Elise stopped walking and took a moment to observe Brandon.

He had a slightly overweight build. His facial features were completely ordinary, with nothing remarkable to note.

"Do you even realize who I'm speaking to?!" he exclaimed angrily. "I'm a senior executive at Levine Holdings! My annual salary is in the six figures!"

While Brandon continued his furious boasting, Elise simply clicked her tongue in disapproval. She turned and walked away without a second thought.

Brandon watched her departure with confusion. He had been certain that Elise would be throwing herself at him, given his impressive status and position.

But she showed absolutely no interest!

Truthfully, Brandon hadn't been particularly interested in her initially. However, he couldn't refuse the Scott family's request since they held significant influence in Crestwood. When he saw Elise in person though, he was stunned. She was far more beautiful than her photographs had suggested!

With that stunning face, he wouldn't mind just having a fling with her even if marriage wasn't involved.

As a sinister grin spread across his face, Elise continued walking toward the main gates. She had no intention of staying to discover what Brandon might be thinking.

"Sis."

Hearing Sophia call out from behind her again, Elise paused with an irritated expression.

What was she doing following her around instead of staying with her precious Samuel?

Even so, Sophia wore an expression that suggested she was doing Elise a favor. "Brandon might not be handsome," she said, "but he's reliable and has a stable income. He's much better than that firefighter you've been seeing! And if you're going to be a single mother anyway, why not choose someone who offers more security?"

"What, does being unattractive automatically make someone dependable?"

Elise suddenly turned around and scrutinized Sophia from head to toe. Her intense stare made Sophia uncomfortable.

"Just look at you, for example," Elise said with a cool laugh. "You're downright vile." With those final words, she turned and left.

It took Sophia a long moment after Elise had disappeared to realize she had been called both vile and ugly!

Her face flushed with anger, but Elise was already completely out of sight.

Sophia stood there grinding her teeth in frustration!

After all, they had specifically invited Elise here tonight to set her up with Brandon.

Even though she and Samuel were now together, and their close friends and family knew about their relationship, they hadn't made any official announcement yet. And Elise certainly wasn't about to publicly announce that her engagement with Samuel had been called off!

Sophia couldn't stand being seen as the other woman. Her only solution was to get Elise involved with someone else. That way, she would no longer be considered the homewrecker, and she could even accuse Elise of cheating on Samuel first!

Naturally, she had considered bribing that firefighter and having him get intimate with Elise. But she didn't know him well enough to manipulate him properly. And honestly, he was so handsome that Sophia still found it hard to believe!

How had Elise managed to land a man even better looking than Samuel? Even if she exposed their affair, people would probably just be impressed by Elise and the firefighter being such a perfect, gorgeous couple! People these days had no moral principles anyway. They judged everything by appearances, so there was no guarantee public opinion would swing in Sophia's favor!

Her eyes narrowed at the thought.

Over the years, she had always managed to get whatever she wanted when it came to Elise.

This time would be no exception!

After the weekend passed, Natalie Green came to Elise with swollen, red-rimmed eyes. She carried a resignation letter in her trembling hands.

Since Victoria Scott had gotten her hands on Natalie, it went without saying what a horrific weekend she must have endured.

Elise could even see fresh scratch marks on Natalie's neck.

Naturally, she didn't feel the slightest bit guilty.

Natalie had made her own bed. Now she had to lie in it.