Chapter 78
At this moment, a curious crowd started to gather around. Allison had never been to such a boring party before. Apart from a few close friends and some family friends of the Owens, she was pretty much a stranger to Oak Lake’s high society.
Zack had put this event together to officially introduce her to the Oak Lake social scene. As more people gathered, Kate’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Folks, come see for yourselves. This lady here stole my bracelet and won’t own up to it.”
Cindy, standing nearby, couldn’t resist stirring the pot. “Ha, just earlier, she claimed she’s not a thief, but now she’s taken something? It’s just a bracelet. If you wanted it, Kate might’ve just given it to you out of charity. Why did you have to steal it? Have some shame!”
Earlier, Allison had made a comment that hit a nerve with Cindy, saying that she had no real skills and only spent her husband’s money. Cindy had been stewing over it, and now she was ready to unleash every hurtful word she could think of.
“Just look at you. You were all eager to marry my son without even considering if you measure up,” Cindy said, rolling her eyes. “Good thing I have good judgment and kept you out of our family! No matter how you dress up, a poor girl will always be a poor girl, sneaking into these high society shindigs with sticky fingers!”
The crowd buzzed with gossip.
“Wouldn’t have guessed. She’s so pretty, but a thief?”
“Yeah, it’s just like they say, ‘You can’t judge a book by its cover.”
“Such a shame. With a face like that, she could snag any rich guy, but she’s out here stealing at a party.”
“That’s how it goes with folks who grew up poor. See something shiny and just can’t help themselves.”
“I heard she’s the maid’s daughter, so that makes sense. Poverty can make you desperate.”
Hearing the whispers all around, Kate’s grin widened, feeling even more confident. “If you didn’t steal it, then let me check your purse. If you’re innocent, you’ve got nothing to hide.”
Meanwhile, Zack and Joshua had just wrapped up their important meeting. Joshua headed off to the restroom while Zack exited with the couple and bumped into Shawn.
“Mr. Hartley, it’s been a while,” Shawn greeted with a smile.
Zack didn’t recognize him right away, furrowing his brow. “And you are?”
Shawn felt a bit awkward for a moment before introducing himself. Zack vaguely remembered him and engaged in some polite small talk.
Shawn handed over a gift. “Mr. Hartley, I heard your cousin is getting engaged. Congratulations, this is a gift for her engagement.”
The gift was meant for Zack’s cousin, but Shawn was clearly trying to earn some brownie points with Zack, hoping it would lead to future business opportunities.
Zack was used to people sucking up to him. He didn’t think much of Shawn at first and was ready to brush him off after a quick chat. But Shawn’s thoughtful gift caught him off guard, especially since it involved his cousin. Zack accepted the gift box. “That’s thoughtful of you. I’ll thank you on her behalf.”
He watched Shawn with a bit more warmth. “She’s downstairs in the ballroom. It’s her engagement gift, so let me take you there so you can give it to her yourself.”
Feeling the shift in Zack’s attitude, Shawn finally felt at ease. It seemed like giving a gift to Zack’s cousin was a
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smart move.
Shawn beamed, “Thanks for the help, Mr. Hartley.”
