With that, Mason Lawson dialed Hamilton Hale’s number, earning him an earful from Hamilton. "Why do you and Eric Kendall insist on calling when I’m busy? I’m just about to head into surgery!"

Mason Lawson said, "Are you free tonight? Let’s get a few drinks."

Hamilton Hale’s mind was completely preoccupied with the upcoming surgery, so he didn’t detect the coldness in Mason’s tone. "Eric Kendall is putting something together tonight at The Aegis Club. I’ll head over after work, so you should come too."

Although Mason Lawson was still extremely pissed off at Eric Kendall because of the birthday incident, it was in the past, and he wasn’t petty enough to hold a grudge. So, he agreed.

...

「Rivaster University.」

Because Mason Lawson had shown up unannounced at noon to see her, Eve Vaughn had been in a foul mood all day.

Later, Mia Kendall burst into her dorm room and started dragging her out.

"Mia, where are you taking me?"

Eve Vaughn let herself be pulled along, stumbling to keep up.

As she strode forward, Mia Kendall seethed, "Eric Kendall is at The Aegis Club. I’m going to get incriminating photos of him today!"

Eve Vaughn got into the car with her and asked, puzzled, "What did Eric Kendall do to you this time?"

Mia Kendall fumed, "A while ago, I auditioned for a movie, and the director was thrilled with me. He’d all but finalized me for the role and was about to have me sign the contract. But then, wouldn’t you know it, the director’s team suddenly backed out, saying the investor demanded a casting change. I only found out later that the wannabe model who replaced me didn’t even graduate from a proper film academy and has zero acting experience."

Eve Vaughn was completely baffled. "So what does that have to do with Eric Kendall?"

"Of course it’s related!" Mia Kendall, on the verge of tears from fury, said indignantly, "Because the investor who demanded the casting change was Eric Kendall! That wannabe model has been cozying up to him lately, and given that Eric and I are like oil and water, he’d obviously jump at any chance to screw me over! What’s more, when I went to confront him about it, that woman was right there in his office and had the nerve to mock me. I’m absolutely furious!"

It dawned on Eve Vaughn. She knew Mia was graduating from the Film Academy next year and just how hard she had worked, auditioning relentlessly to land a role.

To maintain her figure, Mia would eat nothing but vegetables and egg whites for a week at a time. To hone her craft, she’d worked as an extra on countless sets.

Now that she’d finally gotten her big break, Eric Kendall had sabotaged it just like that.

’She silently cursed Eric Kendall on her best friend’s behalf.’ Then, she asked, "So what’s your plan?"

Mia Kendall huffed, "An eye for an eye, of course! Right now, Eric Kendall is at The Aegis Club. I got a solid tip that he’s having that wannabe model keep him company tonight. All I have to do is get a few photos of them fooling around and post them online!"

"Uh..." Eve Vaughn had never done anything like this before. She hesitated, "I heard The Aegis Club caters exclusively to the elite. Their security is supposed to be really tight. Can we really pull this off?"

Mia Kendall patted the back of her hand reassuringly. "Relax, I’ve already made all the arrangements. I even borrowed two server uniforms. It’ll be foolproof! Besides, they have servers posted outside every private room. We’ll just put on the uniforms and blend right in."

Eve Vaughn was fiercely loyal to her best friend. Since Mia seemed to have a solid plan, she decided to go with her. At the very least, she could lend a hand.

And so, late that night, the two of them went to The Aegis Club and slipped into the women’s locker room.

As they were changing, Eve Vaughn asked in a low voice, "Mia, where did you get these server uniforms?"

Mia Kendall said with a grin, "I have two classmates who, like me, are about to graduate and can’t land any roles. Their families are also struggling financially, so they often work part-time here. Today, I paid them both double their salary to let us cover their shifts."

Eve Vaughn stared at her, speechless. "And your two classmates didn’t think you were crazy? Paying them to do their work for them?"

Mia Kendall cleared her throat awkwardly. "How should I know what they thought? Even if they think I’m a total psycho, I’ll take it! Eric Kendall started this, so he can’t blame me for fighting back!"

Meanwhile, in the private room Eric Kendall had reserved, everyone had arrived except for Hamilton Hale.

Furthermore, the women Eric Kendall had invited to keep them company were all up-and-coming starlets who had just begun to make waves in the entertainment industry.

After all, Mason Lawson had nearly cut ties with him. Now that Mason had graced him with his presence and was willing to let bygones be bygones, he had to show his sincerity.

With the wannabe model who’d just come into his favor nestled in his arms, Eric Kendall said to Jonah Spencer and Mason Lawson, "Tonight is a guys’ night, so let’s cut loose! When Hamilton Hale gets here, we’ll make him take a few penalty shots. The guy’s almost an hour late."

Trying to curry favor, the wannabe model said to him, "Young Mr. Kendall, how about we sing a duet of ’Marry Me Today’? You have such a pleasant voice, Young Mr. Kendall, you must be a wonderful singer."

Eric Kendall quickly waved her off. "Don’t! I’m not the marrying kind. I can’t stand cheesy songs like that."

The wannabe model was instantly mortified. A flicker of resentment showed in her eyes as she glanced at Eric Kendall, but she didn’t dare make her displeasure too obvious.

The only reason Mason Lawson had come tonight was to wait for Hamilton Hale.

His mind was consumed with the fact that Eve Vaughn had transferred her mother to another hospital behind his back—and that Hamilton Hale had helped her do it.

They had concealed it from him perfectly. One was his brother, the other his woman. For the first time, Mason Lawson felt the sting of betrayal.

The starlet next to him, of course, recognized Mason Lawson. If Eric Kendall hadn’t put this gathering together, when would she ever get a chance to be near a man from a top-tier family like him?

"Mr. Lawson, let me toast you." The starlet kept batting her eyelashes at Mason Lawson, practically gluing herself to his side.

Mason Lawson shot her a cold glance. "Back off. Your perfume is giving me a headache."

The starlet was shocked that her looks, so highly praised by countless directors, had absolutely no effect on Mason Lawson.

Mason Lawson had no patience for playing games with these women. Growing impatient waiting for Hamilton Hale, he pulled out a cigarette case.

Seeing her chance, the starlet was quick on the uptake. She flicked open a lighter and held it out to light Mason’s cigarette. Then, feigning nonchalance, she once again inched her body closer to his.

Outside the door, Eve Vaughn and Mia Kendall took in the entire scene inside the private room.

Mia Kendall took out her camera and quickly snapped several incriminating photos of Eric Kendall and the wannabe model.

But Eve Vaughn’s gaze was fixed on Mason Lawson.

’Looks like I was too naive,’ she thought. ’I never imagined they partied this hard in private.’ There were more women than men in the room, all of them young girls in short skirts with their legs on display. And Mason Lawson... he was completely shattering her perception of him.

’And to think I used to respect him so much.’

"Pervert!"

Eve Vaughn cursed under her breath.

While snapping photos, Mia muttered to her, "See? Doesn’t matter how respectable a man seems on the outside. Bring them here, and they all turn into pigs! Mason Lawson, Jonah Spencer... they’re all Eric Kendall’s buddies. Birds of a feather flock together!"