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Novel Catalog
Chapter 42
Cordy’s smile didn’t falter, though her gaze grew colder, more calculating. The way Mandy had tried to use the situation to humiliate her was transparent, and it wasn’t going to work.
She glanced down at her gown, still damp from the wine, and then back at Mandy, who was standing there with an expression full of spite, waiting for Cordy to react. But there was no anger in Cordy’s eyes—just a quiet amusement that only made Mandy’s sneer more pronounced.
“Like you said, it’s dirty now, so I don’t think you’d want me to stay at such an important event—wouldn’t want to disrespect the host, would I?” Cordy’s voice was calm, almost too calm, like she had already won the game and was simply waiting for Mandy to realize it.
Mandy’s face turned a shade of red, her earlier gloating turning into a mix of frustration and embarrassment. She had thought Cordy would explode, would get flustered, maybe even apologize. But instead, Cordy was behaving as though nothing had happened, as though she were already ten steps ahead in this little showdown.
“I—” Mandy stammered, momentarily taken aback, but she quickly recovered. “You think you can just walk away from this? You’re ruining everything tonight. That dress cost more than your entire wardrobe!”
Cordy tilted her head slightly, the coolness of her demeanor unwavering. “If you’re so concerned about the dress, maybe you should think twice about buying such delicate things. After all, it’s not the dress that makes a person valuable, is it?”
Mandy’s eyes flared with rage, but she couldn’t find the words to retort. She had expected Cordy to be embarrassed, to fall victim to her little plan, but instead, Cordy’s calm and collected response only made her feel like the one who had lost control.
Just then, Richard tugged at Cordy’s sleeve, his voice innocent and unbothered by the tension. “Mommy, can we go play now? It’s okay, right?”
The simplicity of his question snapped everyone back to reality for a moment, and the weight of the situation seemed to lighten. Cordy turned to Richard, her smile returning as she knelt down to his level. “Of course, sweetie. Let’s go.”
But as she turned to leave, Mandy couldn’t help but shoot one last venomous look in her direction. “You’re not fooling anyone,” she muttered under her breath, barely loud enough for Cordy to hear.
Cordy didn’t respond. She didn’t need to. There was no need to waste words on someone who had already sealed her own fate with her jealousy and bitterness. Cordy knew who she was, and she knew what she was capable of. Tonight wasn’t about winning a petty battle—it was about staying above it all.
With Richard’s hand in hers, Cordy left the scene, stepping away from the mess Mandy had tried to create. They headed toward the backyard, where the swings were waiting, and for a moment, the weight of the evening seemed to lift off Cordy’s shoulders.
Mandy’s words, her attempts at sabotage—none of it mattered. What mattered was Richard, and the peace she felt when she was with him. No amount of drama, no matter how hard others tried to drag her into it, could take that away from her.
As she and Richard reached the swings, Cordy pushed the worries of the banquet to the back of her mind. Tonight, she would enjoy this quiet moment, far away from the chaos of the ballroom, where the real competition was happening. And for once, she didn’t feel like she needed to be part of it.