Chapter 396: Chapter 396

The person who had spoken, made her way towards Aliya, but then she gave her a brief smile, sidestepped Aliya, and greeted Shelby,

"Thank you for coming, Mrs Thornston." She was very enthusiastic in her greeting, but this was so over the top that it sounded fake.

All the people gathered knew how much Ian doted on his wife. In fact, most of them had been at Alex’s birthday party and had seen how Ian’s aunts had even suffered. Who were they to place themselves in the path of social destruction?

They also knew how to keep up appearances. No matter what they wanted to do, they knew that Ian would always find a way to get to know the proceedings of the tea party even if he was not there.

"Thank you for having me," Shelby replied politely.

Other women gathered around her,

"Will Madam Geneva be coming here today?"

"No, Mum has other things to do today."

They all noted how Selby had addressed the older Mrs Thornston. This told them all that the relationship between daughter and mother-in-law was great. That gave Shelby another level of societal protection. Also, people had to give her leverage as she was the new matron of the whole Thornston estate. Who would want to offend such a person even if she was a greenhorn?

The person who had spotted Aliya earlier got out of the crowd that had surrounded Shelby and turned to Aliya,

"Sorry, how are you?"

Aliya smiled, a smile that looked totally fake, but most of the smiles in the room were like that, so she fit right in.

Aliya straightened her back, poised with an air of quiet elegance. Her chosen gown was a bit over-the-top but not overly so. It was a masterpiece of design, a deep, velvety teal that shimmered faintly in the light, reminiscent of twilight skies in the day.

The off-the-shoulder neckline gracefully framed her slender collarbones and shoulders showing off that dark contrast against her light pale skin. It was accentuated by delicate gold lace trinkets that resembled intricate filigree.

This gown also gave off an antique vibe. The bodice was form-fitting pushing up her full breasts. They were adorned with swirling embroidery that added that regal touch, while the full skirt cascaded to the floor in luxurious folds, its hem bordered with ornate patterns of gold and silver.

Of course, Aliya’s dressing would not be complete without her signature chocker which was made of that same intricate lace and ornaments.

Aliya had chosen to have her hair styled in a soft updo with loose tendrils framing her face. She had golden hairpins and floral hairpins nestled amidst the curls, giving her a look of effortless grace.

To add to this, she wore a pair of understated yet elegant earrings that caught the light as she moved. Her demeanor was calm yet confident, with a touch of mystery in her gaze, as though she carried a thousand secrets and this was what drew attention to her, apart from the fact that she had come in with Shelby.

"I am doing better, thank you for asking."

The woman peered into Aliya’s face with concern.

"You look better, but just a little pale. I am sure that you will get back into your old self before long!"

"Thank you for your kind words, sister."

The older woman, who looked to be about fifty years old, smiled, feeling contented that she was being called ’sister’.

"Come, let me introduce you," the woman said.

Outside the restaurant, Murray stood staring down at Royston. Left to his own devices, Murray would have dealt away with the nuisance of a person. The man just irritated him on the fact that he would not leave his mistress alone. But then, a thought occurred to Murray, and he did not bother with Royston.

This was for the simple reason that those who made a deal with the Timeless Witch always had something coming for them. The Timeless Witch never did anything for free, so the conclusion that they had drawn was that, Royston, like all other people, had exchanged something to get the Timeless Witch to the festival that day. As for what it was, they did not have to be geniuses to know what it was for that witch only accepted one form of trade.

This was also the reason why their investigations were stagnating on that front. It never made sense that the famous Timeless witch, who had lived through time and was like a folktale to most, would do something for Shelby with no strings attached.

Murray shook his head and then said sternly,

"Let me not see you around the Missus ever gain or you would live to regret it."

Without waiting for a reply or an acknowledgement, Murray sat into the car an drove it towards the designate car park. There were valets there to do this, but Murray did not trust them on this.

However, Murray underestimated the risks that Royston was willing to take to get to Shelby. Maybe Murray should have asked himself how Royston had even known that Shelby would be at that restaurant at that point in time...

After parking the car, Murray walked over to the restaurant, positioning himself at a place where he would have eyes on Shelby at all times.

In the underground parking area, Royston had flattened himself against a wall. He looked around to make sure that there were no eyes around, his heartbeat quickening as he crouched behind the parked car.

The place was dimly lit, and with his dark clothes, there was a minimal chance that anyone would see him from a distance. He had planned this carefully, knowing this might be his only chance. Hearing approaching voices, he crouched low till they passed and then reached for the trunk. It was unlocked! — this was Royston’s first stroke of luck. At least, this is how he saw it.

He eased it open, wincing at the faint creak of the hinges. His palms were slick with sweat as he slid inside, folding his tall self into the cramped space, careful not to disturb anything. The faint smell of leather and metal filled the air.

’This is for the best!’ Royston convinced himself but he had no idea what was to come because of this selfish decision he had made on this day.

His breathing was shallow, and he pressed his back against the cool lining of the trunk, gripping the edge of his jacket tightly. His mind was consumed by one thought:

’I need to talk to Shelby! I need to convince her!’

It was that difficult for him to even dream of being allowed into the Thornston estate. That place was a high-security estate, beyond gates guarded by men who wouldn’t hesitate to turn him away—or worse. But this way, he’d get past the barriers, unseen and unexpected.

Royston firmed his resolve and pulled the trunk close. It clicked shut with a finality that made his pulse spike. He was plunged into darkness, the space closing in around him, but he welcomed it.

He thought that it would take a long time before the event was completed and he had braced himself for that, but it ended sooner than he had anticipated. Soon, the engine roared to life, and the car lurched forward.

Every bump in the road brought him closer to her. Closer to his only chance to make things right—or ruin everything.

Shelby had been left to her own elements, and it would take barely a few minutes for her to realize why this was so.

Shelby ignored the looks that she thought she was so used to and made her way to her designated seat. Ava promptly moved behind her and helped her pour some lavender tea and plated a couple of biscuits on a side plate as well.

"How are you holding up?" Ava whispered- asked as she did this.

Ava nodded and then moved a few steps back after she was done with Shelby. It was then that she noticed that the muted chatter had given way to stolen glances and whispers of admiration. More directed at Shelby.

Ava was unsurprised at this. Besides, she was even gloating because all of Aliya’s obvious tricks had fallen through. Shelby was the epitome of refined beauty, effortlessly blending into the grandeur of the event yet still managing to stand out—a true portrait of grace and sophistication. This was an established fact and no amount of decorative ornaments of tricks could change that.

Aliya took a seat not too far from Shelby and was engaged animatedly. It was as if she was not the person who had come in with Shelby. Soon someone whispered,

"Didn’t Mrs. Thornston come with this person? Why is she pretending that she does not know her?"

"She climbed the olive branch, and now she thinks that she is above everyone...."

"I hate such people the most!"

"What do you expect her to do then? Stop with the double standards! If it were you, what would you have done?" Someone reprimanded the only person who seemed to be talking on behalf of Shelby in the bubbling conversation.

"Ikr, it’s always the nouveau rich people who think that they have achieved some aim to talk to us from generational wealth!"

"Yes, She should be kicked out of the circles!"

"Just look at how pitiful that woman looks! Who is going to stand up for her? This is too sad!"

The trend of conversation was strange. It seemed like they all had some dissatisfaction against Shelby in favour of Aliya, but what could have possible informed this change?

Aliya smiled, listening to them make her out to be a pitiful person. Just then, the question she had asked herself at the hospital popped back into her head. She relaxed, readying herself for what was to come. It was only a matter of time before one of these gossipy ladies saw the news and the gossip channels.

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