FakeNovelChapter 463 At that moment, Hulda, the chair of the charity gala, caught sight of Isadora and Nanette as she chatted with guests. Her eyes lit up; she immediately strode over to greet them.
The other socialites and wives, noticing Hulda's approach, hurried to follow her lead.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAndrina and Olivia, standing off to the side, stiffened as soon as they spotted Isadora among the arriving guests. Olivia's frown deepened, her brows knitting together so tightly it seemed they might never smooth out.
Andrina's first instinct was to pretend she hadn't seen Isadora-act as though they were complete strangers. But when the entire circle drifted toward Isadora, she was left with little choice. As vice president of the charity association, it would be both rude and conspicuous if she didn't follow.
Reluctantly, she beckoned Olivia to join her and moved toward the growing cluster.
Hulda extended a hand, her voice warm and resonant. "Mrs. Fitzgerald, your presence truly graces our charity gala tonight." Isadora shook her hand, returning the greeting with a graceful smile. "It's an honor to attend such a meaningful event, supporting people with disabilities. Of course I had to be here." Hulda, noting Isadora's approachable manner, turned to the assembled society ladies and beamed. "I'm not sure if everyone knows this, but before the gala even began, Mrs. Fitzgerald had already donated twenty million dollars to our cause. Truly a heart of gold." Isadora replied lightly, "It's just a small gesture from the Fitzgerald Group." The moment those words left her lips, the crowd's opinion of Isadora shifted palpably. Admiration flickered in their eyes as they surrounded her with praise, each trying to outdo the other in their compliments.
Isadora acknowledged them with a polite nod, letting her gaze drift unhurriedly toward Andrina and Olivia, who stood among the ladies looking utterly thunderstruck. Olivia rolled her eyes so hard it was impossible to miss. With a faint, unhurried smile, Isadora remarked, "It seems Mrs. Walsh and her daughter aren't exactly pleased to see me." Andrina, cornered, forced a smile. "How could that be? You look positively radiant tonight, Mrs. Fitzgerald. It's wonderful to see you've made a full recovery." Isadora's smile lingered, but her tone was light, almost careless. "Is that so? After all, I was nearly frozen to death in your family's storage room, thanks to your staff. If not for a stroke of luck, I wouldn't be standing here tonight." She had thrown the accusation into the open without hesitation, and Andrina's face twitched, caught off guard by Isadora's candor.
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. The ladies exchanged glances, their curiosity piqued, eager for more scandal.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmBut Andrina was a seasoned player. In a heartbeat, she switched to a gentle, gracious expression and replied smoothly, "The staff responsible have already been\ disciplined. I do hope, Mrs. Fitzgerald, you'll be the bigger person and let bygones be bygones. After all, the deceased deserve our respect, don't you agree?" Her words dripped with elegance-subtly reminding everyone that the Walsh family's nanny was already dead. Now that Isadora was healthy and standing before them, holding a grudge would only make her look petty. From the sidelines, Nanette scoffed loudly. "That's not a comparison I care for. Your staff's miserable fate can't be mentioned in the sbreath as Mrs. Fitzgerald's. Frankly, even your daughter Olivia doesn't measure up." Olivia couldn't take it anymore. Unlike her mother, she didn't have the patience for such pretense. She was just about to retort when Andrina clamped a hand on her wrist, holding her back.
With a gentle smile, Andrina countered, "There's no such thing as higher or lower among people. I'm
sure, Mrs. Fitzgerald, that since you've donated twenty tonight, odollars wouldn't stoop to using your status to oppress others." Isadora's expression didn't change; she refused to let Andrina guide the
conversation as she pleased. Instead, she smiled, her tone coo and measured. "There's a saying: then behavior of servants reflects the values of their masters. I don't know if you're familiar with it. I'm kind to good people, but when it comes to those with cruel hearts, I'm not nearly so tolerant." Olivia could stand it no longer. Just the sight of Isadora made her skin crawl. In her mind, it was Isadora's fault the nanny had died.
Her face icy, Olivia snapped, "Don't push your luck. Whatever happened between our families is over and done with!"
Hulda, watching the tension rise, was nearly beside herself. The gala hadn't even officially begun she couldn't let things spiral out of control. Forcing a smile, she quickly tried to smooth things over.
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