?Chapter 30:


    Jolie nced at her husband. Wearing identical dresses was not an option.


    Just then, Elena broke the silence. “This dress doesn’t suit you.”


    Elyse’s expression flickered with resentment, but she quickly masked it. “I know you like it. Don’t worry, I won’t take it,” she replied, her tone deliberately gracious.


    Although Elena disliked Elyse’s hypocrisy, she had no intention of humiliating her.


    Elena’s keen fashion sense made it easy to see whether an outfit suited someone. That ck dress, despite its simple appearance, only ttered those with an hourss figure.


    Elyse might have been pretty, but she was barely over five feet tall and had a petite frame. She would look average in a ck gown that required a certain presence.


    Elena had inherited her mother’s curvy figure and the tall stature of her family. Wearing ck only emphasized her dignified and poised aura.


    Yet, since Elyse insisted on something that wasn’t suitable for her, Elena chose to let her have it.


    Elena reached for a white dress. “I’ll wear this instead.”


    Jolie felt a surge of emotion, touched by her daughter’s thoughtfulness. She resolved to cherish Elena even more from now on.


    Elyse lowered her gaze, a hint of triumph shing in her eyes. In her mind, she believed she could take anything Elena liked, whenever she wanted. She didn’t even care whether the dress truly suited her. Elena paid no attention to Elyse’s thoughts.


    The grand banquet proceeded as nned at the Peak Hotel, where all of the’s distinguished figures had gathered.


    Elyse clung to Jolie’s arm, trying to appear as her daughter.


    Jolie grew concerned. “Has anyone seen Elena? We’re about to begin.”


    “Don’t worry. Elena said she’sing with Jeffry.” Despite her reassurance, Elyse secretly hoped Elena wouldn’t show up at all.


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    Radiant with pride, Elyse strutted around in the dress she had taken from Elena, savoring every admiring nce. She imagined envious eyes were fixed on her, admiring her elegance and refined background. What Elyse didn’t realize was that several socialites had gathered to whisper about her outfit.


    “Why is Elyse wearing such a mismatched dress today?”


    “That style doesn’t suit her at all. Whoever picked it has no sense of fashion.”


    “I never realized she was socking in shape…”


    Elyse, believing herself to be the embodiment of grace, approached her circle of friends.


    One of them asked, “Where’s that girl from the backwater?”


    “Is she too embarrassed by her looks to show up?” For them, Foiclens was the backwater.


    Hearing the insult directed at Elena, Elyse made no effort to defend her. In fact, she intentionally misled them. “She was uneducated, so her etiquette might becking. Don’t take it personally.”


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