Rebirth Into My Second Chance

I glanced around the boutique, my eyes landing on a sleek A-line dress ensemble that caught my fancy.

Just as I was about to express my preference, Kate came over with a slinky satin slip dress in hand. "This one's pretty fabulous, Claire. It's in your favorite shade of sky blue, and honestly, this style will really show off your figure. There's going to be a bunch of high-society bachelors at the auction tonight. Perfect opportunity for me to scout some top-notch prospects for you, don't you think?"

If I had shown up wearing something like that in my past life, Claude would have had a fit.

But since Kate was playing a game, I figured I might as well play along.

The moment I slipped into the dress, the stylists swarmed around me, gushing, "Ms. Floyd, you look stunning! Your skin is absolutely glowing. You're gorgeous even without a speck of makeup."

Kate, admiring her manicure, gave a sly smile and said with a hint of envy, "Well, Claire is at that perfect age where she's most beautiful, and her skin is just flawless."

Immediately, the stylists flocked back to her, showering her with compliments. "And Ms. Goodwin, you look absolutely stunning too."

Their back-and-forth flattery was exhausting.

Looking at my reflection, the slip dress subtly hinted at my silhouette due to its satin material, perfectly enhancing my figure.

Stepping out in something Claude hadn't chosen was bound to cause a stir.

I was actually curious to see how Kate would play her hand next.

"Claire, want to ride with me to the event?" she offered.

I nodded, fully aware of how much she wanted to set me up for failure.

Then, she picked up a shawl, saying, "Since you like this, wear it. The dress looks great on you, but adding a shawl would be even better." When she draped it over my shoulders, everyone praised her for being such a caring sister, the epitome of a well-bred lady.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

But what they missed was her subtle manipulation, implying the dress was my choice, not hers.

Even as we arrived, she was holding my hand, introducing me as Claude's sister.

But everyone knew Claude didn't have a sister.

I was just the daughter of someone who owed their life to the Hart family, so when she introduced me as Claude's sister, it definitely raised some eyebrows and intrigued

glances.

Claude had already arrived, seemingly deep in conversation with someone, even toasting with champagne in a manner that showed utmost respect.

I only saw the man's back, unable to

see his face, but in Crestview Metropolis, there weren't many who could command such respect from Claude.

So, this must have been why he was so eager to attend the auction.

I remembered from my past life, Kate and Claude had their own objectives.

What those were, I couldn't fathom. Claude was already at the pinnacle of the legal world; what more did he want?

Gabrielle had warned about Kate's ambition, fearing it would eventually be Claude's downfall.

By the time snapped back to reality, Claude was approaching with a dark expression, and the man he had been conversing with had disappeared.

Kate, a step ahead, quickly took Claude's arm.

But I could feel Claude's burning gaze on me, probably upset that I had defied him by not wearing the outfit he had chosen.

Kate, sensing his anger, quickly explained, "Claire really liked this dress, and I thought it looked lovely on her."

Just as I had suspected, she told Claude that it was my preference first.