Chapter 228:

But Yelena wasn’t blind to Bella’s games—if she pushed too far, Yelena wouldn’t hesitate to set her straight.

With that unspoken understanding, the two women set off toward the hotel.

This time, the event was held at a posh luxury hotel, the perfect setting for a high-society gathering where the daughters of the rich and powerful would mingle.

When they arrived, Yelena and Bella handed over their invitations at the entrance.

Inside, the atmosphere was already buzzing—many guests had arrived, all gathered around a striking woman in a royal blue gown that practically commanded attention from across the room.

Bella’s eyes lit up. “This must be Amanda’s cousin from Kheley,” she thought.

She’d heard Amanda speak of this cousin in the past.

Excited, Bella practically skipped over to introduce herself, leaving Yelena to drift behind, relieved to be free of any immediate social obligations.

Feeling the weight of the crowd ease, Yelena was just about to step outside for some fresh air when someone grabbed her arm.

A loud, dramatic voice cut through the chatter. “Yelena, is it really you? At this high-society party?”

It was Sonya. She had just arrived and, upon spotting Yelena, couldn’t believe her eyes.

Yelena, dressed to the nines and clearly not in the role of staff, stood there as if she belonged.

“Yep. Is that so surprising?” Yelena replied, her patience thinning as Sonya’s voice rang in her ears like a shrill alarm.

LΑτєѕτ chαρτєrs ιn g𝓪l𝑛ovєl𝑆.𝗰𝑜𝗺

“Surprising? How could it not be? How on earth did you get in? Do you even have an invitation?” Sonya asked, her tone dripping with disbelief and suspicion.

Sonya was quick to assume Yelena was a party-crasher, pretending to be someone she wasn’t.

Yelena arched an eyebrow, unruffled. “Whether I have an invitation or not, why does it concern you? And you—how exactly did you get in here?”

The Roberts family was newly wealthy, and Sonya hadn’t exactly earned a spot among the high-society elite. Seeing her here, of all places, was a bit of a surprise.

Sonya, clearly pleased with herself, puffed out her chest. “Of course, I have an invitation. It was personally delivered to me by Mrs. Cynthia Mitchell. Unlike some people who sneak in without any shame,” she said, relishing the opportunity to mock Yelena.

Yelena hadn’t anticipated the Roberts family’s ties to Cynthia.

Their loud exchange caught the attention of the room. Monica, who had only moments ago been surrounded by admirers, glanced up and caught sight of Yelena.

Her eyes sharpened as recognition flickered across her face.

What a stroke of luck.

She had been trying to gather information about Yelena, and now, here she was, standing right in front of her at a high-society gala.

Clearly, Yelena must be one of those highborn types. This was even better—or so Monica believed—as it saved her a lot of legwork.

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