In the private room, the class monitor was belting out a song at the top of his lungs, his voice so anguished it was as if he’d just suffered heartbreak.

Claire Xu clapped her hands over her ears, leaned closer to Lauren Shaw, and whispered, "People usually get paid to sing, but if the class monitor sings again, we’ll need hazard pay."

He sang with his eyes closed and a face full of bliss, utterly immersed in the sound of his own voice, clearly unconcerned for anyone else’s well-being.

By the time the song mercifully ended, Claire Xu felt her eardrums had nearly given out.

Lauren Shaw swirled her wine glass, feeling as if someone’s gaze kept boring into her. When she glanced around, she found it was Xiao Pei.

Earlier at dinner, Lauren Shaw had exposed Xiao Pei’s secret. No doubt, Xiao Pei held a grudge now.

Back in school, Xiao Pei often butted heads with Lauren Shaw, always playing petty tricks whether in the open or behind her back. Lauren Shaw never bothered with such nonsense, finding it beneath her notice.

Claire Xu noticed her glass was nearly empty and lifted the bottle to offer a refill, but Lauren Shaw waved her off. "I can’t drink too much."

Claire Xu immediately sobered up, looking serious. "You’ve got a great tolerance—come on, just keep me company for a bit."

"Yancy Shaw doesn’t want me drinking too much," Lauren Shaw replied. She thought of what happened the last time she drank too much, and suddenly the wine didn’t seem so appealing.

Seeing Lauren Shaw’s conflicted expression, Claire Xu teased, "Can’t believe Yancy Shaw has you completely under his thumb now."

She might have liked Yvonne Sung once, but Yvonne Sung never cared about these things. Yancy Shaw was different—he kept an eye on everything about Lauren Shaw, and what’s more, Lauren Shaw didn’t mind at all.

Just then, her phone rang. It was a call from Yancy Shaw. She stood up and said, "I’ll take this outside."

Once she’d stepped into the hallway, she answered the call.

"You finished up?"

"Yeah, I’m coming to pick you up." Yancy Shaw had just left the operating room, his white lab coat not yet taken off. Seeing the location Lauren Shaw sent him, he grabbed his car keys and headed her way.

After hanging up, Lauren Shaw turned to use the bathroom.

In the corridor, a man and a woman were wrapped around each other—the woman nestled in the crook of the man’s arm and whispered coyly, while the man, wearing a leering smile, slipped a hotel room card into her hand.

"Come find me here tonight," he murmured.

The woman giggled, "You’re so bad~"

As Lauren Shaw passed them, the woman happened to look up. Their gazes met. There was a flicker of panic in the woman’s eyes and she quickly looked away, guilty.

Lauren Shaw turned her eyes back ahead and glided past, unbothered.

Barely a moment after she entered the bathroom, she heard the door slam shut behind her—and the click of a lock.

"Come out!" demanded a cold voice: Yana Quinn.

Unhurried, Lauren Shaw stepped from the stall, went to the sink, and leisurely turned on the faucet to wash her hands.

In the mirror behind her, Yana Quinn’s face was twisted with fury.

She forced her voice low. "What did you see?"

"Whatever you just did, that’s what I saw." Compared to Yana Quinn’s anger, Lauren Shaw was utterly unruffled.

It was this calm, almost detached attitude that made Yana Quinn feel ridiculous—like a woman scorned, laughable with every panicked move.

Lauren Shaw turned to leave, but Yana Quinn rushed to block the door.

"You’d best act like you saw nothing tonight," Yana Quinn warned.

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" Lauren Shaw had no patience for this nonsense—but being cornered in a bathroom never felt good, especially with Yana Quinn’s posture so menacing.

Recently, Yana Quinn had landed roles in a few productions—not for top-tier directors, but at least she was being cast, and she’d paid dearly for those parts.

Tonight, the man she’d just been with was a somewhat well-known director. He’d just offered her the second female lead role.

It was her looks that landed her the part, but she’d never had much choice in the matter.

She forced a bitter smile. "Look at me now. Satisfied?"

"What does any of this have to do with me?"

"You’re the reason I’ve ended up like this!" Yana Quinn blamed Lauren Shaw for all her misfortune.

Lauren Shaw really couldn’t fathom her logic—Yana Quinn was the one who’d started the feud. How had she become the villain in this story?

"Yana Quinn, the road you’re on is the one you chose. You’re just reaping what you’ve sown," she said coolly. If she’d really wanted to get Yana Quinn back, the woman wouldn’t even be able to show her face in this city.

Her tone was ice-cold, her eyes nothing but indifferent steel.

Yana Quinn’s face turned ghostly pale as she stared back.

Lauren Shaw spared her no further glance. She fixed her makeup in the mirror and left.

When she returned to the private room, most of the group was tipsy. Ian Lawrence, in particular, seemed drunk—slumped on the couch with his eyes half-shut.

Xiao Pei clocked this, grabbed a glass of wine, and sat down beside him.

Claire Xu leaned against Lauren Shaw’s shoulder, sighing, "So that’s why she stuck around after you roasted her at dinner—it’s because of Ian Lawrence."

Lauren Shaw followed her gaze. Sure enough, Xiao Pei sat blushing beside Ian Lawrence, giving him dewy-eyed looks.

Xiao Pei never used to come to these reunions. Clearly, it was Ian Lawrence’s presence that drew her in tonight.

No wonder she’d gone out of her way to provoke Lauren Shaw at dinner—she wanted to make a splash in front of Ian Lawrence.

"Seems like Xiao Pei’s still hopelessly hung up on Ian Lawrence—it’s been years, and she’s still throwing herself at him."

Back in university, Claire Xu often saw Xiao Pei trying to cozy up to Ian Lawrence with little gifts, but he never spared her a glance, tossing her presents right in the trash.

While the two of them were trading remarks, Ian Lawrence suddenly got up and walked over.

Xiao Pei’s face immediately soured as she watched him come their way.

Claire Xu, unable to resist, teased, "Ian Lawrence, what’s up with you? Gorgeous girl sitting right next to you and you’re coming over here instead?"

"Can I have a drink with you guys instead?" Ian Lawrence said, pouring himself a glass and downing it in one go.

On the other side, Xiao Pei’s face grew darker with every moment.

Seizing the mic, she let the alcohol fuel her next jab—her words laced with malice and aimed at Lauren Shaw.

"Lauren Shaw, didn’t you say you’re married? Why not have your husband come over?" She smiled with mock sweetness.

She knew Ian Lawrence liked Lauren Shaw. By saying this, she was reminding him Lauren Shaw was already married—he should move on.

She also wanted to see what Lauren Shaw’s married life was really like. If it wasn’t good, that would make her day.

Judging by the look of things, Lauren Shaw’s marriage couldn’t be going great—otherwise, why wasn’t her husband here to fetch her at this hour?

Lauren Shaw, who had been messaging Yancy Shaw on her phone, looked up at Xiao Pei’s remark. Xiao Pei’s sneering expression was utterly grating.

Lauren Shaw’s lips curled very slightly in a cold smile. Of course she saw right through Xiao Pei. She replied coolly, "He’ll be here a bit later."