After reading the messages, Estelle was even more speechless. ‘How can I dissolve her anger? Standing here and letting her scold me until she cools down? I’m not the third party in her marriage. Why should I let myself suffer like this?’ She thought.
At that moment, Cristofer sent her another text. Estelle tapped on the message and found information about Mrs. Jones. Suddenly, she had an idea, and her face lit up with understanding. She turned to Mrs. Jones and politely said, “Mrs. Jones, would you be interested in working on another project with me?”
Mrs. Jones gave her a skeptical look and replied bluntly, “Are you serious?”
“Yes, I know you’re the editor of a magazine with a unique taste. I’m planning to launch a new jewelry series, and I’m looking for a great platform to showcase it. Your magazine would be the perfect fit.”
Mrs. Jones rolled her eyes at Estelle and said, “You want me to promote your designs? You must be dreaming.”
“Mrs. Jones, what if I can guarantee that this new jewelry series will double your magazine’s sales? Would you consider collaborating with me?” Estelle asked.
Mrs. Jones sounded doubtful as she asked, “You really think your jewelry designs can double our magazine’s sales?”
Estelle nodded and replied, “Yes, I believe so. If we succeed, your magazine will gain popularity, Mr. Jones will treat you better, and you’ll have a more successful career. You’ll have the freedom to decide whether to stay married or not. And if we fail, you can still ask for compensation. You won’t lose anything by working together.”
“Who said I’m going to get divorced? I have a good relationship with my husband. Don’t talk nonsense!” Mrs. Jones said arrogantly as she subconsciously touched the diamond ring on her ring finger.
Hearing this, Estelle just nodded with a smile without saying anything.
With a hesitant look, Mrs. Jones looked at Eva and asked, “You are Mrs. Hans’ assistant, right?”
Eva, who cared a lot about Estelle, didn’t like how Mrs. Jones had spoken rudely to her. She looked at Mrs. Jones and asked in a grumpy tone, “What’s the matter?”
Mrs. Jones noticed Eva’s attitude and frowned slightly. She said, “Mrs. Hans, why did you hire such a rude assistant? How can she talk to a customer like this? You owe me an explanation! Tell her to improve her manners!”
Estelle quickly tried to calm the situation, saying, “Please, Mrs. Jones, don’t be upset.”
“I’m not upset, but Mrs. Hans, I have to be honest. An assistant like her will cause problems for you in the future. It might be best to replace her with someone more cooperative soon, or it could harm your business relationships,” Mrs. Jones suggested and pouted her lips.
Eva, feeling annoyed, turned her head away. Estelle realized what needed to be done and asked Eva with a smile, “Eva, can you go keep an eye on Gretchen for me?”
Eva blinked and replied, “Gretchen has security guards looking after her. I should stay here and protect you.”
“Mrs. Jones is reasonable, and we need to talk. You don’t have to stay with me. Please do as I ask. I trust you to watch over Gretchen,” Estelle said, giving Eva a knowing look.
Understanding the message, Eva nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll go right away. If you need anything, just call me, Mrs. Hans.”
“Thank you, Eva. Go ahead,” Estelle nodded politely.
Once Eva was out of sight, Mrs. Jones lowered her voice and asked Estelle, “Isn’t that fiery girl your assistant? Why did she call you Mrs. Hans? Shouldn’t she address you as Ms. Hudson?”
Estelle only just realized that Eva had addressed her as “Mrs. Hans” earlier. She smiled and explained, “Eva is Mr. Hans’ secretary. Cristofer sent her to assist me with company matters recently.”
Mrs. Jones seemed suspicious and remarked, “For such a young woman to be Mr. Hans’ secretary, she must be quite sophisticated and smart. Even though she may not be very beautiful, you should be cautious. Mrs. Hans, I’m just looking out for you.”
Estelle couldn’t help but chuckle at Mrs. Jones’s comment. “Mrs. Jones, I understand your concern, but Eva is not that type of person. Despite being Mr. Hans’ secretary, she has a closer relationship with me than with Cristofer.”
Mrs. Jones’s expression darkened slightly. “Well, if you don’t heed my advice, there’s not much I can do. By the way, why did you refer to her as ‘Mr. Hans’ secretary’? You’re Mr. Hans’ wife; you should just call him by his name.”
Estelle hesitated and began to explain, “We have…”
Mrs. Jones interrupted with a knowing tone, “Ah, I see. You two had an argument, didn’t you?” She continued in a hushed voice, “When a couple is in turmoil, a third party often seizes the opportunity to break them apart. My husband used to be well-behaved, but once we had a disagreement over a trivial matter, his mistress took advantage and seduced him. Now, my marriage is hanging by a thread.”
As they chatted, Estelle got to know Mrs. Jones’s candid and forthright personality. Mrs. Jones spoke her mind without much hesitation, and Estelle found it comforting.
“Is the Gretchen you mentioned earlier the woman causing trouble with her child outside?” Mrs. Jones asked.
Estelle nodded and replied honestly, “Yes, that’s her.”
Mrs. Jones commented, “She’s not as attractive or well-educated as you. You’re far better than her.”
“Thank you,” Estelle replied with a chuckle.
Mrs. Jones let out a helpless sigh and shared, “But men tend to be superficial. They don’t always appreciate a woman’s abilities or self-improvement; they often focus on looks, youth, and vitality. No matter how intelligent, independent, or accomplished we are, men sometimes prefer those who flirt with them.”
Estelle paused for a moment, then gently asked, “Mrs. Jones, may I ask about your plans for the future?”
Mrs. Jones glanced at her and played it off, saying, “What do you mean? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Understanding that Mrs. Jones didn’t want to talk about her marriage life, Estelle respected her privacy. After all, they had just met, and they weren’t close enough to share secrets.
With a warm smile, she smoothly changed the subject, saying, “What I meant is, you could consider partnering with me. The truth is, the Hudson Group has faced some challenges in recent years. I haven’t fulfilled orders for many clients besides you. There are various complex reasons behind this, which I can’t discuss in detail. What I can say is that I’m committed to reviving the company. It’s a business my father dedicated most of his life to, and I want to see it thrive again.”