Birthday Party

The halls of Wang were decorated with top-notch, superior, and first-rate materials that screamed wealth, sumptuousness, and opulence. From the ceiling to the floorings, they were all decorated lavishly, the large chandelier in the middle of the ceiling shimmering brightly, giving off a nice homely feeling. The addition of redolent flowers gave the place a nice floral and patterned fragrance, adding a little bit of nature's traits to the occasion. The sweet scent of roses and lilies wafted through the air, mingling with the sound of soft music and gentle chatter.

The guests invited were from the flush and wealthy classes in society, everyone dressed in high-priced and high-quality clothing worth thousands. Andy's friends who had received a friend invite and were there dressed in the most expensive and high-priced clothing worth thousands and millions. Among them, Andy stood tall with confidence and certainty, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. She knew that her father, who was prominent in society, would not let her down at all. She had boasted that Lilith Lee was going to be there, and almost half of the school knew about it. So to prove herself, she invited the capable in the class to attest to whatever would happen.

Just when everything seemed to fall in place, they saw an unwanted guest walk in. The faces of the girls cringed when their gazes landed on Esther, who was leaning on the door, her expression unreadable and unclear. Although she wore cheap and meretricious clothing, she was bound to attract attention. She wore a white evening dress that hugged her body and showed off her curves, the fabric glistening in the light. It not only screamed extravagance but also outshone the other rich kids' clothing. With a little touch of lip gloss on her lips, Esther's face was completely bare with no hint of makeup, showing off her breathtaking natural beauty.

As Esther casually glanced around the crowds, her eyes looking for a particular person, Lachlan Strokes, the man she hadn't seen since their last encounter. She had been so busy that her mind didn't go to him. She was aware that Lachlan Strokes was going to be there, so she was going to be mindful of her actions. She had received two invitation cards, one from the Strokes family and the other from the Ibarra family. The Ibarra family, Andy's family, were loaded and wealthy families from Seaside city, a two-tier city in the country. Because of this, they were feared and respected the most in the country and were rarely offended.

"Andy's got some serious nerve," Esther thought to herself, "inviting me to her party and thinking I wouldn't show up." She knew that Andy was using Lilith Lee's identity as a stepping stone to promote herself, which Esther wasn't going to let off so easily. She didn't see the difference between Andy and Lilith since they were the same – White Lotus. She wanted to see how long Andy would play the victim card before she broke.

As Andy climbed the stairs carefully, a plastic smile plastered on her face, Esther watched her with a mixture of amusement and disdain. "You came, Sister Esther," Andy said, her voice laced with malice, hostility, and a bit of antipathy. "I wanted to apologize for not inviting you earlier,and for the classroom incident." she added, her eyes gleaming with insincerity.

"You don't have to, actually," Esther replied coldly, her voice calm yet dreadful. She didn't have the energy to deal with a white lotus like Andy. The fact that she was chatting with Andy didn't necessarily mean she was going to engage with her. Andy felt Esther's lack of interest in the communication, and it was clear in her gaze. It implied to Andy that Esther saw her as unworthy to talk to.

Now, everyone's gaze was fixed on the two, one from a wealthy background and the other who was eye-catching. Andy's friends who were chatting earlier hadn't noticed her disappear until they heard Esther's cold retort, which made them annoyed. Esther dared to act chesty and robust in front of Andy when she had no background whatsoever.

...

Andy's friends who were chatting earlier hadn't noticed her disappear until they heard Esther's cold retort—this made them annoyed. They turned to Esther, their faces twisted in disdain.

"Who does she take herself to be?" one of them sneered, her voice dripping with malice. "Yes, just because she has been noticed by Andy—she dare act so proud," another chimed in, her eyes rolling in disgust.

"She is just some country bumpkin been taken care of by a wealthy family," a third friend added, her tone condescending. "Just because she is pretty—she thinks she is superior, but she is just nothing but an empty vase. In front of Andy, who is she?"

"I mean, seriously, what does she have that makes her so special?" one of them asked, her voice laced with curiosity. "Is it just her looks or does she have some hidden talent?"

The group of friends continued to mock Esther, their words cutting and hurtful. "Just because she got some backers, she is acting all proud and big. Look how pitiful Andy is, and yet she dare act so arrogant," one of them said, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"I think she is just some ignorant nouveau riche who had recently gotten money and dare flaunt it," another friend chimed in, her eyes flashing with disdain. "How can Andy Ibarra tolerate such behavior—and this girl so arrogant doesn't she know the Ibarra family?"

"I'm surprised she would even dare to show her face here," someone else said, her tone dripping with disdain. "I mean, she's just not on the same level as us."

Their words were like daggers, piercing Esther's reputation and dignity. The guests around them began to paint Esther in a different light, finding her nothing but an arrogant country bumpkin who had no status. Earlier, they thought she was a rich heiress from a strong family, but now they realized they were wrong, and they didn't hide their hostility.

"Just because she wore a limited edition dress—she dared act immodest and imperious," someone sneered, her eyes scanning Esther's outfit with disdain. "She thinks she's above everyone else just because of her clothes and her connections."

The mocking continued, with Esther standing tall and calm, her expression unreadable. The guests' hostility towards her grew, and the atmosphere in the room became increasingly tense.

The group of friends continued to taunt Esther, their words becoming more and more vicious. "You think you're so much better than us, don't you?" one of them sneered. "But you're just a nobody, a nobody who thinks she's somebody."

The guests' laughter and snickers filled the room, and Esther's expression remained calm and unreadable, despite the hurtful words being thrown at her.