CHAPTER 131: CHAPTER 131: SECRETARY SHEPHERD, I NEED YOU

Immediately, he put on a mentor’s smile and said, "Juliana, Summer, you both are here."

Juliana smiled and approached with Summer.

Yvonne asked with concern, "What happened to your foot?"

"I twisted it," Juliana replied.

Yvonne said, "It looks serious. You must take care of it."

Juliana nodded without speaking.

At this moment, a waiter stationed outside shouted, "Vice President Grant has arrived."

Hearing this, Yvonne quickly ran out, not even caring about her father.

Quentin, ignoring Juliana’s presence, shook his head with a smile and said to a few friends, "Did you see that? You can’t keep a grown daughter at home."

With that, he too quickly walked outside.

Seeing the father and daughter act like this, Summer was amazed, "Finally, a prime example of a crooked elder leading to a crooked younger one."

Juliana laughed lightly, "This is just the beginning."

As the two were about to proceed further inside, they encountered Mrs. Quinn heading out eagerly to greet someone.

Seeing Juliana, Mrs. Quinn’s expression darkened for a moment but then she lifted her chin and said with pride to a female companion, "If it wasn’t for the fact that our Yvonne is so excellent and self-respecting, how would President Grant care about her so much? Once she gives birth to the family’s eldest grandson, the entire Grant Family will belong to Yvonne!"

The woman next to her, who seemed about her age, laughed repeatedly, "Yes, yes, much better than those who take a spot but do nothing, wasting people’s time!"

Mrs. Quinn felt even more smug, "Lucia, our families are old friends. Once we have money, we won’t forget about you."

Just as Summer was about to speak, Mrs. Quinn rudely squeezed past them, even deliberately elbowing Juliana hard.

Fortunately, Juliana had a cane, so she didn’t fall.

Summer hurriedly stepped forward to support her, angrily saying, "What is wrong with that person..."

Juliana gently pressed her hand, calmly watching Mrs. Quinn’s departing figure, "Give some tolerance to the blind."

Summer was taken aback but then burst into laughter, "I suspect we have masochistic tendencies."

Juliana, "?"

Summer, "Coming to this wretched place willingly, only to disgust ourselves."

Juliana also started laughing.

Evan was ushered through the doors by the Quinn family members.

Because he was not yet divorced, Yvonne was more reserved, just standing close to him without acting as intimately as usual.

Juliana picked up a glass of champagne but Summer quickly swapped it for a juice.

"You’re a lightweight, why are you even thinking of drinking?"

Juliana’s lips formed a slight smile, but just as she looked up, she collided with an intense gaze.

Ryan Warner, dressed in a coffee-colored suit, stood not far away, gazing at her intently.

As if he wanted to approach her, Juliana coldly turned away and walked off in another direction.

Summer didn’t notice this moment. She caught up with Juliana, whispering, "On such an important day, don’t you feel like someone is missing?"

Juliana nodded, "Stella Windsor didn’t come. Yvonne is her pawn. To avoid suspicion, she definitely won’t show up."

As the two were about to sit on the terrace chairs, they unexpectedly ran straight into Evan.

Seeing Yvonne next to him, Summer immediately laughed, "Oh, the Quinn family’s prized son-in-law, hello."

"Does your brother know you act like this, so disrespectful?" Evan said coldly.

Juliana redirected her gaze elsewhere, avoiding looking at them.

Yvonne quickly added, "Evan, why don’t you go over to my dad? He’ll introduce you to his proud students. I’ll chat with Miss Jacobs for a bit and then join you."

Evan glanced at Juliana, his gaze naturally falling on her foot.

Caleb Shaw said it wasn’t serious, so why was she using a cane?

"Evan?" Yvonne tugged at his sleeve when she noticed him zoning out.

Evan collected his thoughts and responded kindly to Yvonne, "Alright."

Once he left, Yvonne warmly stepped forward and took Juliana’s arm.

"You’re trying to match us up, so you won’t blame Evan for taking care of me, right?"

Before Juliana could respond, Summer interjected with a cold laugh, "Even if there’s a rift in their marriage, I’ve never seen someone so brazenly show off in front of the wife. There’s no more shameless mistress than Miss Quinn here."

After saying that, she quickly corrected herself, intensifying her tone, "No, you’re not a mistress, you’re a second mistress."

Yvonne’s face immediately turned ashen. Juliana stepped between her and Summer, her voice calm, "Today is your father’s birthday banquet. We only came here to say congratulations and won’t disturb you further."

Yvonne swiftly masked her anger with joy and her gaze fell on Juliana’s glass.

"Why are you drinking juice? This champagne was specially ordered by Evan’s assistant. Here, I haven’t touched this glass yet, let’s switch."

Saying so, without waiting for Juliana’s agreement, Yvonne forcibly swapped Juliana’s juice with her own champagne.

Juliana held the champagne, her expression unchanged, "Miss Quinn, I’m on antibiotics, so I can’t drink alcohol."

Yvonne suddenly realized and expressed concern, "Oh, is that so? This juice has been out for a while and isn’t fresh. I’ll have the kitchen make a fresh one for you right away."

With that, she took the juice and hurried towards the kitchen.

"That person sure knows how to play dirty," Summer remarked.

Juliana sniffed the champagne in her hand; her expression turned slightly grim, "Go check the kitchen."

Summer raised an eyebrow, immediately grasping the situation, and hurried to the kitchen.

Passing through the hall, she saw Elias being ushered in by Quentin and others.

Summer paused in her steps, changed direction, and approached Quinn Shepherd, who had been squeezed out of the crowd, her lips curling into a smile, "Secretary Shepherd, I need your help."

Quinn Shepherd’s eyelids flickered slightly...

Ten minutes later, Summer returned from the kitchen.

Juliana was still sitting by the terrace in a chair, and her drink had switched back to juice.

Summer whispered, "Yvonne spiked the juice she was preparing for you. Once you drank it, she’d have a waiter take you to an upstairs guest room. When the ’action’ started, she’d burst in with all the guests to catch you in the act. Not only would Evan be utterly disappointed in you, but you’d also be publicly humiliated, unable to show your face in the social circle again."

Juliana’s eyes fell on the woman in the hall who had earlier mocked her alongside Mrs. Quinn.

This woman, Lucia, was now trying to persuade her husband to drink less.

Juliana withdrew her gaze and asked, "How did you find out all this in such detail?"

Summer coughed lightly, "I happened to see Secretary Shepherd free, so I asked him for a favor."

Juliana said calmly, "Elias and we aren’t from the same world, so if we can draw boundaries, it’s best not to trouble him."

Summer understood her meaning.

Someone who had already experienced setbacks in marriage couldn’t bear any new wounds.

"Don’t worry, it has nothing to do with Elias. It’s a personal connection between Secretary Shepherd and me. I’ll treat him to a drink another day."

Hearing this, Juliana said nothing more.

At this moment, Yvonne came over with a glass of freshly squeezed juice.

"Miss Jacobs, this is freshly squeezed and very fresh."