Chapter 121
The Wilson family’s birthday party was about to begin. Guests were arriving one after another, but there was still no sign of Aubree.
Ronald’s face darkened. Even when Wendy came to report to him, he still couldn’t believe Aubree remained unmoved by the conditions he had offered. It seemed she didn’t care about becoming legally independent from them at all.
He thought he was aiming to take over the entire Wilson family. At most, he could restore her inheritance rights, but anything more was out of the question.
While Ronald was secretly considering further lowering his bottom line, the bodyguards he had sent to look for Aubree returned. They wore uneasy expressions and seemed hesitant to speak. Aubree didn’t care about the birthday party at all.
One of them said, “Mr. Wilson, Miss Miller… she is celebrating her birthday.”
Then, there was a sound of a glass shattering.
“Good, very good!” Ronald’s face turned red with fury. “That ungrateful girl! Is she trying to embarrass me?”
He had announced that the party would celebrate both daughters. If Aubree didn’t want to attend, he could have made excuses. The family was holding a party for her, but she chose to celebrate with others. That felt like a slap in his face.
The bodyguards kept their heads down, not daring to reply.
“Fine! Let her be! Our family is doing fine without her!” Ronald raged. “Daxton said it best. She was born lowly, and if kindness doesn’t work, then we’ll deal with her the hard way!”
Aubree knew nothing about what was happening in the Wilson family household.
That afternoon, just as she left the office, she was whisked away by Ethan and Samson, who had been waiting for her. She asked where they were going, but both only grinned and refused to answer.
“You arranged this?” Aubree asked, surprised when they stopped at a high-end styling studio.
Walking in, she was met with the sight of Bowen, dressed flamboyantly in an ink-wash-inspired outfit, looking every bit like a peacock in full display.
“Yeah. I wanted to surprise you, though I guess it’s more of a shock,” he said with an apologetic smile.
Beside him stood a clothing rack covered with black fabric. It was hiding a dress.
“Not exactly a shock,” Aubree replied, trying to sound calm, though her heart was pounding. It seemed he was planning to celebrate her birthday.
“Get dressed and made up. Tonight, you’re the star, and you need to shine brightest,” he said, his eyes full of affection. He couldn’t hide his emotions; they were written all over his face.
He hoped tonight’s arrangements would make her happy.
With one motion, he pulled off the cover, revealing the dress.
Girls naturally found it hard to resist beautiful things, and Aubree was no exception. If this gown meant anything to her, it was because it brought back dreams from when she was younger. Back in school, she had fantasized about wearing something stunning, walking into a room, and drawing everyone’s attention.
Bowen said, “It’s custom-made. But if you don’t like it, I also had some designer labels send over their latest collections.”
“I love it,” Aubree murmured, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
She didn’t love just the dress. She loved that someone had taken her seriously.
She ran her hand over the gown’s smooth fabric. From the stitching to the subtle embroidery, everything screamed craftsmanship and care.
“I’ll go change,” she murmured, turning away so Bowen wouldn’t see the emotion brimming in her eyes.
When Aubree reappeared, everyone went silent.
Aubree had always been beautiful, but in that gown, she was divine. The off-shoulder cut showed off her delicate collarbones, and the flowing skirt hugged her silhouette just right. Her long hair was curled loosely and swept to one side, accessorized only with pearl earrings and a matching bracelet.
“You look like you just stepped off a red carpet, Miss Miller,” Samson said, his ears turning red.