The evening soon arrived, and everyone gathered at the venue. Nora, Polly, and Olivia mingled with their forr classmates, enjoying pleasant conversations and reminiscing about old tis.
Suddenly, a stir ran through the crowd.
"Oh my God, look who’s here! Kevin Herwart—the renowned face of the modeling world!" Alex exclaid as he strode forward and pulled Kevin into a brotherly hug.
Kevin laughed and returned the embrace.
"And you’ve beco a coach now. I always knew you’d go far after leading our team to victory in those basketball tournants."
Alex grinned proudly. "Looks like we both did pretty well for ourselves."
"Kevin, you’ve really changed, man," Jackson said as he joined them. "You’ve gotten even more handso. I bet girls are still crushing on you."
A round of laughter erupted among the group.
Back in school, Kevin had been one of the most popular students. Whenever their basketball team played, the stands would be packed. Everyone knew many of those students weren’t there for the ga—they were there to watch Kevin.
Kevin shook his head at Jackson’s comnt.
"You guys haven’t changed at all."
anwhile, a group of won stood near one corner of the hall, watching Kevin chat with his friends.
"I still wish he’d accepted my confession back then," Kate said wistfully. "I really wanted to date soone like him."
The others nodded in agreent.
It wasn’t just Kate. Half the girls in school had been interested in Kevin. He was handso, athletic, intelligent, and surprisingly kind despite all the attention he received.
"What a sha he got dragged into that whole ss with Ivy," Scarlet said with a scoff. "His reputation took such a hit because of it. I still don’t understand why he even bothered acknowledging her feelings."
Scarlet had confessed to Kevin herself years ago, only to receive a polite rejection.
"But have you all seen that photo of Ivy and Kevin?" Nancy asked curiously. "Do you think they’ve been together all these years?"
The girls exchanged glances before looking back at Kevin.
Then Olivia let out a mocking laugh.
"That’s ridiculous."
The group imdiately turned toward her.
"Just because Kevin and Ivy worked together doesn’t an they’re dating," Olivia continued. "If you ask , she probably used so rich man to get herself that opportunity."
The girls stared at her in surprise.
"You an she used a man to get cast in that photoshoot?" Kate asked.
Olivia shrugged casually.
"I wouldn’t be surprised."
She only spoke so confidently because of what she had witnessed at the mall.
After Nora and Polly had left that day, Olivia had stayed behind to buy a few more things. As she was leaving, she spotted Ivy getting into an expensive luxury car.
She hadn’t seen the man’s face because his back had been turned toward her, but the way he opened the door for Ivy and the sheer value of the vehicle told her one thing.
The man was wealthy.
Very wealthy.
And ever since that mont, Olivia had convinced herself that Ivy’s success had nothing to do with talent or hard work.
"Are you serious?" Nancy asked, lowering her voice instinctively.
Olivia took a sip of her drink before nodding.
"I saw it with my own eyes."
The girls imdiately beca more interested.
"What kind of car was it?" Scarlet asked.
"I don’t know the exact model, but it was definitely expensive. The kind ordinary people can’t afford."
Kate frowned.
"But even if she got into a rich man’s car, that doesn’t prove anything."
Olivia rolled her eyes.
"Co on, Kate. How many rich n personally open car doors for won? And don’t forget how suddenly Ivy’s career took off."
The girls exchanged uncertain looks.
They couldn’t deny that Ivy’s rise had been unusually fast.
"Maybe she’s just lucky," Nancy suggested.
Olivia let out a laugh.
"Luck? In the modeling industry? You really believe that?"
Before Nancy could answer, Nora and Polly approached the group.
"What are you all talking about?" Nora asked with a curious smile.
"We were talking about Ivy," Scarlet answered.
At the ntion of Ivy’s na, Nora’s smile stiffened slightly.
"What about her?"
Olivia was about to speak when a sudden commotion erupted near the entrance.
More guests had arrived.
Many people instinctively turned their heads.
The next second, the entire hall seed to fall silent.
Nora’s expression froze.
Polly nearly dropped the glass she was holding.
Olivia’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Walking through the entrance was none other than Ivy.
She wore a simple yet elegant evening gown that perfectly accentuated her figure. Her makeup was subtle, highlighting her natural beauty rather than overpowering it.
For a brief mont, everyone found themselves staring.
Back in school, Ivy had always been pretty.
But the woman standing before them now carried herself with a confidence and grace that made it difficult to look away.
"Is that really Ivy?" soone whispered.
"No way..."
"She looks completely different."
"I almost didn’t recognize her."
The murmurs spread throughout the hall.
Ivy noticed the attention imdiately but remained calm.
Her gaze swept across the room.
The mont her eyes landed on Nora, Polly, and Olivia, she paused briefly before offering a polite nod.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Yet that simple gesture sohow made Nora feel uncomfortable.
It was as though Ivy no longer considered them important enough to be worth her attention.
Polly clenched her jaw.
"What is she acting so proud for?"
Olivia’s expression darkened.
"She’s just putting on a show."
Before either of them could continue, another voice rang out from nearby.
"Wow... she actually looks amazing."
The comnt ca from one of their forr male classmates.
Soon several others nodded in agreent.
Even so of the won couldn’t help but admit it.
Jealousy flickered across Nora’s eyes as she watched the reactions around the room.
This wasn’t supposed to happen.
Ivy was supposed to arrive alone and beco the subject of ridicule.
Instead, she had beco the center of attention.
And judging by the way people were looking at her, the evening was no longer going according to Nora’s plan.
***
anwhile, Ivy felt like a stranger as countless eyes followed her every move. So looked at her with curiosity, others with open disdain.
Not that she cared.
Back in school, she had been mocked for looking like a nerd. Then ca the rumors about Kevin. By the ti she graduated, her reputation had only worsened.
"Need so company?"
The sudden voice drew Ivy’s attention. The mont she recognized the speaker, her expression stiffened.
France.
There wasn’t a single pleasant mory associated with him. In fact, after the night he had tried to force himself on her, Ivy had developed a deep fear and disgust toward him.
France was malicious. Even after she had moved out of the Ford residence years ago, he would still show up from ti to ti, looking for opportunities to take advantage of her.
"Why?" Ivy asked coldly. "Are you here to beg for money again?"
Her words landed like a slap across France’s face. The smug smile he wore instantly faltered.
It was true.
To keep this deadbeat brother away from her, Ivy had often paid him off. As long as he got money, he would leave her alone for a while.
"You’ve got quite a sharp tongue now," France sneered. "Is it because of that man you secretly slept with?"
His expression darkened as jealousy flashed through his eyes. The thought of Ivy being with another man had always infuriated him.
Over the years, he had desired her obsessively. If his mother hadn’t repeatedly warned him against crossing certain lines, he would have pursued her far more aggressively.
Ivy remained calm, watching him attempt to provoke her.
Unfortunately for him, she wasn’t the naive girl he rembered.
"And that sa man," she said evenly, "is the reason your mother received all that money."
France’s jaw tightened.
Ivy took a step closer, her gaze unwavering.
"So before you insult him, maybe rember who elevated your family’s status in the first place."
The color drained from France’s face.
For once, he had nothing to say.
For a brief mont, France stood there speechless.
The surrounding chatter from the reunion faded into the background as his expression twisted with humiliation.
Then anger quickly took its place.
"You think you’re so impressive now?" he scoffed. "Just because you found a rich man to back you up?"
Ivy let out a quiet laugh.
The sound only irritated him further.
"You’re still the sa, France," she said. "Always looking at what other people have instead of doing sothing with your own life."
His face darkened.
"Watch your mouth."
"Or what?" Ivy asked.
France clenched his fists.
Years ago, those words would have frightened her. Back then, Ivy would have lowered her head and apologized just to avoid trouble.
But the woman standing before him now was completely different.
Seeing no fear in her eyes unsettled him.
"You’ve changed," he muttered.
"People tend to change when they stop being surrounded by toxic people."
The indirect jab hit its target perfectly.
France’s nostrils flared.
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