"You don''t like the dress I prepared?" ude''s voice was low but couldn''t hide his irritation.


    I shook my head and said, "I do, but Kate said I''ve grown up, I''m not a Barbie doll anymore."


    While saying this, I purposefully widened my eyes, looking at ude with a pitiful gaze and added, "Do you think I''m still a kid, udy? A little doll?" He looked slightly taken aback, then pointed at the shawl draped over my shoulders, "If you''ve chosen a dress you like, what''s with the shawl then?" I gathered the shawl around me, looking down cautiously, "Kate picked it out for me."


    The shawl was grey with a fewrge flowers on it, giving it a country girl vibe that seemed quite out of ce in the sophisticated setting we were in. The people around us were giving me looks, likely thinking my attire was too in, especially given that I was known as ude''s sister.


    I hadn''t refused the shawl when Kate handed it to me, exactly for this moment.


    "Take it off."


    I stepped back fearfully, looking towards Kate for help. "Kate, can I take the shawl off?"


    "So this ugly shawl was Ms. Goodwin''s choice for Ms. Floyd," someone remarked.


    "Good thing Ms. Floyd is beautiful. Anyone else would''ve looked terrible in that shawl. It''s all her beauty holding it up," another whispered. Kate''s gaze darkened, but she maintained herdylike smile:


    "Of course, you can take it off. I was just worried the air conditioning might be too cold, and that was the only shawl avable at the dress shop." The crowd''s tone shifted.


    "Ms. Goodwin is so considerate towards Ms. Floyd."


    "Can I really take it off?" I still looked at Kate for confirmation, and she reluctantly stepped forward, personally removing the shawl for me.


    Kate had taught me in a previous life that abination of innocence, a pitiful look, and a docile demeanor was an unbeatable strategy to win everyone''s sympathy.


    Her eyes may have screamed murder, but she still smiled at me, helping me take off the unattractive shawl.


    For a moment, she smirked slyly.


    She must have thought ude would get angry at my dress.


    As my dress was fully revealed, the crowd murmured in appreciation, "Ms. Floyd is truly beautiful, and what a figure."


    "The Hart family has raised a true beauty."


    The next second, ude took off his jacket and quickly walked over. The look in his eyes was without anger, but rather, it was passionate.


    He draped his jacket over my


    Id


    shoulders, contrary to Kate''s expectation of his anger, which made her ufortably tug at ude''s sleeve, "ude, I did the dress was pretty, but it was too revealing, that''s why I added the shawl."


    ude hummed in response.


    His protective gesture made everyone whisper, "Mr. Hart seems to have a special regard for his sister."


    "Very protective, indeed."


    "You think she''s his real sister? Ms. Floyd''s parents died saving Mr. Hart. Think about it; wouldn''t the Hart family cherish Ms. Floyd?"


    Those in the know spoke up, and theThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ret


    crowd''s look towards ire Floyd was one of understanding of ude''s actions. But their view of Kate shifted, shaking their heads, "Ms. Goodwin''s position in the Hart family doesn''t seem too promising."


    "With Ms. Floyd around, the Hart family elders are likely to favor her."


    "Indeed, to have given such an ugly shawl to Ms. Floyd, covering up her beauty."


    As the crowd exchangedments, Kate was about to defend herself to ude, iming she hadn''t had those intentions, but I spoke up first, defending her, "udy, Kate has been really good to me. It''s not like what they''re saying."