Chapter 42
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Kaia turned around to find Cecelia and Bianca standing there, surrounded by a group of well- dressed girls who were clearly part of their clique.
Bianca put on a worried face and said, “Miss Bennett, dressed so plainly… Aren’t you taking this party a bit too lightly? After all, you are Tobias’s fiancée.”
As soon as she spoke, the girls in their clique and the nearby guests all turned to look at Kaia, their faces full of contempt.
“That’s Tobias’s fiancée? She looks so shabby! How could someone like her ever be worthy of him?”
“Yeah, showing up at a party in that? She has no manners at all!”
“Don’t
you
know that she’s the Bennett family’s long–lost country girl? Grew up in the sticks. What kind of upbringing could she possibly have? The Bennetts don’t even want her around!”
“No wonder she doesn’t have anything nice to wear. She just got lucky and latched onto the Moreno family, but she’s still just a nobody!”
The insults poured down on Kaia like rain, with no one caring about her feelings.
Anyone else would have cracked under so much malice.
Bianca and Cecelia watched the show, waiting for Kaia to snap.
Kaia just gave a calm, almost amused smile.
She said, “So, Cecelia, according to you, whoever wears the flashiest gown is superior?
“And if someone can’t get their hands on a designer dress, that makes them trash in your eyes?”
Cecelia lifted her chin. “Of course! Dresses are all about status. Without the right background or connections, you wouldn’t even get a glimpse of those high–end gowns. People like you, just some backwater nobody, could never even dream of wearing a top–tier dress!”
“So, Cecelia, you think you’ve got the best dress in the bag, don’t you? How about we make a bet?” Kaia said calmly. “Let’s see whose gown will outshine the other’s at tonight’s party.”
That set off a wave of laughter from the crowd.
Cecelia had already let it be known she’d reserved a gown from K&B, the world’s most exclusive Juxury label.
Everyone knew K&B’s limited–edition dresses were the ultimate status symbol–nothing else on the planet could even come close.
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And Kaia actually thought she could go head–to–head with Cecelia in a dress showdown?
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What a clueless hick. If she’d seen even a little bit of the world, she wouldn’t have dared to say something so ridiculous,‘ everyone scoffed inwardly.
Bianca’s eyes lit up. “Now’s your chance! Put her in her place so she’ll never dare mess with you again!”
Cecelia was secretly thrilled. “Fine! Let’s do it!”
ust as the bet was sealed, a deafening roar suddenly thundered overhead.
A helicopter appeared above the lawn.
The crowd gasped and all turned to look.
And there, emblazoned on the helicopter, was the logo of K&B.
Cecelia’s clique gasped in excitement. “That’s K&B’s helicopter! The rumors are true!”
K&B was the ultimate luxury brand. Not only were their clothes breathtaking, but their service was next–level. Different tiers came with different delivery methods.
Each level of purchase came with its own perks, and only the most exclusive orders got delivered by helicopter.
Cecelia, you’re amazing! You got K&B to send their helicopter! The last time that happened was for he Queen of Yasuland’s birthday dress!”
The Moreno family’s connections are insane!”
Compliments and envious glances surrounded Cecelia.
Cecelia was over the moon, practically floating on air.
She knew she’d gotten lucky getting the limited–edition dress, but she never imagined she’d get such a spectacular delivery.
“This is worth every penny of the three million dollars spent!‘ she thought, feeling even more smug.
Feeling even more smug, she turned to Kaia with a sneer. “Hey, country bumpkin, watch closely.
“This kind of spectacle is something you’ll never get to experience–not in a million years. Let me show you how the real elite live!”
As she spoke, K&B’s helicopter touched down.
A line of handsome male models strode out, each one tall, broad–shouldered, and dressed in matching uniforms.
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Each of them was holding a box.
The scene was absolutely jaw–dropping.
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The models lined up on the lawn with Cecelia at the center, making her the star of the show.
Wait, someone else showed up.
And it was the CEO of K&B, Conrad Dorsey!
Everyone was floored. “The CEO himself showed up just to deliver a dress? The Moreno family is on a whole other level!‘
Conrad, cradling the final box in his hands, slowly made his way over to Cecelia, every step full of
ceremony.
Cecelia’s face was burning red. She was so excited that she could barely stand, practically dizzy from the rush.
As Conrad drew closer, just when everyone thought he was about to hand the box to Cecelia, he suddenly brushed right past her and walked straight toward Kaia.
Cecelia’s hand ended up grabbing nothing but air!
The crowd was shocked as Conrad stopped right in front of Kaia, bowing with the utmost respect. “Miss Bennett, every single one of K&B’s legendary limited–edition gowns, along with the one–of–a- kind vintage dresses co–designed with Bruce, has all been delivered for you to choose from.”
The entire lawn went dead silent.
Did they just hear that right?‘
The dresses are for Kaia?‘
And they actually brought every single one here for her to pick from?‘
Everyone knew K&B’s limited–edition gowns went for at least 30 million per piece.
And even then, money couldn’t buy them if they weren’t available.
Not to mention those vintage masterpieces co–designed with Bruce, those were on a whole other level, absolutely legendary,
Cecelia’s face went ghostly pale, and she nearly fainted on the spot.
She totally lost it and shrieked, “You’ve got it all wrong! Those dresses are mine! I ordered them! Have you all lost your minds?”
“There’s no mistake. Your order has been canceled, and the cancellation fee has already been
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settled,” Conrad replied with icy calm.
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Conrad added coolly, “We’ve suspended all other dress orders and partnerships for now. Tonight, Miss Bennett is our one and only client.”
Everyone was floored all over again.
‘No way! How could this be happening?‘ everyone thought, stunned.
Why is Kaia getting this kind of treatment from K&B?‘ the crowd wondered in disbelief.
Not even the Queen of Yasuland ever got this level of service!‘ they gaped.
“I don’t care about the money! I want my dress!” Cecelia screamed, tears streaming down her face.
She was utterly humiliated. Just a minute ago, she’d been showing off in front of Kaia, swearing up and down that anyone without a fancy dress was beneath her.
And in the blink of an eye, Kaia was surrounded by the most coveted dresses in the world, while Cecelia was left empty–handed and humiliated.
Bianca was even more bitter, her face dark with resentment.
‘How could a country bumpkin like Kaia possibly have these kinds of connections?‘ she thought,
unable to believe it.
She couldn’t help herself and finally blurted out, “Why is K&B giving Kaia this kind of treatment?
Could it be…”
Conrad abruptly cut her off. “Client confidentiality. I’m afraid I can’t share that information. Miss Bennett, please inspect the dresses. Are you sure you want the gown co–designed by Bruce and K&B?”
Kaia nodded, opened the box, and accepted the dress.
Once Kaia had confirmed her choice, a whole world–class stylist sent by K&B stepped out of the helicopter. These were the same pros who styled A–list celebrities for the red carpet.
Everyone was so shocked that they’d gone completely numb, like their brains had short–circuited.
The banquet was officially underway.
After all the drama that went down this afternoon, everyone couldn’t wait for the big dress reveal.
When the time came, the Moreno family started making their entrance. Cecelia managed to get her hands on a last–minute dress from a luxury label.
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It looked great, but it didn’t even come close to the prestige of K&B’s gowns.
And at that moment, Kaia was about to descend the stairs.
The whole room stirred, all eyes fixed on the staircase leading down to the banquet hall.
The lights cast a soft glow over the steps.
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The moment Kaia stepped out, it was like someone had turned up the lights–the whole banquet hall instantly felt brighter.
The gown she wore was so dazzling that it stole everyone’s breath away.
It was a blue dress with a modern vibe–elegant and regal, yet it flattered her flawless, smooth shoulders.
On the skirt, a peacock was embroidered so vividly that it looked like it could come alive any second.
Every inch of the embroidery shimmered with threads that sparkled like tiny stars scattered across the night sky.
The dye was made from a long–lost ancient gemstone, giving the fabric the illusion of a swirling blue galaxy right on her dress.
And to top it off, clusters of blue sapphires surrounded the peacock, like a bouquet in full bloom.
It was a true masterpiece–so stunning that it was almost unreal.
Everyone was completely mesmerized, their eyes glued to her.
Someone in the crowd who knew antiques suddenly blurted out in shock, “Wait–that pattern! Isn’t it the silk cloth from hundreds of years ago at the Berlarich auction two years ago? That thing was worth 700 million dollars! And they made it into a dress?”
The whole banquet hall was stunned into absolute silence.
These people were all filthy rich, but even they had never witnessed extravagance like this before.
Whoever called Kaia a country bumpkin must be blind. She’s a golden peacock, not some barnyard chicken!‘ everyone thought, completely blown away.
Seeing all the attention go to Kaia, Cecelia and Bianca were seething with jealousy, practically gnashing their teeth in frustration.
“No way! We can’t let that bitch steal the spotlight like this!” Cecelia fumed. “Bianca, you’ve got to come up with something to knock her down a peg!”
Bianca leaned in, a sly look in her eyes. “Well, I have an idea…” The two of them started scheming in
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hushed voices.
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Some time passed at the banquet.
Cecelia and Bianca made their way over to Kaia again, with Cecelia deliberately raising her voice so everyone could hear.
“Kaia, I remember you saying you were quite the pianist. Turns out, Bianca can play as well.
“How about a little piano face–off? No need to worry about who wins or loses–just to add a bit of fun to the party. What do you say?”
‘A piano duel?‘ Kaia arched a brow, her eyes narrowing with a sly glint. A hint of a smirk tugged at her lips, her expression unreadable–half amused, half dismissive.
gaze cool. ‘She
‘Did Cecelia really think I couldn’t see through her little scheme?‘ Kaia thought, her just wants to set me up for embarrassment. Too bad for her, I’m not that easy to trip up.’
Sure, Kaia had only messed around with the piano for fun, but even so, she’d racked up a whole stack of gold medals at international competitions–like it was no big deal.
Who the hell does Cecelia think she is?‘ Kaia scoffed to herself. ‘Just because she wants a show, I’m supposed to jump on command? As if I’d ever let her boss me around like that.‘
Tobias sidled up to Kaia, lowering his voice so only she could hear. “You know how to play piano?”
‘Yeah, I can play a bit,” Kaia said with a sly smile. “Not that I ever told your cousin or her sidekick about it.”
Hearing that, Tobias’s eyes narrowed. He instantly realized Cecelia and Bianca were trying to set Kaia up.
Cecelia pressed further, “Hey! Kaia, why aren’t you answering? I said it’s just for fun. No need to get all competitive.
“Are you really going to snub us like that? Or do you think Bianca’s not even in your league?”
“Don’t tell me you’re chicken!” Cecelia laughed.
Everyone started giving Kaia weird looks, whispering, and gossiping behind their hands.
Tobias narrowed his eyes, watching Cecelia press in with her aggressive attitude.
Just as Tobias was about to say something, Kaia stepped out from behind him, a playful smile on her lips as she spoke up.
“I’m down for a piano duel,” she said, her eyes glinting. “But let’s make it interesting. How about we
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put something on the line? Otherwise, where’s the fun in that?”
Bianca grinned. “Alright, what kind of stakes do you want to add?”
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Kaia replied coolly, “Simple. If I win, you both get down on your knees, slap yourselves three times, and shout three times, I’m an idiot!‘ Sounds good?”
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