The Perfect Wife's Perfect Revenge novel Chapter 287

No one said anything aloud, but everyone seemed to understand—and, surprisingly, no one seemed to mind the dynamic between Victoria and Curtis.

The main reason was simple: recently, Victoria's work ethic had impressed everyone. She was nothing like the rumors painted her to be.

According to office gossip, Victoria was just a pretty face, coasting by under Mr. Garcia's protection—a total lightweight.

The private dining room was warm, the radiators humming quietly in the corner. Coats had been shed and draped over the backs of chairs. Victoria wore a cream-colored sweater, a delicate crystal necklace glinting at her throat, catching the light.

Curtis noticed the necklace but didn't say a word. He couldn't remember ever seeing Victoria wear jewelry before. He recalled once calling her driver to pick her up; he hadn't heard any rumors from Ailie about a separation lately. Could it be that she'd patched things up with her husband?

The thought left Curtis with an odd, uncomfortable feeling.

Victoria, oblivious, shifted over to make room for him beside her.

"I just heard about your team's dinner tonight and happened to be passing by. Mind if I join you?" Curtis smiled at the group, making it clear who he was here to see. "Dinner's on me."

Everyone got the message, but played along.

"Thank you, Mr. Garcia. We'll take you up on that, then," someone replied, and the group turned their attention to the menu, eagerly ordering their favorites. Ailie let out a sigh of relief—she'd nearly had a heart attack earlier, thinking about the bonus at stake. Twenty thousand dollars—two months' salary and bonuses bundled together.

Victoria had planned to use the dinner as a chance to discuss some internal programming issues with the team. But with Curtis here, it didn't seem wise to poke around; she didn't want to make him suspicious.

"Ailie, keep an eye on the EmilyTech Solutions project," Curtis said, unaware that Victoria had been the one to make the crucial introductions for the deal. He didn't want the company's future tied solely to the Langford Group. If Quantum Core Technologies was well-funded enough, they wouldn't need outside help for their game development anyway.

"Of course, leave it to me," Ailie replied with a quick glance at Victoria, who neither reacted nor tried to take any credit.

Ailie understood that Victoria must have her reasons for not telling Curtis about her involvement, so she kept quiet.

When McNeil and Violet arrived, Curtis was peeling shrimp and neatly placing the tender pieces on Victoria's plate, one by one, with a care that made others glance over in envy.

Victoria, unable to refuse, simply kept her head down and ate.

That necklace was unmistakable—Allian's signature design, a one-of-a-kind piece named after the designer himself. Last time Violet saw it, it was draped around the neck of a wealthy socialite in Starfall City.

Violet had set her sights on that necklace for months, even pulling strings and asking Marcus to track it down for her, hoping he could leverage every connection he had to get it.

She'd heard the socialite had sold it for three times its original price—to a man whose name she wouldn't reveal. Violet had guessed it was Marcus who'd bought it. She'd waited patiently, assuming he'd give it to her—after all, Marcus had always nursed a quiet crush on her, and Violet was an expert at reading men's intentions.

And with a price tag starting at nine million dollars, Violet knew she couldn't afford it herself. McNeil sometimes gifted her expensive gowns or custom-made dresses, but those couldn't be cashed in. Despite her role as VP at Quantum Core Technologies, her annual salary wasn't much higher than a department manager's with bonuses.

If Marcus had bought the necklace, and now it was around Victoria's neck, that could only mean one thing—it had been a gift for Victoria.

Victoria looked up. "It wasn't something I bought. It was a gift from a friend."

Violet's face changed instantly.

"A friend that generous? That's quite a gift—nine million dollars for a necklace, Ms. Turner. You must have some very special friends."