"Isn't that the princess of the Phillips family? How did she end up like this?"
"Princess? She's just a shameless tramp. She should know her place. How dare she set her sights on Mr. Phillips? She deserved to be sent to the countryside to fend for herself."
"No wonder she's dressed like a country bumpkin. Anyone would think she's a beggar who snuck in."
Scornful gazes cut through me like blades. I clenched my fists.
Just as I was about to leave, Dylan walked over with Ella.
Ella had grown up with Dylan. Their families had always wanted to match them up.
Ella looked me over in surprise. "Chloe, why aren't you wearing the dress?"
Dylan glanced at my shirt and pants, then said coldly, "There's a limit to how willful you can be. Don't you know how important today's banquet is?"
Ella gently tugged at Dylan. "Come on, don't be mad. I shouldn't have assumed and sent Chloe the dress. Maybe she didn't like it, so she didn't wear it."
So, she was the one who sent the dress.
I clenched the hem of my shirt. I was about to explain.
Dylan consoled Ella, "You meant well. Unfortunately, she doesn't know what's good for her."
He shot me a glance. "Playing the victim once or twice is enough. Any more than that, and it just becomes annoying."
Even though I had known for a while how little he thought of me, hearing it still hurt.
If only he had taken the dress out of the bag, he would've seen it was way too big.
On me, it would've looked like a loose sack.
Not to mention, the scars crisscrossing my body and my deformed right leg would've been exposed.
I numbly lowered my head, choosing not to explain.
A guest holding a wine glass approached and exchanged pleasantries with Dylan.
I quietly turned to leave.
Suddenly, a hand shoved me hard from behind.
I lost control and stumbled forward, crashing into the nine-tier birthday cake that a servant was pushing.
With a loud crash, I fell hard to the floor.
The toppled cake splattered all over me, red jam and cream smearing my face.
The entire hall fell silent.
Suddenly, a little boy said, "Auntie, she looks like a clown."
The floor was slick with cream, and with my weak right leg, I struggled pathetically in the pile of cake.
I couldn't get up for a long time.
"Haha, this is so funny. Now she looks like a worm rolling in the mud."
The child's innocent words made everyone laugh.
Everyone started pointing and whispering about me.