Losing to My Substitute (Katerina and Joshu)
Substitute 86

Chapter

16

One of them noticed something was off. "Wait, she isn't wearing a hearing aid. How can she hear

us?"

"Could it be she's actually fine now?"

At that moment, Jean spoke up, "Yes, I'm fine. So don't go gossiping like the town gossip!".

Noticing the commotion, Winni approached with a few waitstaff to handle the situation.

The men exchanged glances, at a loss for words. After all, they had started the gossip and were in the wrong, so they quietly left.

Winni stepped in and quickly realized the troublemaker was Jean. Seizing the opportunity to vent her frustrations, she wouldn't let it go. "Jean, I warned you before. Why are you still haunting me?" "It's time for you to return to your place. You don't belong in this upper-class society..."

"Is that so? I don't belong?"

Looking at Winni's smug expression, Jean imagined how delightful it would be to see her face later.

Just then, John took the stage to speak. "Let's welcome the greatest contributor to the hot spring resort project, our youngest designer-Vivian!"

Jean raised her champagne glass and drank it all in one go.

Under the gaze of everyone, amidst their astonishment and admiration, she stepped up to give her

speech.

Winni stood there, dumbfounded, muttering, "How is this possible? The designer of the hot spring

resort is her?"

As Jean took the stage, she said, "I want to thank my mentor for trusting and encouraging me to take charge of the hot spring resort's design. I also thank my team members..." Since Mr. Snow's passing, Berton had been in a slump, avoiding Jean. He had to attend today's banquet as the general manager but didn't expect to be surprised.

Seeing Jean, who had avoided him, appear here filled him with joy, making him forget to ponder why she was present.

Losing to My Substitute

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Chapter 16

When she stepped onto the stage, Berton realized just how quickly Jean had grown, becoming Someone he could no longer easily control.

After the speech, Jean was surrounded by admirers, many powerful figures eager to get to know her.

It was clear Jean was trying her best to handle it, but she still appeared somewhat overwhelmed. Berton snatched the glass from her hand and drank it down. Afte

Afterward, any drinks offered to Jean were either consumed by him or blocked.

Everyone noticed Berton's protective stance toward Jean and stopped trying to approach her,

retreating one by one.

"Jean, I really didn't expect you to be Vivian! I should have figured it out sooner. I saw the design concept in your notes...

I just didn't expect you to be in charge. I thought you wanted nothing to do with the Snow family

anymore!"

Berton's heart ignited with hope again.

"Berton, you don't think your actions earlier were helping me, do you?"

Jean looked at him, downing another glass of red wine from the table.

"Jean, I know you dislike socializing. Don't worry, with me around, no one can force you into doing; things you don't like!"

"Force me to do things I don't like?

Most of the things I didn't want to do were because of you. Three years ago, at the villa pool, your friends insulted me, calling me a little deaf girl. It didn't stop there; just now, they did the same. Berton opened his mouth to explain, "No, that's not true."

He stammered, but he had no justification.

It was true he had allowed his friends to disregard her feelings, and it was also true he had overlooked the harm to her because of Winni's return.

"What do you mean it's not true?

"It's not your doing, but their actions were permitted by you! You let them trample on my dignity and

humiliate my shortcomings.

Leging to My Substitute

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Chapter 16

Do

you

think drinking a glass of wine now can make up for it?"