The Ex-Wife’s Billion Dollar Comeback Novel

---- Chapter 218: Aurelia Fashion Gala ~ Rose ~ The Aurelia Fashion Gala was scheduled after Soraya and Jacob's wedding. It was still the talk of Cedar Heights. Rose's social media feed was filled with news about how Soraya was the luckiest woman for marrying Jacob. What Rose despised most was the support being showered on Soraya, even when the public knew so little about her. Cars were lined up at the fashion show venue. Rose and Axel Davis were waiting for their turn to get out of the car when she noticed her old classmates still buzzing about Soraya and Jacob in their college chat group.

Naturally, Rose had tried to put Soraya down the best way she knew how. She remarked: [Isn't she just a programmer? That's nothing compared to what I've achieved.] Lucy: [Isn't your business failing, @Rose? Doesn't matter if she' s just a programmer, she seems to have done well for herself, being just that. | heard Soraya Azar is Aegis Core Systems' leading cybersecurity specialist!] Becky: [I heard Soraya got promoted to a director position.] Ken: [She is very pretty, and from what I've read so far, she's also quite smart!] Nancy: [Actually, Miss Azar is more than just a computer engineer.

She leads the forex and stock exchange portfolio of Azar Investment Firm. My family has been investing there for a year now, and our returns have grown almost twenty percent. That is about three to four times more than what ---- banks could ever offer.] Nancy: [They say Soraya is very good with numbers and analysis. So her achievements in cybersecurity make sense, because it's all about codes and numbers!] Lucy: [Oh my god! Tell me about it! | should invest my money there!] Then, a familiar name joined the chat. It was Michael Reed's ex-girlfriend, Jane.

Jane: [Rose Becket, all you're ever good at is stealing someone else's man. Have you forgotten how you came between me and Michael in college?] Jane: [Guys, we should look deeper. | heard Calum Montclair was previously married and that Rose was his mistress!] Rose exited the chat group quickly, afraid of where the discussion might lead. What if everyone found out she had been Calum's mistress in the past? That would ruin her reputation for good. She hoped and prayed no one from her college would ever find out. In any case, Calum was also trying to protect his reputation.

He would not likely bring up his past with Soraya to the public, especially now that his ex-wife was married to Jacob. Rose hated it. As days went by, more and more of her friends turned their backs on her. Her previous glory was crumbling. Where would she go now? She turned to Axel, the only person who had offered to lend ---- her a hand. 'Maybe Axel is my only solution.' Of course, she had her reservations. Axel was known to be a ladies' man, but he was rich enough. He was handsome too. Maybe, with her by his side, Rose could change him.

'Since Calum is gone, I'll move on with Axel; she concluded. ' At least, Axel is crazy about me.' The venue of the fashion gala was filled with elite guests. Rose tried her best to mingle with the crowd. She smiled and greeted them, but each time she mentioned her failing fashion brand, they would pull their hands away from hers. "Oh, you're the Rose Becket," one woman said, frowning. Then, the same woman never looked at Rose again. "Maison de R," another woman reacted.

"You were the designer whose grand fashion show flopped?" The woman laughed and gossiped about Rose while waiting for the show to start. "| told you this was a bad idea," Axel scolded. "Can you just shut up and sit pretty like the flower that you are? Just smile and pretend you have nothing to say." 'Ahhh! Ahhbh!' Rose screamed inside. Her eyes welled with tears, but she held them back. People were looking down on her, humiliating her on purpose! 'Just you wait and see!' She convinced herself.

'I will make a comeback, somehow.' The fashion gala began, and Rose momentarily forgot how these privileged women had mistreated her. She began to draw inspiration from the success of the fashion designers before her. ---- The show was arranged according to theme and the designer' s popularity. Rising names like Valmont Privée were scheduled to present their collection in the middle of the program. Rose searched for familiar faces, but from where she was seated, she couldn't find any. She couldn't find Luca either, which meant he was backstage preparing for the show.

"Up next, we have the summer collection of Valmont Privée!" the host announced, and another set of music played in the background Models appeared on the runway, showing off Luca's latest designs. The guests clapped and cheered. Eyes widened and sparkled. Wealthy women were already choosing which pieces to buy. "I'll definitely buy that! And that!" "Wow! It's all so beautifull" "| think that one fits me perfectly!" "The designs are marvelous!" Rose looked around and noticed the difference. During her own funded fashion show, the reactions had never been genuine. They were all paid reactions.

That was where most of her money had gone, to create hype. But in the end, she still failed. A tear rolled down Rose's cheek as she surrendered to the truth. Luca Valmont was indeed a far better and more talented ---- designer. She was nothing compared to him in the fashion industry. She clapped her hands when Luca's collection seemed to have ended, or so it appeared. But then Luca stepped forward 'on stage, holding a microphone. He proudly smiled and announced, "And now, for our final piece.

This dress is not for sale, not for trend, but for meaning." "This gown was created for my friend's wedding. | made it especially for her because she became my symbol of hope. She believed in me when | had nothing. Not too long ago, | was selling my clothes on the streets, keeping my designs in the trunk of my car." "But this amazing woman saw my talent and invested in me. Today, she's more than a supporter: she's my friend and my inspiration. | call her my idol because, like me, she knows what it means to rise from nothing." He smiled, turning toward the runway.

"Ladies and gentlemen, she's not a model, but | promise you, she's one of the most beautiful faces you'll ever see. Please welcome Mrs. Ara Steel, wearing her custom-made wedding gown by Valmont Privée!" 'Ara Steel.' 'Friend. Inspiration.' 'My idol. The same words echoed in Rose's head. 'No! No!' Yet again, Rose silently screamed. She jerked up, stomping her feet as she watched Soraya walk down the runway, with the rest of the models behind her. Rose could not believe it! ---- It had been Soraya all along?!

While the crowd praised Soraya's face, her gown, and how perfectly it fit her, Rose was fuming ten rows behind the runway! 'She did this on purpose!' Rose thought. 'She wanted to ruin my business! How could she get lucky and bump into Luca Valmont?!' "Excuse me, woman, you're blocking the view!" a socialite scolded, but Rose refused to listen. "Get down here before security asks us to leave!" Axel yanked Rose back into her seat, and for the rest of the show, Rose could only sit there, seething and burning in jealousy. Watching Soraya bask in the glow of applause, Rose thought quietly.

If only she hadn't let Claire's words poison her, if she hadn't fallen in love with Calum, maybe she wouldn't be sitting here now, drowning in what-ifs.