At the Foster mansion, Mrs. Cooper hurriedly sat Avery on the couch as she entered the living room.
“Master Elliot prepared a gift for you, Madam.”
Mrs. Cooper opened up the white gift box on the table, revealing the exquisite white gown.
“Are you sure he gave this to me?” Avery said as she looked at the gown in disbelief.
“Yes, Madam. There’s a dinner tonight that you need to go to with Master Elliot. There are shoes, too!” Mrs. Cooper explained, then opened up another box carrying a pair of fine stilettos.
Avery picked up one of the heels and stared at it with apprehension.
“Why is he taking me? I don’t know any of his friends. Isn’t he worried I’d embarrass him?”
“I’m sure he has his reasons,” Mrs. Cooper replied, “Move on from the past, Madam, and just spend the rest of your days happily with Master Elliot.”
Avery looked up at Mrs. Cooper and then said, “Do you think he’s moved on? We still don’t know what his real intentions are for taking me out tonight!”
“Madam… Was the baby you were carrying before really Mr. Cole’s? I didn’t think you’re that kind of woman,” Mrs. Cooper said.
Avery lowered her gaze and said, “That’s all in the past. Let’s not talk about it anymore.”
Then, she took the gown out of the box and said, “I’ll go try it on.”
“Alright,” replied Mrs. Cooper.
Avery arrived at Florrance Villa that evening. She walked into the banquet hall dressed in her new, ivory gown.
Under the light of the grand crystal chandelier, she looked like a mystical fairy that had mistakenly wandered into the human world.
All eyes were on her.
“Who is that? She’s stunning! Why haven’t I seen her before?”
“I think she’s the Tate family’s eldest daughter, Avery Tate. You know, from the soon-to-be bankrupt Tate Industries?”
“Oh! Now that you mention it, I kind of remember hearing something about that. What’s she doing here? Who invited her? That dress she’s wearing looks like the latest haute couture from Shanel. Is she that rich?
The crowd engaged in a fevered discussion as their eyes continued to follow her.
Avery glanced around the hall but did not see a trace of Elliot.
Her feet were beginning to feel sore from her high heels, so she found an empty seat and sat down.
A few people approached her as soon as she rested herself on the chair.
“Miss Tate, is the gown you’re wearing Shanel haute couture?”
Avery glanced down at her dress.
Was it not just a typical gown?
Was it actually haute couture?
“Is something the matter?” she asked.
“I doubt you can afford haute couture now with your family facing bankruptcy. What I’m trying to say is… Wearing a knockoff to an event like this is pretty humiliating, no?”
11
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“If that’s the case, I’d be the one humiliated. What does that have to do with you?”
The two women next to her burst into mocking laughter upon hearing her answer.
It was their first time seeing someone wear a knockoff with such arrogance!
“Do you have an invitation, Miss Tate? I bet you don’t. How did you get in here?”
Avery glanced coldly at the women and said, “With my own capability.”
Her answer was like a hard slap in the face to her audience.
Very quickly, the crowd’s eyes shifted to her feet which were encased in a pair of rare stilettos.
They looked like limited edition Armeses.
“Did you get a sugar daddy, Miss Tate?”
The authenticity of luxury items could not escape the eyes of the truly wealthy.
The gown and heels that Avery was wearing were obviously the real deal.
From head to toe, her outfit was worth more than three hundred thousand dollars.
.
“That’s right! Otherwise, how would someone of my lowly status get into a banquet filled with rich people like you?” Avery said, mocking herself.
Everyone immediately saw her in a different light. “Who’s your sugar daddy? If he’s so generous with you
ddy? If he’s so generous with you, he must be some powerful bigshot!”