Chapter 50
The story behind it was long and complicated, involving the grievances of two generations.
In short. Selena’s father had an affair with her family’s governess, who also happened to be Rachel’s mother. The governess even took Rachel along to live with Selena, and over time, they became best friends.
When the affair was exposed, Selena’s mother was devasted and passed away from depression in less than half a year, and her father married Rachel’s mother less than three months after her death.
However, the couple died together in a car accident on the eve of their wedding
If Selena’s father had truly married Rachel’s mother at that time, Selena would have lived a miserable life. Many people thought it was a form of justice, but no one could have expected the grudge between the families would extend to the next generation like a curse.
Selena eventually inherited all of her family’s wealth and married well. On the contrary, Rachel was left with nothing after her mother’s death and was forced to drop out of school and enter the workforce at a young age, fading into obscurity.
Then, fate intertwined their lives once again when both women gave birth on the same day, leading to another dramatic
Twist
Three years ago. Shirley was reunited with the Jones family. However, Cynthia was raised as the beloved daughter of the Jones family for 20 years, and they couldn’t simply let her go.
Therefore, in public, Cynthia was seen as the eldest daughter of the Jones family, and Shirley was the second daughter.
The relationship between them remained a mystery. Some said they were incompatible with each other, like water and fire, while others claimed they simply kept to their paths, not interfering with each other.
Tonight would be the first time the two would appear together in public, and everyone was eager to see which daughter Selena would favor–the one related by blood or the one she raised with love and care.
Cynthia had taken time off from the TV station and arranged for another colleague to cover her shift.
She went to the banquet hall in the afternoon, as Selena had requested for her help.
Upon arriving, she quickly realized that the “help” that Selena had requested was to help Shirley in selecting her gowns, as there were too many haute couture dresses for her to choose from.
Cynthia didn’t take Shirley’s little games to heart. In the lounge, she watched as Shirley showed off her expensive designer dresses that cost tens of thousands of dollars.
At times, Cynthia found Shirley both laughable and pitiful. She was like a beggar who had suddenly come into wealth and now couldn’t stop flaunting it.
Shirley was well aware of that. Having grown up in poverty, she was terrified of being poor again. Now that she had everything, she knew that showing off was unbecoming, but she couldn’t help herself.
Cynthia barely paid Shirley any attention and spent most of her me playing with her phone.
Seeing Cynthia’s indifference made Shirley feel more satisfied. Shirley wanted Cynthia to realize that everything she once had rightfully belonged to her and what she now possessed was merely a gift, something she could give away on a whim.
In the end, Shirley chose a red velvet gown.
The neckline and back of the gown were studded with dazzling diamonds, and the hem of the gown trailed on the ground,
she took. It featured a daring high slit, revealing her long, shapely legs with every step
12:18 Mon, Nov 4 B
Chapter 50
To be fair, Shirley was quite pretty. She had delicate features, a slender figure, and smooth skin. By looks alone, she could be considered a beauty. It was just that she lacked the grace and poise.
Today, she hired a celebrity makeup artist to give her a flawless look. Her hair was swept up into an elegant updo and was adomed in a tiara worth 600 thousand dollars. Paired with the vintage red velvet gown, she resembled a noble princess.
In contrast, Cynthia looked much more understated.
A while later, the event’s public relations manager arrived. “The guests are almost all here. Mrs. Jones and both Ms. Jones
may enter soon.
Justin was greeting the guests outside. The reason why they had been waiting inside was because Shirley wanted to make a grand entrance, and Selena had indulged her in the wish.
When she heard that the guests had arrived, Shirley’s eyes flashed with expectation. “Is Mr. Bennett here?”
Earlier, she had given specific instructions that the moment Jonathan arrived, the manager was to inform her immediately.
However, the manager regretfully replied, “Mr. Bennett hasn’t arrived yet.”
Disappointment flickered across Shirley’s face. She had hoped to stun the entire room when Jonathan arrived.
When Cynthia heard Jonathan’s name, her eyes flickered slightly. ‘Did Shirley invite Jonathan? she thought. Jonathan hadn’t. mentioned any such event to her last night, so she thought he surely wouldn’t be coming.
Selena said. “The guests are all here. Today, we’re hosting many of the elites in Roncrity. We shouldn’t keep them waiting. Let’s go
Shirley held her arm and agreed, “Okay, Mom. Let go.”
The lounge connected to a hallway, and just a few miles away stood a grand spiral staircase leading directly to the banquet hall. When they reached the stairs, the lights in the hall suddenly dimmed, and the music began to play.
The guests were momentarily stunned before the emcee’s voice echoed across. “Let’s welcome the birthday stars, Ms. Shirley Jones and Ms. Cynthia Jones.”
All eyes turned to the source of the light. A spotlight beamed down from the ceiling, illuminating the spiral staircase.
The brightest light fell upon Shirley and Selena. The latter was dressed in a luxurious gown, looking noble and elegant, while the former was wearing a red velvet gown encrusted with sparkling diamonds, looking graceful and elegant. It was clearly a custom piece, expensive and extravagant.
Behind them, a softer spotlight cast its glow on a woman in a white dress.
Cynthia was wearing a simple yet elegant white evening gown. The thin straps were resting gently on her pale shoulder, and her collarbones were clearly shown. The gown’s clean lines hugged her figure perfectly.
The design of the dress was especially striking at the waist, where there was a delicate cutout, making her look almost unfairly perfect.
Cynthia’s makeup was light, but it couldn’t overshadow the brillance of her eyes, which sparkled like stars, captivating
everyone.
Her naturally wavy hair cascaded casually over her shoulder. Paired with her stunning face, it seemed as though strand of hair was glowing.
even each
Though she was plainly dressed, it only served to enhance her beauty, making her seem like a solitary white rose among The pure white of her gown didn’t diminish her allure. Instead, it made her the most dazzling person in the room.
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Chapter 30
In contrast, Shirley’s red gown suddenly seemed gaudy in comparison.
The crowd started whispering, “Look at the way the two sisters made their entrance. You can tell right away who holds the higher place.”
“Obviously, Mrs. Jones favors her own biological daughter. That outfit and those jewels must be worth several hundred thousand dollars, while the adopted daughter is stuck in an old Chanel design from years ago, someone said.
“But you have to admit that Cynthia’s beauty and elegance are unmatched, another commented.
“Yeah. Now I see what they mean by natural beauty,” one added,
As they descended the stairs, Shirley began to catch snippets of those admiring murmurs.
A smug satisfaction welled up inside her until she realized something–everyone was complimenting Cynthia and not her. Shirley’s face darkened instantly.
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