CHAPTER 29: CHAPTER 29: THE EXCITEMENT BEGINS

"Ivana... I..."

As he started speaking, the host handed the microphone to Ivana Monroe.

Ivana lifted her slender white fingers and tapped twice on the microphone, the noise drowning out Zachary Heston’s words.

Holding the microphone, Ivana smiled as she spoke to Michelle Monroe: "Michelle, you should know this man was once my former husband."

Zachary’s heart trembled intensely as he heard Ivana say this, deeply moved, thinking she still had feelings for him.

Michelle’s face, heavy with foundation, looked awful. She had thought Ivana, after going through such unbearable experiences, would have completely let go of Zachary, yet she hadn’t.

Even if she hadn’t let go, witnessing someone she once loved now marrying someone else must make Ivana unbelievably hurt and sad!

Ivana was merely pretending to be strong.

Michelle suddenly changed her expression, feigning weakness: "Sister, I know... Brother Zachary used to be my brother-in-law, but you didn’t cherish him. You had a child with another man; you were the one who first betrayed him. Do you still want to stop him from finding happiness even after all this?"

Michelle spoke with finesse, implying she was Zachary’s happiness.

Zachary’s parents, upon hearing Michelle’s words, were furious to the point of almost vomiting blood; they hated Ivana, the tramp, who had humiliated their treasured son, making him Ravenswood’s laughing stock.

Their son must have been blind back then to marry such a disgraceful woman.

Zachary’s expression wasn’t much better. Michelle’s mention of this matter struck his heart with pain, especially that little bastard, like a nail of shame.

Back then, if Ivana had knelt down and begged for forgiveness and aborted the bastard, he might not have left so heartlessly; he might have even let her keep the title of Mrs. Heston.

But Ivana did not do that; instead, she begged him to accompany her to the hospital to keep the bastard, which Zachary couldn’t forgive.

Jean Shaw glared at Ivana, threatening her: "Ivana, do you really want to bring up your disgraceful past at Michelle’s wedding again? I warn you, you may not care about your reputation, but we do, don’t ruin Michelle’s wedding, or I won’t spare you."

Caleb Monroe also said solemnly, "Don’t make a fool of yourself."

Caleb’s deep eyes were cold and carried an untouchable authority, as if threatening to slap Ivana down if she dared to cause trouble at Michelle’s wedding under the name of a father’s authority.

Ivana ignored Jean Shaw’s threat and shifted her gaze to Caleb Monroe’s imposing face.

"Dad, am I your biological daughter?"

Caleb was taken aback, frowning impatiently, "Ivana, what exactly are you trying to do?"

Disappointment flashed in Ivana’s eyes, and she laughed self-deprecatingly. Since Jean Shaw came into the picture, this so-called father never gave her reason to expect anything; he probably only saw Michelle as his biological daughter!

But.

Ivana still wanted him to know what happened back then.

She slowly turned her back to face all the guests, an absolutely cold silhouette causing Caleb to feel uneasy.

Seeing Ivana like this, Michelle felt inexplicably anxious.

Ivana’s powerful voice boomed through the sound system, "Everyone must be curious about why I divorced and disappeared six years ago, right?"

Everyone here had attended her wedding six years ago; they all knew her.

Isaac Heston wasn’t there six years ago; he was studying for his Ph.D. in Vesperia then, and now he looked at the beautiful yet stubborn woman on stage, curious about what happened back then.

People love gossip, so the guests were all ears.

Susan Heston sneered coldly, "Slut! Got pregnant with someone else’s child outside; do you think Brother Zachary would want you?"

Isaac Heston suddenly retorted, "Jealousy is ugly, Susie."

Susan’s smugness lasted only two seconds before Isaac’s comment cut her down. She wanted nothing more than to spill wine on Isaac’s face, but what could she do?

Michelle’s eyes briefly showed panic, was Ivana going to expose her past affair with Zachary?

No, she couldn’t let that happen.

Michelle reached for Ivana’s microphone, lowered her voice, and said through gritted teeth, "Ivana, stop embarrassing yourself; if you’re not here to offer congratulations, then get off."

Ivana did not let Michelle succeed and ran to the other end of the red carpet, whereas Michelle’s wedding dress was floor-length, making it impossible for her to chase Ivana down.

Ivana stood at the other end of the red carpet and gave Michelle a cold smile: "Michelle, do you remember that night six years ago? I woke up with a stomach ache and saw you in the next room igniting a fiery affair with Zachary."

Seeing Michelle’s panicked expression, Ivana felt a sudden satisfaction and continued, "Michelle, you had your eye on your brother-in-law, and you could have just told me; that would have been straightforward. Instead, you secretly got involved with him, and even when he got a call from Mrs. Heston, returning to the old family home, you kicked me from behind at my back, knocking me off the second floor; you really are vicious! Trying to make it a double murder?"

All the guests were in an uproar.

"Oh my God! Michelle is so cruel? Doing something so ruthless to her own biological sister?"

"Haha, they’re not born from the same mother; would Michelle really consider Ivana as her own sister?"

"You can’t judge a book by its cover; Michelle seems gentle and weak, but who knew she’d be so vicious behind the scenes!"

The murmurs below were enough to drown Michelle.

Michelle hated Ivana to the core, but on the surface, she pretended to be grievously wronged. Her eyes instantly reddened as tears streamed down: "Sister, what have I done to offend you? Why are you slandering me like this?"

Jean Shaw was furious, she couldn’t take it: "You little tramp, did you come here today to bring trouble for Michelle? I’ll tear your mouth apart!"

Zachary was stunned; when he returned, Ivana was already gone. Michelle said Ivana went to the hospital, and he was so angry at the time, he even scolded Michelle.

He remembered Michelle tearfully told him: Ivana was bleeding heavily below; after all, she was her sister, how could she stand by and do nothing?

Caleb Monroe grabbed Jean Shaw, seeing her eyes red with rage, he looked at Ivana bitterly, his voice strong as he said, "When a child isn’t taught, it’s the father’s fault, I blame myself for not teaching you properly, allowing you to say such damaging words against your own sister at Michelle’s wedding."

Jean Shaw was popping with rage, crying while exclaiming, "Caleb, you need to break Ivana’s dirty mouth."

Caleb Monroe, furious, approached Ivana, raising his hand, ready to slap her face hard.

Ivana, however, neither dodged nor evaded, raising her chin, she offered him a cold smile, as if he were ridiculously funny at that moment.

Caleb hesitated, glaring at her viciously, thinking she must be insane.

Just as Caleb’s hand was about to fall, Ivana slowly spoke.

"Dad, you’ll see, the real show is about to start," Ivana smiled, looking at the screen behind Michelle and Zachary.