“Mrs. Young, Rachel,” she greeted them with a polite smile, her aura one of elegant composure.
“Is that Yvonne? She’s grown so much! What a transformation, she’s absolutely stunning.”
“Teresa, she looks just like you did when you were young. Looking at her makes me feel so old.”
“You’re so lucky, Mrs. Spencer, to have such a beautiful daughter.”
A new wave of flattery began, this time directed at Yvonne. Standing next to Teresa, the family resemblance was undeniable. Dressed in a simple yet sophisticated white gown, Yvonne’s exquisite features were captivating.
In contrast, Queena, adorned with a diamond hairpiece and a matching set of gemstone jewelry, looked overwrought. The sheer amount of sparkle was dazzling to the point of being tacky, making her seem less refined.
Queena glared at Yvonne, her face twisting in a silent snarl. How dare this country bumpkin try to outshine her?
Just as she was plotting her next move, Oscar walked through the main doors.
The Spencers, for all their wealth, were not in the same league as Istra’s top-tier families. As such, not even a single member of their maternal family, the Jameses, had bothered to attend. But Oscar, the heir to the prestigious Rogers family, was a different story. His arrival immediately made him the center of attention, and he was quickly surrounded.
Oscar handled the attention with ease, smiling and chatting with the guests, a glass of champagne in his hand.
“Oscar,” Queena cooed, fluttering over to him like a butterfly. She wrapped her arm around his, her posture intimate. “What took you so long? I was getting worried.”
“Queena is still young, there’s no rush to get married,” she said, already speaking like the mother-in-law to the Rogers heir. “But once she’s of age, you’ll all be invited to the celebration.”
Queena clung to Oscar’s side, looking every bit the adoring fiancée. She shot a triumphant, provocative glare at Yvonne.
“Yvonne, this is Oscar, the heir to the Rogers family,” she announced sweetly.
Yvonne’s gaze fell on Oscar, her expression unreadable. For a fleeting moment, she was transported back in time. She had once called him brother-in-law. Because Oscar had been married to Flora Moore.
Flora was Bennett’s cousin, the daughter of the uncle who had raised him. He and Flora had been closer than most biological siblings. She had been a gentle, graceful woman, as calm and kind as still water. As a child, Yvonne had followed her around like a little shadow. Flora would braid Yvonne’s hair and let her try on her dresses.

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The readers' comments on the novel: Sorry for Your Loss, It's Me, I'm the Loss
Hi ... Could you please publish another novel .. The mocked missed hidden crowns.. thank you 🙏🏻...
Oh wow, definitely hooked on this. Great story. Thank you....
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