The moment the thought crossed her mind, a horrific chill rushed down Vivienne's spine, leaving her hands and feet ice-cold.
“...”
Half a month later, Stanford and Serena's wedding arrangements entered the final stages of negotiation. Though it was meant to be an intimate family dinner, the Kenyon family had still booked the most luxurious banquet hall at the Stormhollow Garden Hotel.
On the evening of the dinner, Serena arrived in a baby-pink silk dress, her hair pinned up elegantly with the South Sea Pearl Hairpin.
Years of obsessive grooming and strategic styling had finally paid off. Though she was over forty, she still possessed a striking allure. The carefully selected pink gave her a manufactured youthfulness, making her look ten years younger. Standing next to Stanford, who looked incredibly worn down, a stranger would easily mistake them for father and daughter.
Isabella maintained a perfectly polite smile, though she kept subtly adjusting the plunging neckline of her dress. Compared to Serena's forced youthfulness, Isabella—an actual teenager—looked heavily over-sexualized.
For tonight's dinner, Serena had spent a fortune commissioning The Black and Gold Gown for her. Aside from a small strip of black fabric across her chest and hips, the entire dress was made of sheer, semi-transparent gold chiffon.
“Put your hands down. Everyone is watching. What are you doing? You look so cheap.”
Serena glanced back and saw Isabella trying to cover herself. She was instantly furious.
Isabella shifted uncomfortably. “Mom, I want to go back and change.”
For some reason, she felt like the men in the room were staring at her with entirely the wrong kind of look.
Serena scowled. “Change into what? Do you have any idea how exclusive this gown is? Money can't even buy this off the runway. I spent a fortune on this, and you want to take it off? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”
Knowing it was a losing battle, Isabella forced a smile. “I get it. By the way, where is Vivienne? Why isn't she here yet? Maybe she got lost. Should I go check?”
Serena's expression softened slightly. “She said she's coming, so she should be here soon. Go take a look. We don't need that wretched girl trying to pull another stunt.”
Isabella nodded and quickly slipped out of the private hall.


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