Lydia hadn’t expected her employer to be acquainted with Lina. The moment she stepped into the birthday party, she was blocked right in her tracks by Lina.

The wealthy heiress, dressed in the latest haute couture gown, crossed her arms and gave Lydia a sideways glance, lazily placing her champagne glass on Lydia’s camera. “You, go get me another one.”

Lydia sidestepped, immediately protective of her camera, which was worth over a hundred thousand. She wasn’t about to let Lina handle it. “I’m not a waitress,” she said, turning to walk away.

But Lina wasn’t going to let her off that easily. With a swift arm, she blocked Lydia’s path. “Isn’t that a staff badge hanging around your neck? What’s wrong with getting me a drink? You’re here to serve people like us, right?”

Her voice was loud enough that many around them turned to look at Lydia.

Elaine, seeing the tension, quickly intervened. “I’ll do it. I have a staff badge too. I’ll go get your drink.”

“No, I want her to do it.” Lina pointed at Lydia, her fingernail dangerously close to Lydia’s forehead. “Lydia, back when you were with Jay, everyone tolerated you showing up at our events. But now that you’re no longer with him, you’re just here to serve us, do our bidding.”

Lydia calmly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and asked in a low, almost teasing tone, “Are you sure you want me to get it?”

“Absolutely, it’s you.”

Lydia gave a small nod, then went off to get the champagne. When she returned, Lina stretched her hand out smugly to take the glass.

But instead of handing it over, Lydia swiftly turned her wrist, splashing the entire glass of champagne onto Lina’s haute couture gown, soaking a large patch. “Sorry, I’m still not very good at this serving drinks business,” she said with a wide, almost too-sincere smile.

Lina’s face immediately contorted in anger, especially when she saw Lydia’s grin, which only seemed to fuel her rage. She raised her hand as if to slap Lydia. But as she did, her eyes caught sight of Jayden pushing his way through the crowd toward them. In an instant, her expression softened, and the fury was replaced with a look of feigned innocence.

“Lydia, I know you don’t like me. But today is my friend’s birthday. Even if you can’t stand me, you shouldn’t embarrass me like this in front of everyone.”

Before Lydia could respond, Jayden emerged from the crowd, his face scrunching in confusion. “Lydia, what are you doing?”

Just as Lydia was about to react, Jayden yanked her arm hard, pulling her backward. She instinctively protected her camera, afraid it might break, and didn’t struggle, stumbling a few steps before finally managing to steady herself.

As she looked up, she saw Reign standing in the crowd, seemingly oblivious to the drama unfolding nearby. He was casually chatting with someone, politely engaging in conversation.

From a distance, he still exuded that elite aura. Surrounded by several elegantly dressed women, some with eager faces, a few daring ones were even pulling out their phones, clearly trying to get his contact details.

So typical of him. A true heartbreaker, always surrounded by women wherever he went.

Lydia thought bitterly, her gaze lingering on him.

Reign turned his head slightly and caught sight of her. His expression softened with a trace of pity as he saw her arm in Jayden’s grip, her hair disheveled, her features contorted in discomfort.

She looked like a mess.

But Lydia’s disheveled appearance didn’t even faze Reign. He barely gave her a second glance before turning his attention back to the women around him, allowing one of them to add him on social media.

“His popularity with women was undeniable.” Lydia felt the bitter sting of that truth.

Jayden’s gaze fell on the damp spot on Lina’s dress, his heart aching as he turned on Lydia, his tone sharper than ever. “Lydia, do you really need to drag Linnie into this? She’s just an innocent girl who doesn’t understand any of this.”

Lydia snapped out of her thoughts, momentarily stunned by his words before amusement curled on her lips. Lina’s cheap, green-tea tricks—and Jayden actually fell for them? Had she really been engaged to such a fool?

She couldn’t even be bothered to explain. Instead, she shoved the camera into Jayden’s hands. “Here, I ‘accidentally’ snapped quite a few shots of your innocent little sweetheart. Pick your favorite, and I’ll send it to you.”

Jayden was momentarily speechless, staring at the camera screen in disbelief.

But Lydia didn’t give him a chance to say anything more. She jerked her arm free from his grasp, snatched the camera back, and calmly said, “Your little sweetheart really missed her calling in the entertainment industry. I remember your family’s in entertainment, right? Why don’t you invest some money and make her famous?”

With that, Lydia turned on her heel and walked off, leaving Jayden with no chance to catch up.

The disruption, however, left a lingering effect on the rest of her work. No matter where Lydia went, a few bored rich second-generation heirs would sidle up to her and make snide remarks. “Jayden and Lina have been childhood sweethearts for so many years. You’re just a fling. What face do you have to come out here and make life difficult for Lina?”

“You’re just after the money, aren’t you? Pretending to be all high and mighty—who are you fooling? If you have time to bully Lina, you’d better think about how to ask Jayden for more money.”

Lydia didn’t let any of their insults slide. She calmly recorded every snide comment, then sent the videos straight to Jayden. “Control your little sweetheart. She’s making noise like a flock of crows.”

Elaine, who had been carrying the equipment, couldn’t help but click her tongue as she witnessed the drama. “Do rich people really live such boring lives?”

Lydia was unimpressed. “These people have already been abandoned by their families. They get a fixed allowance every month and are just waiting to be married off into some business alliance. That’s why they have time to make trouble.”

Elaine rolled her eyes. “Good thing you know how to handle them. If it were me, they’d probably have me crying by now.”

By the time the birthday party was winding down, Lydia’s photography work was nearly done. She just had to capture the final shots of the fireworks before she could wrap up.

So, the two of them found a quiet corner, grabbed some snacks, and settled down to eat and chat.

After a few bites, Elaine remarked, “These fancy snacks are really good, but the high-society circles are so hard to fit into. I can’t even imagine how many cold looks you must’ve gotten behind your back when you were with Jayden.”

Lydia shrugged it off. “Actually, I haven’t attended many of these events with Jayden. As for the looks behind my back, I don’t care. They can roll their eyes all they want. It’s not like I can see them.”

The Mercer family’s attitude toward her had always been somewhat ambiguous—neither overtly hostile nor fully approving. When she and Jayden got engaged, their families had merely shared a meal together. There hadn’t been any grand celebrations. And since her studio had just started up and kept her busy, she hadn’t had much time to attend their social gatherings.

Of course, looking back now, it was clear Jayden hadn’t wanted her there. After all, how else could he flirt with Lina and have the freedom to carry on with other women?

Elaine hesitated for a moment before speaking again. “Honestly, Jayden’s personality is too soft. He’s not really suited for you. When he was pursuing you, he was sincere, but a man like him is easily swayed by other women. But now you two have broken up. What he does is no longer your concern.”

Lydia didn’t fully agree with Elaine’s take on Jayden.

Jayden was indecisive, while Reign was his complete opposite. Yet that didn’t stop him from sharing laughter and flirtation with the women around him. It seemed that being a player was a common trait among men, unrelated to their personalities.

And Reign was particularly unreliable—his thrill-seeking nature came quickly, but so did his disinterest; he tossed people aside just as fast. All the effort she’d invested in him felt utterly wasted.

Lost in her thoughts about Harris's medication, she let slip her true feelings. “Reign is quick, alright—just a useless man.”

Elaine bit down on her tongue, ignoring the pain as she gasped, “No way! Prof. Hawke looks so tall and strong; he should be pretty enduring, right? He actually… can’t perform?”

Reign wasn’t a fan of nights like this, but being part of this social circle meant some necessary mingling had to happen. After circulating for a while, feeling drained, he grabbed a drink and intentionally sought out a quieter spot to catch some fresh air.

From behind the bushes, he caught Lydia’s clear voice critiquing, “Reign? He’s way too quick.”

Reign's expression darkened.