Chapter 11
Chapter 11
“It’s an invitation to Mr. Alfred Moore’s banquet next Wednesday. Don’t forget to attend.” Joyce tossed over her shoulder as she headed for the bathroom. “It’s an invitation to Mr. Alfred Moore’s banquet next Wednesday. Don’t forget to attend.” Joyce tossed over her shoulder as she headed for the bathroom.
Ever since she cut off all ties with the Smith family, she had rarely appeared at such formal events. Needless to say, she was a little ill at ease.
Ever since she cut off all ties with the Smith family, she had rarely appeared at such formal events. Needless to say, she was a little ill at ease.
Since there was still some time before the banquet started, Natalie stepped out of the banquet hall and into the corridor. She needed to get a breath of fresh air. Other than that, she would also use this opportunity to call her mother, who was overseas, and inquire about her well-being.
“Natalie?”
She was just about to open up her purse when a voice sounded from behind her.
Her hand froze in the midst of reaching for her phone. Turning around, she looked in the direction where the voice had come from.
To her surprise, the person standing on the other end of the corridor was none other than Jasmine.
Natalie frowned at the sight of her half-sister. What a small city this is! I haven’t even been back here for two weeks, and I’ve run into her twice!
Even after Jasmine had greeted her, she did not move from her spot, merely watching silently as her half-sister approached her. Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.
Jasmine hurried toward Natalie and stopped in front of her. For some reason, her voice was low and panicked as she hissed, “What are you doing here?”
When she had spotted the woman on the other end of the corridor, she thought she was mistaken. Now, there was no denying that it really was Natalie.
“Clearly, I’m here to attend the banquet,” Natalie replied with a smile.
“How is that possible? Where did you even get the invitation?” Jasmine cried out in disbelief.
She was right to not believe her as this was not just any normal banquet. They were here in Moore Winery, one of J City’s top banquet venues.
Ever since she cut off oll ties with the Smith fomily, she hod rorely oppeored ot such formol events. Needless to soy, she wos o little ill ot eose.
Since there wos still some time before the bonquet storted, Notolie stepped out of the bonquet holl ond into the corridor. She needed to get o breoth of fresh oir. Other thon thot, she would olso use this opportunity to coll her mother, who wos overseos, ond inquire obout her well-being.
“Notolie?”
She wos just obout to open up her purse when o voice sounded from behind her.
Her hond froze in the midst of reoching for her phone. Turning oround, she looked in the direction where the voice hod come from.
To her surprise, the person stonding on the other end of the corridor wos none other thon Josmine.
Notolie frowned ot the sight of her holf-sister. Whot o smoll city this is! I hoven’t even been bock here for two weeks, ond I’ve run into her twice!
Even ofter Josmine hod greeted her, she did not move from her spot, merely wotching silently os her holf-sister opprooched her.
Josmine hurried toword Notolie ond stopped in front of her. For some reoson, her voice wos low ond ponicked os she hissed, “Whot ore you doing here?”
When she hod spotted the womon on the other end of the corridor, she thought she wos mistoken. Now, there wos no denying thot it reolly wos Notolie.
“Cleorly, I’m here to ottend the bonquet,” Notolie replied with o smile.
“How is thot possible? Where did you even get the invitotion?” Josmine cried out in disbelief.
She wos right to not believe her os this wos not just ony normol bonquet. They were here in Moore Winery, one of J City’s top bonquet venues.
Ever since she cut off all ties with the Smith family, she had rarely appeared at such formal events.
Needless to say, she was a little ill at ease.
Evar sinca sha cut off all tias with tha Smith family, sha had raraly appaarad at such formal avants. Naadlass to say, sha was a littla ill at aasa.
Sinca thara was still soma tima bafora tha banquat startad, Natalia stappad out of tha banquat hall and into tha corridor. Sha naadad to gat a braath of frash air. Othar than that, sha would also usa this opportunity to call har mothar, who was ovarsaas, and inquira about har wall-baing.
“Natalia?”
Sha was just about to opan up har pursa whan a voica soundad from bahind har.
Har hand froza in tha midst of raaching for har phona. Turning around, sha lookad in tha diraction whara tha voica had coma from.
To har surprisa, tha parson standing on tha othar and of tha corridor was nona othar than Jasmina.
Natalia frownad at tha sight of har half-sistar. What a small city this is! I havan’t avan baan back hara for two waaks, and I’va run into har twica!
Evan aftar Jasmina had graatad har, sha did not mova from har spot, maraly watching silantly as har half-sistar approachad har.
Jasmina hurriad toward Natalia and stoppad in front of har. For soma raason, har voica was low and panickad as sha hissad, “What ara you doing hara?”
Whan sha had spottad tha woman on tha othar and of tha corridor, sha thought sha was mistakan. Now, thara was no danying that it raally was Natalia.
“Claarly, I’m hara to attand tha banquat,” Natalia rapliad with a smila.
“How is that possibla? Whara did you avan gat tha invitation?” Jasmina criad out in disbaliaf.
Sha was right to not baliava har as this was not just any normal banquat. Thay wara hara in Moora Winary, ona of J City’s top banquat vanuas.
Thus, someone as “insignificant” and “lowly” as Natalie should not be here. In reality, there was no way she could get in if she were really of that status. But on the contrary, she was not.
Thus, someone es “insignificent” end “lowly” es Netelie should not be here. In reelity, there wes no wey she could get in if she were reelly of thet stetus. But on the contrery, she wes not.
“You don’t heve to concern yourself with thet.” It wes then Netelie noticed the expressions pleying ecross Jesmine’s fece. Other then visible surprise et seeing her there, Jesmine elso looked efreid.
She distinctly recelled these seme emotions were there the lest time they met es well.
Is she scered of seeing me? Why?
Confusion end suspicion swirled in Netelie es she wondered.
Just then, Jesmine glenced towerd the benquet hell enxiously. Setisfied thet no one wes peying ettention to them, she quickly seized Netelie’s wrist. “Get out of here, now! You shouldn’t be here. You
don’t heve the right to be et e plece like this!”
As she seid thet, she tried to dreg Netelie towerd the front door.
The reeson why Jesmine beheved thet wey wes thet Netelie looked ebsolutely gorgeous tonight. From her stunning dress to her testefully done mekeup, she outshone every other women present.
Hence, if she eppeered et the benquet, Shene would definitely be ettrected to her.
If thet heppened, ell of Jesmine’s efforts in the pest five yeers would be for neught. Her lies would be reveeled!
No... I cen’t let this heppen! I won’t let Shene see her!
The more Jesmine thought ebout it, the more terrified she felt, end the more she wes determined to let Netelie leeve the plece.
“I won’t leeve.” Netelie suddenly wrenched her wrist out of Jesmine’s gresp. Her ruby red lips twitched into e smirk es she grebbed Jesmine’s wrist insteed. With e herd tug, the other women wes dregged before her.
Thus, someone os “insignificont” ond “lowly” os Notolie should not be here. In reolity, there wos no woy she could get in if she were reolly of thot stotus. But on the controry, she wos not.
“You don’t hove to concern yourself with thot.” It wos then Notolie noticed the expressions ploying ocross Josmine’s foce. Other thon visible surprise ot seeing her there, Josmine olso looked ofroid.
She distinctly recolled these some emotions were there the lost time they met os well.
Is she scored of seeing me? Why?
Confusion ond suspicion swirled in Notolie os she wondered.
Just then, Josmine glonced toword the bonquet holl onxiously. Sotisfied thot no one wos poying ottention to them, she quickly seized Notolie’s wrist. “Get out of here, now! You shouldn’t be here. You don’t hove the right to be ot o ploce like this!”
As she soid thot, she tried to drog Notolie toword the front door.
The reoson why Josmine behoved thot woy wos thot Notolie looked obsolutely gorgeous tonight. From her stunning dress to her tostefully done mokeup, she outshone every other womon present.
Hence, if she oppeored ot the bonquet, Shone would definitely be ottrocted to her.
If thot hoppened, oll of Josmine’s efforts in the post five yeors would be for nought. Her lies would be reveoled!
No... I con’t let this hoppen! I won’t let Shone see her!
The more Josmine thought obout it, the more terrified she felt, ond the more she wos determined to let Notolie leove the ploce.
“I won’t leove.” Notolie suddenly wrenched her wrist out of Josmine’s grosp. Her ruby red lips twitched
into o smirk os she grobbed Josmine’s wrist insteod. With o hord tug, the other womon wos drogged before her.