?Chapter 1696:


    The next evening, Christina entered the charity event with Gillian beside her. She carried herself with effortless poise, amanding elegance that drew every gaze the moment she stepped inside.


    Gillian, by contrast, instinctively withdrew, drifting half a step behind Christina, her posture betraying quiet unease. It was the first time she had ever worn a gown sovish and breathtaking, and she felt painfully out of ce — her movements stiff and cautious, constantly worried she might ruin the fabric. Every piece she wore had been chosen by Christina: the jewelry, the shoes, even the smallest detail. Apart from the person inside it, nothing truly belonged to her. Though she knew Christina would never demand repayment, the fear of damaging something so precious lingered all the same.


    “Don’t tense up,” Christina said gently, taking Gillian’s hand. “Inhale… then exhale. Imagine you’re somewhere familiar. Everyone else? Just scenery.”


    Gillian followed her breathing, then offered a shy, uncertain smile. “I don’t think I can,” she admitted softly. The room was filled with elite figures, and thinking of them as mere scenery felt almost impossible.


    “You still have to try,” Christina said, her tone calm but firm. “Even if you don’t believe it yet, you will. That’s not a suggestion.”


    And it worked. Gillian’s shoulders loosened slightly, the stiffness easing from her body.


    Christina had brought Gillian along to see whether her sincerity would hold in a ce drenched in glitter and temptation. The information she had gathered painted Gillian and her family as genuinely kind — but kindness alone wasn’t enough. In the Jones household, integrity had to survive temptation before it could earn trust. Ever since Christina learned her father had been poisoned, vignce for her family’s safety had sharpened into instinct, guiding every choice she made.


    “Yes, Miss Jones,” Gillian replied politely, relief flickering across her face as her heartbeat finally steadied. Still, she avoided meeting anyone’s eyes. Surrounded by such refined elegance, even a brief exchange of nces felt overwhelming. She longed for a quiet corner, yet responsibility outweighedfort — she couldn’t leave Christina’s side. Convinced she was there to protect her, threat or not, Gillian had assigned herself that duty. Her gaze sharpened as she scanned the room like a watchful sentinel.


    Christina stifled augh. Gillian looked as though they had stepped straight into hostile territory.


    Quality trantions on


    “Come on,” Christina said, amusement softening her smile.


    They had barely taken a few steps when someone deliberately stepped into their path.


    “I didn’t think you’d have the nerve to show up,” Violette sneered, slowly swirling the red wine in her ss.


    “I don’t hide in shadows like a coward,” Christina replied coolly, a faint smile on her lips. “Cowardice is probably something more familiar to you.”


    Violette’s face darkened at once. “Who are you calling a coward?” she snapped.


    “If it fits,” Christina replied, her smile widening. “Only cowards get offended by the word.”


    “You—” Violette’s breath caught with fury. She wanted nothing more than to pour her wine over Christina’s ck gown — but she restrained herself, drawing slow breaths while her temper simmered just beneath the surface.


    “Violette, let it go. She’s just running her mouth,” Irene cut in, shooting Christina an annoyed nce.


    Christina’s ne caught the light — sleek, modern, unmistakably expensive. Irene hated how dull her own pearls looked beside it. She resented women who wore luxury as naturally as breathing, while she depended on pieces borrowed from Violette. Standing across from Christina, she feltpletely overshadowed, and told herself that if she had been wearing the newest designs, she wouldn’t have been eclipsed like this.


    .


    .


    .