Gossip Girl Reborn (Isabella and Alexander)
Gossip 187

Chapter 186 That Is Disgusting

Alexander lowered his gaze, truly unable to bear the sight any longer.

However, others didn't see it that way. How could they possibly know how humble Clifford's love was? They merely assumed that one of the women who happened to seduce Clifford bore a striking resemblance to Elaine. In an attempt to please Clifford, she deliberately mimicked Elaine, which was why everyone was quite dismissive of Zendaya.

Moreover, from the recent conversation, it was clear that he was only toying with her, so she couldn't be considered his girlfriend.

Naturally, this would lead to those sharing her table to resent her presence, not wanting to waste time on her.

Particularly among them was the man who sat in the center. Dressed in bespoke attire and adorned with accessories from exclusive auctions, he casually leaned back in his chair. His hair was slicked back, and his handsome features exuded a certain wildness. He had a habit of tilting his head back and looking down at people, an action that conveyed his sense of disdain.

"Clifford, it's fine to have fun, but don't get too invested. After all, most women are interested in money, and they would do anything for it," Josiah scoffed. "Be careful not to be fooled by a facade!"

The words were harsh, yet they only served to amuse Isabella further.

She thought, Hmm... Well, how can one argue that a salaried employee isn't working for the money? I replace myself unable to refute this. Fine. Looking at Zendaya's expression, she seems completely at ease. She clearly thinks that Josiah is right in his comments about her. Upon understanding the full context of the situation and hearing Isabella's thoughts, Alexander felt as though constantly experiencing secondhand embarrassment was quickly becoming a chronic issue.

Josiah spoke directly to Zendaya, his intention to humiliate her was clear as day. Yet, the one who was visibly bothered wasn't Zendaya but Audrey, who was standing next to him.

Not only did her complexion darken, but her eyes reddened for a moment. The faces of others who were privy to what was really going on also changed accordingly.

After finishing his statement, Josiah even cast a glance at Audrey.

Isabella thought, Well, well, well, so they weren't talking about Zendaya after all! They're just making indirect criticism. True enough, the more you try to sort things out, the messier it gets. Not bad, Josiah. Does he really not realize he's cheating on his friend? Alexander almost spat out his drink, blown away by her revelation.

The gossip Isabella had initially spoken about was down to its last piece.

Was she talking about Josiah and Audrey when she mentioned the so-called ex-girlfriend-turned-sister-in-law and a broken relationship being mended? Has Josiah... gone out with dated Audrey before and is looking to reconcile?

Alexander realized that his memories were all in chaos.

Meanwhile, Isabella was thoroughly enjoying the gossip.

She thought, Initially, the two of them had a secret romance for a while, which was discovered by few. Given Josiah's nature, his willingness to keep the relationship hidden indicated his genuine feelings for Audrey. However, Audrey was still unsure about marrying him. She was afraid that her reputation might be jeopardized in the future, which was why she insisted on keeping the relationship a secret. Later on, Audrey's family reached the ceiling of their social ladder. She knew that by marrying Josiah, who was unable to become the heir of the Hampton family and could only be a spoiled silver-spooned kid, she would not be able to help her family gain the power or influence to elevate their status. Therefore, Audrey chose to use Josiah's connections to get close to Caleb. By the time Josiah found out, the two families had already agreed on a marriage alliance.

She continued in her mind, Josiah confronted Audrey, who could only express her agony. Despite her love for him, she yearned to climb higher on the social ladder to bring her family more wealth. From then on, Josiah perceived Audrey as a selfish woman who would sacrifice love for money. He couldn't help but hate her, yet he couldn't stop caring about her... Cough, cough, I certainly didn't want to read any literature about in-laws having affairs...

Alexander thought, I certainly don't want to hear it either. No wonder there was a period when he always seemed particularly tormented and would often play cruel tricks on the girls who pursued him for money. I never expected it to be like this.

Josiah's older brother, Caleb, was a great business partner of Alexander's. The latter was certain that Caleb was still completely in the dark.

Observing the reactions of the two, Alexander felt that the situation had become rather serious. It was clear that they hadn't let go of their feelings, and he couldn't help but worry if this might lead to some sort of trouble.

Suddenly, Alexander felt Isabella turning her head to look at him, leaving him puzzled.

Isabella sighed inwardly, thinking to herself, You guys really are a sad bunch. Apart from Roland and Aiden, the rest of you... can only watch helplessly as the ones you love drift away from you. You love them, yet you can't have them, and it's so hard to forget. Despite being tall, rich, and handsome, why is your luck in love so terrible?

Alexander thought, I'm not the same as them, alright?

He couldn't understand why Isabella, despite being so fond of checking out gossip, never took a moment to look into his heart.

Perhaps... my luck in love is just as terrible.

When the realization struck him, Alexander suddenly froze, his demeanor instantly becoming awkward. His mind was a complete mess, the tips of his ears gradually heating up. Instinctively, he wanted to reach out and hold Isabella's hand.

The result was hearing Isabella's inner voice exclaim, What?

Alexander's train of thought was abruptly interrupted. When he regained his focus, he realized that the conversation at the table had already progressed to discussing Josiah's current girlfriend.

What, Josiah has a girlfriend now?

It turned out that when Josiah had made the earlier insinuations, it was essentially aimed at Clifford. Even though they were friends, neither of them would back down.

Clifford had indeed spent money to achieve his goals, but he was unwilling to admit it. Hearing those words made him feel uncomfortable. He wanted to retort, but the sight of Josiah's gloomy face made him realize what was going on. Immediately, he began to add fuel to the fire, saying, "Yes, yes, I know you have experience in this area. Is that why you're treading so carefully with your current girlfriend? What's the matter? Didn't bring her this time because you haven't figured out where she stands yet?"

Once these words were spoken, many people present were shocked.

Among them, Audrey's expression froze.

This time, Josiah didn't look at Audrey. An awkward look flashed across his face for a moment before he feigned nonchalance and said, "I intended to bring her, but she had to work today."

Upon hearing it for the first time, Aiden and Ines immediately bombarded him with questions.

"Is she from an ordinary family? Are you and Roland both looking outside our social circle?" Aiden remarked in surprise, "That's strange. Considering your character, Mr. Josiah, I'm surprised that you're as accommodating as Roland. You let your girlfriend go just because she said she has to work overtime?"

"Why are you talking behind my back?" Roland had returned while speaking, immediately putting Aiden in a chokehold, prompting the latter to plead for mercy.

In reality, the people sharing Roland's table didn't care at all about his girlfriend's departure. After all, she wasn't part of their group, and they generally ignored her. It wasn't that they looked down on her, but rather, it was difficult for them to replace common ground for conversation. Even the occasional interaction was just out of respect for Roland. After all, only Roland had a hero complex and didn't care about one's background.

"Apparently, Josiah has become a good man, just like you," Ines said, her laughter causing her to shake uncontrollably.

"What?" Roland responded, his face full of confusion.

At this point, Damien spoke up, getting straight to the point. "I bet you haven't revealed your true identity to them yet, have you? Be careful, you might just get burned playing with fire."

"Huh? You've been dating under a false identity?" Even the usually composed Deborah couldn't hide her surprise.

Seeing Deborah's interest, Damien immediately spilled the beans about his friend, saying, "Oh yes, he is pretending to be poor to test his girlfriend's sincerity." Deborah frowned, saying, "That's despicable."

Clifford chimed in, "What's even worse is that Mr. Josiah made her support him for two years, and he plans to continue? In my opinion, that girl is unusually naive."

This time, Josiah's complexion turned awkward. However, his defiant nature wouldn't allow him to be embarrassed.

"You guys don't understand. She was smitten with me at first sight. Seeing her sincerity, I simply gave her a chance. I don't have any special demands for my other half, as long as they're willing to love me, regardless of whether I'm rich or not. She's been doing well... So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, she'll be the one I marry. Although she's supported me for two years, I'll make up for it by providing her with a luxurious life that she could never attain at her current social standing."

Josiah spoke with an air of arrogance, yet his expression was surprisingly serious, which left his companions somewhat taken aback.

"Are you serious? Do you truly like her?" Ines curiously questioned.

Josiah hesitated for a moment, but eventually nodded, a fleeting glint of tenderness flashing in his eyes.

Audrey lowered her gaze, pursed her lips, and tightly clutched the cell phone in her hand.

Roland furrowed his brows, saying, "Doing this... is like you're toying with someone's feelings. If she's truly as good as you say, she might not be able to easily accept the truth. You should clarify things as soon as possible, apologize, and seek her forgiveness. Otherwise..."

Josiah suddenly spoke with a hint of urgency, "She won't. You can't comprehend how much she loves me, how much she needs me."

"Oh, that sounds familiar. Mr. Clifford just said the same thing," Damien remarked with a light smile.

Clifford immediately shot a glare over.

All this while, Alexander, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, subtly changed his expression, his eyebrows furrowing.

Is it really a coincidence?

Turning around, he saw that Isabella's complexion had already changed, displaying an expression of disbelief.

Sure enough, her thoughts echoed out again.

What the f*ck! That's disgusting! Dakota's kept man turns out to be Josiah? What a ridiculous love story of a poor girl and a rich boy! Does Josiah have any clue how hard Dakota has to struggle because of him? Is he out of his mind? Why would he, after being Audrey, go off and toy with the feelings of others? If he had the guts, he should seek revenge on the one who tricked him... Audrey... Wait! What has she done? She, she, she... D*mn! There's going to be some major drama today!

Meanwhile, in a small private room on the same floor, specifically reserved for guests to touch up their makeup, Eleanor arrived with her friends.

Inside, two makeup artists were already prepared.