The Double or more Life of the Fake Heiress (Mirabella) novel Chapter 563

Mandy winced as the corner of the report sliced across her cheek, the sting sharp, but she dared not utter a sound. She merely bore it in silence.

The door to the private dining room stood ajar, and the waiter, tray in hand, hesitated on the threshold, witnessing the scene unfold. He was caught in a quandary—unsure whether to enter with the entrees or to retreat with discretion. It was awkward, to say the least.

Pride was Mandy's Achilles' heel, and being seen in such a vulnerable state by the club's staff felt akin to being stripped bare for all to see.

When Mandy was humiliated by her husband, she managed to swallow her anger, but her temper flared uncontrollably when it came to outsiders. “Who said you could come in? Don't you know how to knock?” she snapped, conveniently forgetting that just minutes ago, she had pressed the service bell for the meal to be served.

Trained to perfection, the waiter had seen his share of temperamental patrons. Without a word, he gracefully backed out of the room.

**

After leaving Colton's suite, Johnny made a quick detour to the restroom before returning to the room where Nikolai had organized the gathering.

Having spent less than ten minutes with Colton, Johnny's reentry to the room went almost unnoticed. But his pallor caught Owen’s attention as he settled beside him, prompting a soft inquiry, “Everything okay?”

Johnny, still reeling from the distasteful encounter with Mirabella's adoptive parents, attempted to mask his agitation but couldn't quite manage. “Just met with Ms. Mirabella's foster parents,” he confided in a hushed tone meant only for Owen.

Owen's eyebrows lifted in surprise, not having expected such news, and he prodded, “Any issues?”

With a heavy sigh, Johnny remarked, “It's a whole mess. Ms. Mirabella doesn’t seem anything like them.”