The next day, Charlene and Stewart attended a cocktail party together.


    They hadn''t been there long when Vesta and her entourage arrived, their eyes immediatelynding on the pair across the room.


    The moment they saw Charlene, the expressions on Leah and Rhoda''s faces soured. The reason was simple: Charlene was wearing the very gown that Vesta had been admiring just a few days prior.


    The dress was worth over a million dors, and in the past, Vesta would have bought it without a second thought. But this time.....


    Beyond the gown, the bracelet and ne Charlene wore were masterpieces from a renowned designer, valued at nearly ten million.


    While Vesta''s own dress and jewelry were new and from a designerbel, they were simply not in the same league as Charlene''s.


    Vesta had built a reputation as the city''s fashion icon, known for her untouchable collection of couture and rare jewels, and coupled with her striking looks, she had captivated everyone. Her style was so influential that many of Starfall''s socialites watched her closely for fashion cues before any high-profile event.


    Tonight, however, though Vesta was still radiant, whispers began to circte. People noticed that her attire, while elegant, seemed almost modest by her usual standards. The hushed discussions all revolved around the same questions: Why was she dressed so... humbly? Was there trouble between her and Thorne? Had he cut her off?


    Then it dawned on some that it had been quite a while since Vesta and Thorne had appeared at a party together, a stark contrast to the past when she was a constant presence by his side.


    In the upper echelons of society, everyone was a shrewd observer. As they sensed


    a shift in the currents, the number of people approaching Vesta and her family dwindled noticeably.


    That all changed, however, with Moran''s arrival. He walked in and immediately greeted Vesta''s group with the same warmth as always. His casual friendliness was enough to make the crowd second-guess the assumptions Perhaps Vestag choice of attire was simply a matter of personal taste, they reasoned. As for Thorne''s absence, they rationalized that he had been exceptionally busy for the past few months and had been skipping most evening events.


    The stark difference in how they were treated before and after Moran''s appearance did not go unnoticed by the Hawkins and


    Spencer families. It was a chill


    reminder of how quickly the tide could


    over something as trivial


    as an outfit. If this was the reaction to a simple dress, they couldn''t imagine the fallout if news of a real breakup with Thorne ever got out.


    The thought caused Vesta''s own expression to darken.


    Although Charlene and Stewart weren''t paying close attention to the Spencers and Hawkinses, they couldn''t help but overhear the spection about Vesta and Thorne.


    Stewart, who knew little about women''s designer fashion, nced over at Vesta. "Are her dress and jewelry really that cheap?" he asked, genuinely curious.


    Charlene knew little more about high fashion than the average socialite. She followed his gaze and shrugged. "I have no idea."


    "She''s always been so ostentatious," Stewart mused. "I can''t believe she''d choose to wear something inferior if she had better options Do you think something is really going on with them?"


    Charlene just shook her head again, indicating she didn''t know.


    Stewart frowned, his suspicion growing. "Could they really be having problems? But that can''t be right. I haven''t heard a thing."