Chapter 13 Not Worthy Of You

• As Sophia finally had some free time lately, she happily idled at home. However, she could only loaf about for two days before she was forced by Katherine to attend a banquet.
• Stepping into the banquet, Sophia hadn't even spotted Katherine's figure, yet she already bumped into an old acquaintance.
• “Tsk, tsk. Isn't this my sister-in-law? Oh, right. How forgetful I am. You're no longer my sister-in-law!”
• Thalia's sarcastic words attracted the attention of many. Putting on an impassive countenance, Sophia stared at Thalia and asked, “Is there anything I can help you with, Ms. Xenos?”
• “Oh, it's nothing. I was just curious about the trick you employed to earn yourself the invitation card to get in! This banquet tonight is open to all big shots only, but you're just a gold digger. Whose coattails have you ridden on to enter?”
• While Jadeborough was not large, it was not small either. Still, it was always the usual folks hanging around the same social circle.
• The banquet attendees were basically people from the upper class. The pressing onlookers who were waiting for Sophia to make a fool of herself were just the same as those people who had humiliated her during the past three years.
• Thalia was the daughter of the Xenos family, so her words would still carry some weight among the group of socialites. Once she took the lead to discriminate and bully someone, there would naturally be a bunch of people following suit just to curry favor with the Xenos family.
• Sophia couldn't help but smile as she raised her hand and pointed at Katherine, who was coming from behind Thalia. “You might have to seek the answer from Ms. Quinn.”
• As a brand ambassador, Katherine was decked in dazzling jewelry that night, exuding an air of elegance and sophistication. She instantly drew the public attention like a magnet the moment she set her foot inside.
• From afar, she noticed that Sophia was encircled by the crowd. Katherine had yet to walk up to Sophia, but she could already hear Thalia acting up again.
• Katherine was so enraged that her face turned red. With her twelve-centimeter high heels, she squeezed through the crowd and stood before Sophia. As protective as a mother hen, she stared down at Thalia with an ice-cold gaze. “What right do you have to say that to my friend?”
• Katherine's words were like a tight slap across Thalia's cheek. The latter's face paled to a ghastly white, and she seemed to have something to rebuke. However, Katherine was an A-list celebrity and also the ambassador of the jewelry brand. She would never be the person to leave, even if the brand managers were to chase them out.
• Everyone in their social circle had been speculating that there was an affluent investor supporting Katherine. Even so, no one had managed to dig out the identity of that investor over so many years.
• Because of that, Thalia wouldn't dare to offend Katherine. All she could do was glare at Sophia.
• Since when has this woman cozy up to Katherine?
• Flashing a half-smile, Sophia glanced at Thalia before scanning the surrounding horde with an indifferent mien. Then, she grabbed a glass of grape juice and walked away from the drama.
• Trailing behind her, Katherine was still wearing a frosty visage. No one dared to even strike up a conversation with her when she walked past them.
• Sophia picked a quiet corner and stopped in her tracks. She then let out a light snort. “Not bad. You're quite intimidating!”
• Since there were no outsiders near them, Katherine's face took a drastic change there and then. She grinned from ear to ear while looking at her friend. “Why did you dress up so plainly tonight?”
• That night, Sophia was only clad in a black fitting slip dress with her long hair let down on her back. She had no jewelry on except a pair of diamond ear studs.
• By contrast, Katherine wore a fine purple dress coupled with a diamond necklace and a pair of drop earrings, looking majestic and elegant.
• Taking a sip of the grape juice, Sophia kept mum as she watched Katherine leisurely with her alluring eyes.
• “Beautiful people are often capricious! Goodness gracious, Soph. Don't look at me this way. I'm not ready to come out yet!” exclaimed Katherine.
• Sophia knew that her friend was merely teasing her, so she smiled and said nothing.
• Katherine cleared her throat and continued, “There's an exhibition hall inside. Care to join me?”
• Arching a brow, Sophia knew that Katherine had always loved shimmering jewelry since her youth.
• “Okay. There's nothing much to do here anyway.”
• The brand managers had set up an exhibition hall for the banquet. All new products of the current season were put on display. Considering that they were many socialites present at the banquet, this occasion could serve as a mini exhibition.
• At first glance, it was obvious that the items inside the exhibition hall were not something any commoner could afford. The cheapest bracelet already cost one hundred seventy thousand, not to mention those necklaces with a price tag of tens of thousands or even above one million.
• Sophia was not that interested in jewelry, and she came over just to accompany Katherine. There was quite a crowd in the exhibition hall, so Katherine had to put up a cold front again when facing the public. Seeing how restrained Katherine was, Sophia thought that watching her friend was much more interesting than those necklaces and bracelets.
• “This necklace really suits you, Bethany. Oh, my. I think it's custom-made for you!”
• Thalia spoke in a low voice, yet she was only three display cases away from Sophia and Katherine, so the duo could hear her words clearly.
• As soon as Katherine caught a glimpse of Bethany, the former lost the mood to continue touring the exhibition. She tugged at Sophia's arm and walked over there.
• Looking at that piece of necklace sitting in the display case, Katherine casually turned to Sophia and asked, “Does this necklace look nice? What do you think?”
• Sophia shifted her gaze to the display case and raised her eyebrows. “So-so.”
• “Do you like it? If you do, I'll go and get you one. I heard they only produced three pieces of this necklace.”
• Sophia stroked her brow and lowered her head slightly, seemingly considering it seriously. After a while, she piped up, “I don't like it.”
• “Well, I suppose it looks good, but it's a shame that it's not worthy of you,” scoffed Katherine.
• It was undeniable that Katherine's take on temperament had always been strict in front of other people.
• Had she stated her opinion sooner, it would have caused no issue. However, Thalia had just commented that the necklace suited Bethany. The latter, too, was beginning to take a liking to that necklace. Alas, Katherine suddenly stepped in with Sophia to drop a bomb, claiming that it was unworthy of Sophia.
• Thalia's face darkened right away. She had been caught off guard a while ago and was humiliated by Katherine. This time, she wouldn't let it slide. “Not worthy? I think it's more like you couldn't afford it.”
• Quirking the corner of her lips, Katherine let out a sneer. “You mean I couldn't even cough up one million for it?”
• Thalia had directed the remark to Sophia, but she never anticipated Katherine to throw out a reply instead.
• Needless to say, Katherine was able to pay for this necklace. Word had it that her endorsement fee was already more than ten million, so one million was simply chicken feed.
• “Thalia didn't mean that, Ms. Quinn.” Bethany tried to smooth things out.
• “Oh, really? How about you tell me what she means, then?”
• Bethany's expression froze when she heard Katherine's words. The latter didn't seem to show her any respect. What am I supposed to say to that?