Bea watched Marian pack her bags, a cold laugh bubbling up from within.

"Sophie, back in Devonport you had Colby to shield you. Out here? Your luck might not hold up so well."

That afternoon, somewhere overseas.

Inside the grand halls of the Costello estate, Sophie eyed the maid who brought in the glittering jewelry, the haute couture gowns, and those limited-edition handbags. She glanced at the trio of society ladies on the opposite sofa, a slight smile tugging at her lips. "These gifts are absolutely stunning and clearly valuable; you've all put a lot of thought into this."

"Mrs. Costello, among all the socialites I've met, your figure is unmatched, even more perfect than our top models. We've just finished a set of luxury designer gowns, and you were the first person I thought of. Only someone with your elegance could truly bring this dress to life."

"My family's in the jewelry business, and we owe a lot to Colby's support over the years. So, we brought you the crown jewel of our collection. This ruby is flawless, only a gem of this caliber can match your grace and sophistication, Mrs. Costello."

"Mrs. Costello, this is a one-of-a-kind, limited-edition handbag from our new store, just a small token of my admiration."

The three women took turns showering her with compliments, while Sophie leaned back, unbothered. "I appreciate everyone's kindness. I'm still getting used to things here after just arriving with Colby. I had no idea the Costello Corporation had so many partners. Looks like we have plenty of opportunities to make money together in the future."

Mrs. Lee chimed in with a boast, "Of course, with just a flick of Colby's finger, he could shake up the entire overseas market." Sophie smiled but kept silent.

Mrs. Sharp added, "Mrs. Costello, we didn't come here for anything in particular. We were just worried you might replace it boring abroad, so we thought we'd introduce you to some social gatherings and parties, to get you acquainted with the other ladies here."

Mrs. Woll nodded in agreement, "Exactly, we have events like afternoon tea salons and exclusive dinners almost every day. While the men are out making money, we deserve to enjoy ourselves too, don't we?" Sophie took a sip of her tea, still not engaging much.

The atmosphere teetered on the edge of awkwardness until Mrs. Lee broke the silence, "I heard Bea Burke arrived overseas this morning. Lots of folks are eager to have her at the social dinners." Sophie paused mid-sip.

Mrs. Sharp jumped in, "Yes, I've heard Bea hadn't left Devonport in decades. It's quite the mystery why she decided to come here now."

"Indeed, I've heard the same. They say Bea was pretty traditional, vowing to stay a widow in Devonport for life. Her coming here is quite a surprise."

Sophie set her teacup down.

In her previous life, Bea had never left Devonport, not until the day Sophie died on that operating table. What could have brought Bea overseas now? There had to be a reason.

Sensing Sophie's interest, Mrs. Wang added, "I heard Bea was once your mother-in-law. You must know about her past romance with Caelum, right?"

"Oh? Are you suggesting that Bea and Caelum had a thing back in the day?"

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