As Katelyn and Ashlyn stepped into the entrance together, their appearance momentarily caught Ryanna off guard. She had anticipated seeing Katelyn with Vincent, so the presence of someone else was unexpected.
A flicker of coldness passed through Ryanna’s expression, but she quickly recovered, her smile radiating warmth as she greeted Katelyn, “Miss Bailey, it’s wonderful to see you again. You look as enchanting as always.”
Katelyn returned the smile with equal graciousness.
“Princess Ryanna, you look stunning. Happy birthday.”
Katelyn offered a small red velvet box to Ryanna.
“Here is the birthday gift for you.” She skipped further pleasantries and immediately handed her gift to Ryanna.
Ryanna received it with a soft smile and expressed her gratitude, saying, “Thank you!”
Upon opening the small box, Ryanna found a bracelet inside. The bracelet was exquisitely delicate and appeared quite lovely. Her admiration was genuine as she held it up.
“What a lovely bracelet, I adore it!”
“Glad it suits your taste,” Katelyn replied simply.
Their conversation carried on effortlessly until Ryanna’s gaze shifted to Ashlyn. She asked curiously, “Miss Bailey, may I inquire who your companion is?”
With a soft chuckle, Katelyn gestured to Ashlyn and said, “This is Ashlyn Marshall, a dear friend of mine. I trust it’s alright that she joined us, Princess Ryanna?”
Of course, Ryanna wouldn’t openly admit that she was bothered, so she simply replied, “Of course it is.”
Ashlyn greeted warmly, “Happy birthday, Princess Ryanna!”
Ryanna laughed gently and responded, “Thank you.”
Since they were unfamiliar with each other, the exchange remained brief.
After a few moments of light conversation, Ryanna excused herself politely.
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Katelyn and Ashlyn moved toward a quieter section of the venue. Leaning closer after taking a sip of her wine, Ashlyn whispered to Katelyn, “Did you notice?”
“Earlier, when Ryanna noticed it was me who was with you, she didn’t look too pleased.”
None of the individuals here were particularly simple-minded. It was often easy to discern another’s thoughts from a simple gesture. A gleam flickered across Katelyn’s eyes. She murmured, “I’ve been wondering about Ryanna’s motive in sending invitations to Vincent and me. It seems she might be orchestrating for us to share something.”
The underlying intent was certainly intriguing.
Ashlyn nodded and said, “It does look like you’re in for some drama tonight.”
Ryanna had never been part of her circle before. Considering Ryanna’s intentions this evening, it was clear she was a woman of many layers. Katelyn smiled faintly, her face betraying no concern.
“It doesn’t bother me. I’m curious to see what she’s up to. If she’s trying to insinuate there’s something between Vincent and me, she’ll be disappointed.”
Their relationship was purely professional. They were simply colleagues, albeit with a slightly closer friendship.
Ashlyn, long familiar with both Katelyn and Vincent, recognized their fondness for each other but knew there was no romance between them. Under these circumstances, it would be quite challenging for Ryanna to detect any signs of a relationship between Katelyn and Vincent.
While the two were engaged in casual conversation, Fiona, dressed in a striking red gown, approached from across the room. Fixing her gaze on Katelyn, she spoke with scorn.
“So, you’re Katelyn? Daring to encroach on someone else’s fiancé and still showing up here? That’s utterly shameless.” She scrutinized Katelyn from head to toe with open disdain.
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