A Wedding Night Gone Terribly Wrong novel Chapter 142

Shelly was both shocked and thrilled. "What is this!?"

She didn't know this glamorous woman, but judging by her exquisite clothes, poised demeanor, and the high-end packaging of the gift—clearly from a renowned Kingsbridge jeweler—this was no ordinary guest. The jewelry inside had to be worth thousands.

"Let me introduce you," Quentin said. "This is Mrs. Channing, the mother of Larissa's classmate, Penelope. Mrs. Channing, this is Shelly Hale."

Quentin had attended a parent-child sports day at Larissa's school. During a flexibility contest, he had been paired up next to Mrs. Channing. He hadn't been able to do a split to save his life, while Mrs. Channing, an avid yoga practitioner, dropped into a flawless one. They had laughed over the sheer contrast and struck up a friendly rapport.

Mrs. Channing's husband was the CEO of Summit Realty—a massive, wealthy enterprise.

Shelly was practically glowing. Getting a luxurious gift was one thing, but making a connection with someone of this status?

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Channing. This is too kind of you."

"Oh, don't mention it," Mrs. Channing waved it off with a warm smile. "Dr. Adams and I go way back. Plus, Dr. Shultz has treated my family members multiple times. She is just... incredible. Always on call, always so dedicated. We are beyond grateful to her. Tonight, when my older daughter mentioned it was the aunt's birthday, and my youngest said she wanted to come to the party, my mother-in-law explicitly instructed me to bring a generous gift. I got held up picking something out, so I apologize for keeping you waiting."

Hearing Winifred's name put a slight damper on Shelly's excitement.

Still, the expensive gift was enough to smooth over the irritation. Knowing that she had snagged a capable man with such excellent connections—connections that brought elite women like Mrs. Channing to celebrate her—made her feel deeply validated. She decided to let Winifred's mention slide.

For tonight, at least. But if Winifred ever crossed her again, she would absolutely add this to her running tally.

Mrs. Channing stared at her, utterly baffled. Dr. Shultz wasn't here? They were throwing a birthday party for 'the aunt' without the actual woman in question? That was a new one.

But given her high-society tact, Mrs. Channing didn't blurt out her confusion. She observed the room, analyzing the dynamics before she spoke again. She decided to drop the subject of Winifred for a moment.

"Well, where are Seth and Annelise, then?" she asked.

Emboldened by Shelly's earlier indulgence, seven-year-old Demi impatiently interrupted again. "They didn't come. We're only focusing on our aunt today."

Little Gwen, who had been sitting quietly beside her mother scanning the restaurant, suddenly pointed a tiny finger at Demi. "You're lying!"