Chapter 135
Yvette glanced around the room, taking in the décor before her eyes landed on the people around. Gideon had mentioned it would just be a quiet dinner with his parents and grandfather. But to her surprise, it seemed like the entire Baker family had shown up. Calliope and Silas were there, which she could handle, but so were many other relatives. She didn’t know them, but Gideon had told her stories about his family–three uncles and a few cousins, each with quirks. None of them sounded easygoing. She had been excited, thinking she’d have Gideon’s support. But with so many eyes on her, like she was the evening’s entertainment, her confidence wavered. Standing by Gideon’s side, Yvette felt like a deer caught in headlights. She dreamed of becoming a wealthy socialite, but her life had been a struggle. Her entire year’s budget wouldn’t match their daily spending. When facing the well-dressed crowd, her insecurities bubbled to the surface. She wanted to marry into this world but had no clue how to fit in.
Fleur, Gideon’s mother, noticed Yvette inching behind her son, trying to blend in. Her expression was one of pure disdain. Yvette was not the match she’d envisioned for her son. Fleur had done her homework on this girl. The thought that Yvette had somehow derailed Gideon’s potential engagement to Calliope and the accompanying business stakes boiled her blood. This was all Yvette’s fault! Who did she think she was, trying to latch onto Gideon? She should take a good look in the mirror. Fleur’s gaze was sharp and cutting, sending a chill down Yvette’s spine. Gideon’s father didn’t seem more welcoming, frowning as he regarded her.
Elsewhere, Calliope sat calmly beside Silas, who was strikingly handsome, exuding superiority even in his relaxed state. He was leisurely peeling an orange, offering segments to Calliope one by one. Calliope’s gaze was like a cat watching a mouse, filled with amusement and mockery. The look pierced Yvette’s heart. She bit her lip, her hands clenching in frustration. Calliope was nothing more than the woman Gideon had left behind. Gideon chose her, Yvette, over Calliope! As for Silas, there was no way he’d be interested in someone his nephew had discarded. Calliope’s smugness would be short-lived. Once she married Gideon, she vowed to oust Calliope from the Baker family’s circle.
“Well, so this is the girl Gideon’s marrying?” Verity piped up, glancing at Calliope first, then turning her attention to Yvette with unmasked curiosity. “What did Gideon see in you?”
“Why are you hiding behind him like a scared child?”
“We’re not going to bite you. What’s there to be afraid of?”
“You’re not as pretty as Callie, nor do you seem to have her charm. Maybe you come from money, a family that matches the Bakers?”
“I remember Fleur always saying Callie wasn’t good enough for Gideon. So, you must have something exceptional, a background that outshines Callie’s! Otherwise, why would Gideon bring you home?”
Verity’s tongue was as sharp as ever.
Yvette’s fists clenched tighter, her face flushed with anger. Fleur was equally furious. Her anger was directed at Yvette. If not for this woman’s scheming, Gideon wouldn’t have brought her home. Clearly, she had an agenda – dreaming of marrying into wealth and changing her life. She should really take a good look at herself. But since she was the one Gideon brought home, Fleur couldn’t show her displeasure openly without undermining her son.