting criticism from netizens and Ivy’s rapidly growing fanbase.
Worse, it had reached Felix and his parents.
After watching the footage, the image they once had of Polly had begun to crumble.
Olivia took a sip of her cocktail before scoffing.
"And why are you acting so heartbroken?"
She set her glass down with a frown.
"If Felix really loved you, he wouldn’t be questioning your character over one video."
She shrugged.
"He should’ve been the first person standing by your side."
Olivia gestured toward Nora.
"Look at Nora. Aaron Emerson must’ve seen everything too, but has she complained once?"
"The problem isn’t you."
"It’s the man you chose."
"Oli..." Polly muttered, frowning. "I’m already upset. Can’t you comfort me instead of lecturing me?"
"It’s because I’m your friend that I’m telling you the truth."
Polly’s face darkened.
"It’s all Ivy’s fault."
"If she’d just stayed obedient like before, none of this would’ve happened."
Olivia nearly choked on her drink.
The memory of Ivy forcing them to kneel in the restroom at the gathering still sent chills down her spine.
That wasn’t the timid Ivy they used to know.
That woman...
She was terrifying.
Throughout the conversation, Nora remained unusually quiet.
No matter what Olivia assumed about her relationship with Aaron, Nora didn’t correct her.
The truth was far too humiliating to admit.
Aaron hadn’t contacted her once after the banquet.
For now, maintaining the illusion of a perfect relationship was all she had left.
Seeing Polly on the verge of tears, Nora finally reached across the table and gently patted her hand.
"Don’t overthink it," she said softly.
"Felix has probably been influenced by what he saw online."
She offered Polly a reassuring smile.
"I’ll talk to him personally and explain the whole situation. Once he hears our side of the story, I’m sure he’ll understand."
Polly’s tense expression eased slightly.
"Really?"
"Of course."
Nora nodded confidently, hiding the uncertainty in her own heart.
Just then, Polly’s eyes wandered toward the entrance of the bar.
Her eyes suddenly lit up.
"Felix!"
Nora and Olivia turned in the same direction.
A group of well-dressed young men had just entered the bar, laughing among themselves.
Walking at the front was Felix.
Without thinking twice, Polly grabbed her handbag and quickly stood up.
"He’s here!"
She hurriedly smoothed her dress before looking at Nora with hopeful eyes.
"Come with me."
Before Nora could respond, Polly grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward Felix’s table, Olivia following close behind.
None of them noticed the smile on Felix’s face disappear the moment he saw them walking over.
Polly’s face brightened the moment she saw Felix.
Without hesitation, she hurried after him.
"Felix!"
The man paused for only a second.
He glanced at her before turning away and continuing toward the private booth where his friends had already taken their seats.
The smile on Polly’s face stiffened.
She quickened her pace and grabbed his sleeve.
"Felix, please. Can we talk?"
Felix calmly pulled his arm free.
"I don’t think there’s anything left to discuss."
His indifferent tone made Polly’s eyes redden.
"Are you really going to ignore me over a video?"
Before Felix could answer, Olivia stepped forward, her temper flaring.
"You know, you’re really pathetic."
Felix slowly turned to look at her.
"You promised Polly you’d spend the rest of your life with her. And now you’re throwing everything away because of something you saw online?"
Olivia folded her arms across her chest.
"If you ask me, you’re just looking for an excuse to break off the engagement."
She let out a mocking laugh.
"At least some men know how to stay loyal."
She deliberately looked toward Nora.
"Take Aaron Emerson, for example."
"No matter what the internet says, he’s never abandoned Nora."
"He hasn’t even denied their relationship."
"That’s what a real man looks like."
Felix stared at her for a few seconds before laughing.
The laughter wasn’t warm.
It was filled with ridicule.
"You seriously believe that?"
Olivia frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Felix looked directly at Nora.
"Miss Ford, you’ve been letting people believe you’re involved with Aaron Emerson for quite a while now."
Nora’s fingers tightened around her handbag.
Felix wouldn’t be saying that because he had heard Polly bring that top not once but many times in their conversations.
"What are you trying to say?"
"I’m saying..." Felix smiled coldly. "You’re lying."
Silence fell over the group.
Olivia immediately stepped in front of Nora.
"Watch your words."
"My family has worked with the Emerson Group for years," Felix replied calmly.
"Our parents meet often because of business."
He glanced at Nora again.
"Yes, the Emerson elders want Aaron to get married."
"But the person they want him to marry..." He paused deliberately. "...has never been decided."
Nora’s face gradually lost its color; however, Felix continued without mercy.
"I heard it directly from my father."
"Aaron Emerson isn’t seeing anyone. He has no fiancée. And he has no intention of entering an arranged marriage."
Olivia frowned. "That’s impossible."
Felix gave a sarcastic smile.
"Is it?"
"He made one thing very clear to his family."
"When he gets married... It’ll be to the woman he loves."
His gaze settled on Nora once more.
"So tell me... If you’re really his girlfriend, why hasn’t anyone in the Emerson family heard about you?"
The color drained from Polly’s face. She slowly turned toward Nora. "Nora...you told us Aaron liked you."
"You even said both families were discussing your marriage."
Olivia’s expression stiffened as well.
"Nora...was that not true?"
For the first time that evening, Nora found herself speechless.
She opened her mouth to respond... but no words came out.
The silence on her part was answer enough.
Felix let out one last mocking chuckle before turning away.
"I suggest you stop building castles in the air, Miss Ford. One lie always leads to another."
With that, he walked past the three women and joined his friends, leaving behind a silence far more humiliating than any insult he could have spoken.