Chapter 173
Chapter 173
First, it was a race; now, it was a battle of wealth.
When it came to money, Stanley, the richest man in Hovendale, clearly wasn’t someone who could lose.
Jessica flashed him a coy smile, her pretty face glowing as she pleaded with him to buy the bikini.
Stanley glanced at Jessica, then shifted his gaze to Wendy.
Wendy was looking at him with her clear, bright eyes.
Jessica clung to his arm, pouting and sweetly begging, “Stariley, please buy it for me. I really want it!”
Stanley turned to the shopkeeper. “I’ll pay you double what it’s worth.”
He offered to double the price to buy the bikini for Jessica.
Jessica lifted her chin proudly, like a peacock flaunting her feathers, casting a smug look at Wendy as if to say, Look, Stanley bought it for me.”
Nathan quickly chimed in. “Stanley, you’re really killing the fun here. Sir, I’ll pay three times the price.”
Nathan was willing to pay three times the price to buy it for Wendy.
Wendy glanced at Nathan, shaking her head. “Nathan, it’s fine, really…”
“No, it’s not fine,” Nathan insisted with a grin. “I’m buying it, and I want to see you wear it.”
Stanley furrowed his brows slightly. “I’ll pay four times.”
Nathan countered, “I’ll pay five times.”
Now it was a battle between two men.
Stanley shot back, “Six times.”
As Nathan was about to respond, Wendy stopped him with a gentle hand. “Nathan, I don’t want the pink bikini anymore.”
Wendy extended her slender finger and pointed to a vibrant magenta bikini. “I want that one.”
The shopkeeper quickly grabbed the magenta bikini from the rack. “Excellent choice, miss. That’ll look amazing on you.”
Wendy winked at Nathan playfully. “Nathan, could you buy this one for me?”
Nathan raised an eyebrow. He realized that Wendy didn’t want to keep going with this rivalry between him and Stanley. She was being considerate, protecting his pride as a man and keeping things light for everyone.
She was extremely thoughtful.
“Of course,” he said with a smile.
He pulled out his wallet and paid for the magenta bikini.
Wendy took the pink bikini and casually tossed it into Jessica’s arms. “Here, Jessica, you can have this one. I don’t want it anymore.”
Jessica was completely caught off guard. Her expression turned to one of shock as she realized Wendy had turned the tables on her.
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Chapter 173
+25 BONUS
Cecelia chuckled. “Some people are so strange, paying six times the price for something Wendy doesn’t even want.
Jessica was left speechless.
“Wendy, let’s go change into our bikinis,” Cecelia said, glancing at Stanley with a sly smile. “By the way, Nathan paid for the magenta one. You should hurry up and wear it for him.”
Stanley’s lips pressed into a tight line, his usual aura darkening.
Wendy appreciated Nathan’s gesture. She smiled at him. “Thanks, Nathan. I’ll go change now.”
Nathan nodded. “Okay.”
Wendy and Cecelia walked off toward the women’s changing room.
Meanwhile, Jessica stood there, holding the pink bikini in her arms, feeling utterly humiliated, She didn’t know what to do with it–she couldn’t just throw it away, but keeping it felt just as bad.
Sienna’s face was equally sour, filled with envy. She resented Nathan for buying the bikini for Wendy.
In the hot spring pool, Stanley and Nathan had already arrived. Jessica and Sienna followed soon after.
Sienna, clearly delighted, called out, “Stanley, Jessica’s here!”
Stanley looked up as Jessica stepped into view, wearing the pink bikini. Her dancer’s body, honed from years of ballet, was perfectly sculpted–curves in all the right places. Her long, wavy hair cascaded down her back, making her look even more radiant and stunning. She was a fiery red rose.
As soon as Jessica entered, all the men’s eyes in the hot spring pool snapped to her.
Jessica, used to the attention, felt all the gazes on her. She had grown up in the spotlight, accustomed to the attention of men.
