"Mrs. Young, Rachel," she greeted them with a polite smile, her aura one of elegantposure.


    "Is that Yvonne? She''s grown so much! What a transformation, she''s absolutely stunning."


    "Teresa, she looks just like you did when you were young. Looking at her makes me feel so old."


    "You''re so lucky, Mrs. Spencer, to have such a beautiful daughter."


    A new wave of ttery began, this time directed at Yvonne. Standing next to Teresa, the family resemnce was undeniable. Dressed in a simple yet sophisticated white gown, Yvonne''s exquisite features were captivating.


    In contrast, Queena, adorned with a diamond hairpiece and a matching set of gemstone jewelry, looked overwrought. The sheer amount of sparkle was dazzling to the point of being tacky, making her seem less refined.


    Queena red at Yvonne, her face twisting in a silent snarl. How dare this country bumpkin try to outshine her?


    Just as she was plotting her next move, Oscar walked through the main doors.


    The Spencers, for all their wealth, were not in the same league as Istra''s top-tier families. As such, not even a single member of their maternal family, the Jameses, had bothered to attend. But Oscar, the heir to the prestigious Rogers family, was a different story. His arrival immediately made him the center of attention, and he was quickly surrounded.


    Oscar handled the attention with ease, smiling and chatting with the guests, a ss of champagne in his hand.


    "Oscar," Queena cooed, fluttering over to him like a butterfly. She wrapped her arm around his, her posture intimate. "What took you so long? I was getting worried." "Things were busy at the office. I came as soon as I could get away," he replied with a warm, indulgent smile.


    "Are Queena and Mr. Rogers dating?" Mrs. Young whispered, stunned.


    "They look so perfect together, a match made in heaven," another wife murmured in astonishment.


    Not long ago, Queena had been with


    the Gonzalez heir. Now, with the


    Gonzalez family on the brink of copse, she had somehow managed tond the heir to one of the most powerful families in the country. It was a shocking turn of events. But the guests were shrewd; they quickly shifted their allegiances.


    "I had no idea Queena was seeing Mr. Rogers! Teresa, you''re so modest. With a son-inw like him, you should have told us!"


    "Teresa, when can we expect a wedding invitation? I''ve already got my gift picked out!"


    Caught up in the flurry of excitement, Teresa beamed with pride.


    "Queena is still young, there''s no


    rush to get married," she said,


    already speaking like the


    mother inw to the


    l.ne


    Rogers hem


    fall


    "But once she''s of age, you''ll all be


    invited to the celebration."


    Queena clung to Oscar''s side, looking every bit the adoring fiancée. She shot a triumphant, provocative re at Yvonne.


    "Yvonne, this is Oscar, the heir to the Rogers family," she announced sweetly.


    Yvonne''s gaze fell on Oscar, her expression unreadable. For a fleeting moment, she was transported back in time. She had once called him brother-inw. Because Oscar had been married to Flora Moore.


    Flora was Bet''s cousin, the daughter of the uncle who had raised him. He and Flora had been closer than most biological siblings. She had been a gentle, graceful woman, as calm and kind as still water. As a child, Yvonne had followed her around like antle shadow. Flora would braid Yvonne''s hair and let her try on her dresses.