Chapter 95
Charlotte wore an elegant champagne colored midi dress with delicate silver embroidery along the hem, perfectly complementing her natural grace. The lavender jade bracelet Cassian had given her adored her wrist, and she’d styled her hair in a sophisticated low chignon secured with a vintage hairpin.]
Her
entire look was polished yet understated–exactly the kind of refined elegance that fit perfectly with today’s wine tasting event
The moment they entered the ballroom, all eyes turned their way
Mrs. Rhodes, and who is this lovely young woman?” A middle aged socialite in a navy Armant sult approached them, her gaze appraising Charlotte with barely concealed curiosity:||
Lancey’s face lit up with pride as she gently squeezed Charlottes arm. “This is my wonderful daughter–in–law, Charlotte
Charlotte smiled warmly and extended her hand. “It’s so nice to meet you.]
The
woman’s eyebrows shot up in surprise before she recovered her composure. “Well, aren’t you two just a perfect macht You have such wonderful poise, dear. No wonder Cassian fell for you.“[
A soft blush colored Charlotte’s cheeks. “You’re too kind
At a nearby tasting station, several young socialites stood perfectly coiffed, their designer jewelry catching the light as they swirled their wine glasses and whispered among themselves. When they sputed Charlotte, their conversations halted, all attention focused on the newcomer with unmistakable scrutiny.
Just then, Joanne’s mother, Megan swept in with both Joanne and Valeria in tow. They certainly made an entrance
Valeria was particularly eye–catching in a bold fuchsia cocktail dress that hugged every curve. She’d dearly gone all out with professional hair and makeup for
the occasion.
to the room with complete confidence, scanning the crowd until her gaze landed on Charlotte]
She strutted into
Her perfectly contoured brow furrowed slightly. What the hell is she doing here?
charlotte had never attended events like this before. What gave her the right to show up at such an exclusive gathering
Valeria deliberately made her way over to them
“Well, well, what a surprise seeing you here, sis. I’m guessing this is your first wine tasting? Her voice dripped with fake sweetness
Joanne chimed in with a cartiness that could cut glass. “God, are the standards for these events really that low now? I thought there was some kind of screening
A few socialites exchanged meaningful glances before one spoke up with a saccharing gpile. “So Charlotte, since this is your first time, what’s your experience with wine? Do you have a preference for reds or whites?
Charlotte caught Valeria’s smag expression but kept her voice calm and composed. “I tend to enjoy lighter reds–maybe a nice Pinot Noir. Something that’s not too heavy for afternoon drinking
“Oh, how…basic,” another socialite remarked, her tone laced with subtle condescension. “Most of us here appreciate the complexity of a good Bordeaux or Burgundy. Something with real depth and character, you know?”
Charlotte recognized the implied insult but didn’t take the bait. “I think wine is pretty personal. What matters is finding what you actually enjoy, not what Impresses other people.-[]
The socialite’s simile faltered slightly, dearly caught off guard by Charlotte’s gracious response
The other women quickly jumped in to smooth things over. Charlotte’s absolutely right. Wine should be about pleasure, not pretension.
Valera tips rrjetinto a cold smirk. Just because you’re dressed up and playing the part doesn’t make you one of us, she thought hinterly. The real fun hasn’t even started yet!)
Soud enough, everyone began gathering around the main tasting table as the event officially began.
Thund when Mrs. Patterson, the event organizer, stood up with an apologetic expression. “Ladies, l’in so sorry, but our sommeller had a family emergency and we able to make it today. I know many of you are quite knowledgeable about wine–would anyone be willing to lead us through a tasting of today’s xelertona?“”|
Patterson was deadly adding she da’t need anything too formal–just someone to talk through the wines and maybe share some tasting unten.||
before she’d even finished speaking a voice called out from the audience: “Why don’t we have our newcomer lead? The rest of us have all done this before
All eyes immediately turned to Charlotte. She was the only unfamiliar face in the room.
