ude stood at the doorstep, his eyes lighting up a bit as I got out of the car, but then dimming as he caught sight of Max''s ride. "Him again?"


    I thought he knew Max, so I just nodded. "Yeah. What brings you here?"


    ude seemed a bit miffed when I asked that. "Weren''t we supposed to go to the auction today?"


    Then it hit me; yesterday, in a fit to rile him up, I had told him and Kate that I was nning to pick out my own wedding gift at the auction. Turns out, he actually took it seriously and was here to make that happen. "What''s the spending limit for my wedding, udy?" I couldn''t help but tease, enjoying the storm of emotions ying across his face - a mix of irritation and the effort to remain calm.


    With a huff, he handed me a ck credit card, making me pause for a moment.


    In my past life, that card was given to Kate, who never missed a chance to unt it in front of me, especially when picking out her wedding dress with my then-husband''s money. The irony was suffocating. But this time around, the card was in my hands.


    "You give me the ck card. What about Kate?" I took the card, figuring there was no harm in epting it. After all, I was owed much.


    "The less you know, the better," he brushed off my question with a familiar line.


    Shrugging, I followed him to the car, where a dress and an auction brochure were alreadyid out for me.


    "The driver will take you to get styled, then drop you at the auction," he exined.


    I nodded in agreement.


    He didn''te with me, probably off to get Kate.


    In my past life, this would''ve broken my heart.


    But now, I didn''t show a hint of sadness, which seemed to perplex him. He asked, "Aren''t you going to ask why I''m noting with you?"


    I smiled innocently, "Because you''re picking up Kate, right? I''m not the type to make a fuss, udy."


    ying the sweet little sister might be my act now, but ude still left with a cold huff.


    I was jealous and possessive in my past life, and now indifferent, yet he was still unhappy.


    What a jerk!


    Arriving at the salon, I found Kate already there, getting pampered. So much for ude picking her up.


    I was dressed pretty casually, holding a big bag with the dress in it, looking more like an assistant than a client.


    After being ignored for a while, Kate finally acknowledged me, "ire, over here! I''ve arranged for our top stylist to take care of you." She was decked out in a pper dress, fitting her affluent background perfectly.


    "This is Mr. Hart''s younger sister," she said to the stylists. "ude made me promise to ensure she gets a fabulous makeover."


    Only then did the stylists take my bag, discovering the pink ball gown ude had selected for me - a quintessential princess look.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Kate frowned, saying, "Why would ude pick out something like this for you? It''s so childish. It''s like he still sees you as the little sister from ten years ago. You''ll look like a living dott in this."


    A doll? Her words cut deeper than she knew, exining my recent struggles perfectly.


    ude''s dilemma over me was


    clear; in his eyes, I was meant to be


    his toy, to do with as he pleased, devoid of any thoughts or feelings of my own.


    "Oh, ire, don''t take it the wrong way. I just think this dress is too


    young for you, too conservati


    Why don''t you try on something else from the store?"