Chapter 231
Chapter 231:
Yelena, however, seemed oblivious to the stares and gossip. Uninterested in the superficial chatter around her, she simply walked away, heading toward the food. If it were up to her, she would have left the party altogether. But she had to stay—this was what her mother had wanted for her.
Where there were women, gossip was sure to follow. It was a fact of life, and Yelena knew it well.
As she walked away, Bella couldn’t help but smirk, glancing at the others. “Please, don’t mind her. My sister can be a little aloof sometimes, but she means no harm p>
“You don’t need to defend her,” Sonya replied, her voice laced with bitterness. “Yelena has always had that cold, arrogant attitude. It’s downright annoying. Back in the day, she’d pull petty tricks to hurt me, and that’s why my parents kicked her out. Honestly, I have no idea how she managed to worm her way into the Harris family p>
Sonya’s disbelief was palpable.
Yelena’s good fortune seemed almost too unbelievable to be true.
Bella, secretly pleased by the drama, tried not to show it. But then she remembered something Amanda had mentioned—Monica’s connection to Austin, the most powerful and wealthiest man in Kheley.
Amanda had hinted that Monica and Austin had grown up together, and there were whispers that Monica might one day marry into the Barton family as Austin’s wife.
A thought struck Bella, and a sly idea began to form.
She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice to a whisper. “You should be careful with what you say. My sister knows a lot of people. In fact, I even once saw Mr. Austin Barton, the heir to the Kheley fortune, personally escorting her home p>
After Bella’s revelation, everyone’s jaws practically hit the floor in disbelief.
gⱯ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀.𝗰𝗈n – 𝖗𝖊𝖓𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖛𝓲𝖊𝖗𝓽
“What? Yelena knows Austin p>
The very idea sounded as absurd as a fish climbing a tree.
“Bella, you’ve got to be kidding, right? Mr. Barton? How on earth could someone like Yelena have any connection to him?” Amanda asked, her voice thick with skepticism.
“I swear, I saw it with my own eyes,” Bella replied, her tone as earnest as a nun’s prayer.
“No way!” Amanda gasped. “What could Mr. Barton possibly see in someone like her p>
“Mark my words,” Sonya chimed in, wearing confidence like a badge. “Yelena must have pulled some sneaky trick to worm her way into Mr. Barton’s good graces p>
“Come on, Mr. Barton has sky-high standards. He’d only be interested in a proper high-society gem—like Miss Mitchell here,” Sonya added, shifting her attention to Monica.
Sonya was nothing if not an opportunist. With the room buzzing around Monica, it was clear she was no ordinary guest. The rumors circulating about Monica’s prestigious background in Kheley only made her more intriguing, and Sonya wasted no time cozying up to her.
The flattery wasn’t lost on Monica. Although a sly smile tugged at her lips, she played the modest card. “You’re too kind. I’m sure Yelena has her merits, and maybe she just doesn’t blend in well p>