Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Stephanie swallowed her cake. Before she could respond, a sharp, mocking voice cut through the air.
“Well, well, look who it is. Thought you’d be hiding under a rock after Mr. Ashford dumped you.”
Stephanie and Ella turned to see Lilian approaching, flanked by two unfamiliar girls.
Ella’s face instantly darkened. She knew Lilian had always been close to Olivia, and Lilian was also interested in Tyler.
Ever since Olivia left, Lilian had taken every chance to make things difficult for Stephanie. And yet, Lilian always lost.
“How’d you even get in?” Lilian approached Stephanie and sneered. “Got an invite?”
Ella pulled Stephanie behind her. “Since when do you call the shots around here?”
Lilian let out a fake laugh. “Maybe not, but I do know she wasn’t invited.”
She wasn’t wrong. The guest list had been carefully curated, and Lilian had personally made sure Stephanie’s name wasn’t on it.
“No invite, huh? You just snuck in for free food?” Lilian scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain.
“And what are you wearing? Did the engagement cancellation leave you so broke you can’t even afford a dress?”
The nearby guests, mostly young elites, turned to watch the scene unfold, clearly entertained.
Ella clenched her fists. She shot a pointed glance at Lilian’s aggressively tight dress, which looked like it was one deep breath away from a wardrobe malfunction.
“What she wears is none of your business,” Ella shot back. “Maybe worry about your own outfit first.”
Lilian’s smile froze. “Stay out of this, Ella. This is my house, my grandfather’s birthday. If you wanna side with Stephanie, then you can leave too.”
Stephanie calmly set down her dessert plate. Then she met Lilian’s gaze. “You sure about that?”
Lilian scoffed. “What, you threatening me now? Sorry, but the Hodge family doesn’t invite people like you.”
She had heard all about how Stephanie had stopped Dr. Pierce from treating Olivia’s illness, and she found Stephanie disgusted. The mere sight of Stephanie was irritating.
Stephanie let out a slow, amused smile. “You’re right. I wasn’t invited. But how did I get in?”
A murmur ran through the crowd. The Hodge family’s security was strict tonight. No invite, no entry–unless you were very important.
Everyone was curious how Stephanie got in.
Lilian smirked. “Ella probably snuck you in, huh? Either way, get out.”
“What’s going on here?” A deep voice rang out.
The crowd turned to see Tyler approaching, and Chris was beside him.
The two of them together were an instant attention magnet, their cold, imposing presence pulling the gazes of nearly every
socialite in the room.
06:25 Tue, 4 Mar SD.
Chapter 55
Lilian immediately switched gears, stepping toward Tyler. “Tyler, why is Stephanie here?”
She didn’t bother hiding her reaction when mentioning Stephanie.
Tyler turned his gaze to Stephanie. His expression darkened when he saw her outfit.
Chris‘ gaze landed on her too. Just one glance, and he looked away, his jaw tightening.
He was still mad about the conflict back at Cloudridge Valley.
“How did you get in? And why are you dressed like that?” Tyler stepped closer towards Stephanie, lowering his voice.
Stephanie raised a brow. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
Tyler exhaled sharply. “You tell me.
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Standing next to him, in this setting, Stephanie suddenly looked like the rebellious, reckless girl he had thought she’d grown
out of
Clearly, some habits died hard.
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