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Novel Catalog
Chapter 36
As Cordy walked past Noel and Mandy, she couldn’t help but feel a quiet sense of satisfaction. The looks on their faces were enough to tell her that their plan had backfired spectacularly. She didn’t need to say a word—her mere presence and poise had already won the moment.
Mandy, still fuming, turned to Noel and muttered under her breath, “How did she get one of those invitations? She shouldn’t even be here.”
Noel clenched her jaw, her gaze following Cordy as she walked away with elegance. Her plan to humiliate Cordy had failed utterly. “I don’t know,” she said, bitterness lacing her tone. “But she won’t be able to hide the truth for long. She’s still a Sachs, and everyone knows it.”
But Noel wasn’t entirely wrong. There was still a lingering question in the air. Even though Cordy had an invitation, her background was a stain that wouldn’t easily be scrubbed away. It didn’t matter that she had received an invitation from the Levines personally—people would still talk. They would always be reminded of her fall from grace, the Sachs family’s rejection of her, and the whispered rumors about her past.
As Cordy made her way through the crowd, the whispers around her started to fade. It was as though everyone had collectively realized that she wasn’t someone to be easily dismissed. They might not have welcomed her with open arms, but they were forced to respect her—whether they wanted to or not.
Her eyes scanned the room, briefly locking with Kyle’s. He still looked uncomfortable, his earlier smugness wiped off his face. But Cordy wasn’t interested in his embarrassment. She had long stopped seeking his approval or validation.
She spotted a few familiar faces—business associates, acquaintances, people she had worked with before—and she nodded politely as she passed them. Her confidence grew with every step she took.
In the distance, she saw John Levine talking with a small group of influential individuals, his presence commanding attention without him needing to raise his voice. Cordy felt a brief wave of curiosity. She hadn’t expected to see him here tonight, but she wasn’t surprised. The Levines were a staple in North City’s high society, and she had been invited by them, after all.
As she continued through the hall, a part of her couldn’t help but think back to the conversation she had with him the night before. Despite the whirlwind of emotions swirling around her, John had been nothing but kind. He had shown her an unexpected side, one that was both protective and respectful, and even though she didn’t understand why he had helped her so much, she couldn’t deny that there was something different about him.
As Cordy finally found a quiet corner to stand and observe the crowd, her thoughts wandered to her past. It had been a long time since she had attended an event like this—one where she was the object of so much attention, both good and bad. But tonight, she wasn’t the same Cordy Sachs who had once been cast aside. She had built her own life, her own career, and no matter how much people tried to look down on her, she knew her worth.
And if the Levines had seen it too? Well, that was just the icing on the cake.