Chapter 398 Bad Friend
Diana followed the maid down the hallway, catching sight of a group of people mingling in the garden.
They were dressed to the nines, sipping champagne, and the vibe was pretty chill.
A nearby table was loaded with fancy snacks and drinks, with servers weaving through the crowd.
Not far off, a pool sparkled in the sunlight, almost blindingly bright.
"What's all this?"
Diana muttered to herself, finally getting why Charles had insisted she dress up. This was the real deal.
"Miss, we're here. Let me take your coat. Mr. White and the others will be out soon. Please wait here for a moment."
The maid smiled as she took Diana's blazer.
As she walked away, a waiter came over with a tray of champagne.
Diana didn't drink, but standing there empty-handed felt weird, so she grabbed a glass just to fit in.
At these kinds of parties, the food was mostly for show, and hardly anyone actually ate. Because of this, the table wasn't crowded.
Since Diana hadn't had lunch, the little pastries looked especially tempting. She walked over, picked up a piece of cake, and started eating it slowly.
A female voice reached her ears, "Why isn't Mr. White out yet? I'm getting so impatient."
Another woman, probably her friend, gave her a light slap and whispered, "Keep it down. Can't you eat without talking? The main guest isn't here yet, so chill."
Sensing some juicy gossip, Diana paused her cake-eating, licked the cream off her lips, and edged closer to listen in.
"Of course I'm anxious. Stella is actually marrying Mr. Percy. Of all people, why her?"
The woman's tone was still sharp, though she had quieted down a bit.
"She's just lucky, what can you do? But how do you know they're announcing the wedding date today? The media will say anything for attention. It might not even be true."
Her friend speared a piece of fruit, sounding indifferent.
"Given Mr. Percy's temperament, if it were false, he would have shut it down already. Unless it's true, and they're using it to hype up the wedding. Ugh, I'm so mad. How can Stella be so lucky?"
The woman cursed under her breath, stuffing food into her mouth as if it could calm her down.
Diana blinked and couldn't resist stepping closer to ask, "Why do you say she's lucky?"
The woman looked up, realizing that Diana had overheard their conversation. She seemed annoyed at first, but then she froze, staring at Diana's face.
"Oh my God."
"What's wrong?"
Diana felt a bit awkward, not understanding her reaction.
The woman, now excited, pulled her friend over and said, "Look at her. Doesn't she look like Stella?"
Her friend was also surprised, frowning as she whispered, "She does, but it's not polite to say that to her face."
The woman seemed to realize her mistake, pausing before breaking into a broad smile, "Sorry, I didn't mean to."
Diana forced a smile, "It's fine."
The atmosphere grew a bit tense, but the woman took it as an opportunity to continue their conversation.
She glanced around Diana, confirming she was alone before asking, "Hey, did you come here by yourself? Are you related to Stella? Cousins, maybe?"
Her questions came rapid-fire, like a machine gun.
Her friend stepped forward to apologize, "Sorry, my friend can be a bit blunt. If she offended you, I'll take her away."
"It's okay. I came with a friend. I have no connection to the White family."
Eager to hear more, Diana smiled.
The two women exchanged a glance, and the first woman stepped forward, linking arms with Diana and introducing herself.
"I'm Jennifer, and this is my friend Angie. Since you're not friends with Stella, we can be friends."
Diana, unaccustomed to such warmth from strangers, stiffened slightly but managed to respond, "Sure."
"What were you asking about earlier? I'd be happy to fill you in. I know everything about Stella."
Jennifer lowered her voice, looking mysterious.
Angie added, "Yeah, no one knows you better than your rival."
Seeing their enthusiasm, Diana cautiously asked, "Why did you say she's lucky?"
"Are you not from Evergreen City? Or maybe you're not in our social circle?" Jennifer loosened her grip on Diana's arm, looking her up and down.
If she wasn't the daughter of some wealthy family in Evergreen City, she was probably a mistress.
Jennifer raised an eyebrow but didn't care about Diana's status, patiently explaining, "The White family only grew because Stella latched onto Mr. Percy. "
"Four years ago, the White family was on the brink of bankruptcy. Stella was seducing men left and right, trying to get someone to clean up her family's mess. But the young rich guys in Evergreen City aren't stupid. They'd have fun but never marry her."
Jennifer sneered, "We all thought she'd either accept her fate or become some old man's mistress. But then…"
She bit her lip, growing more agitated.
Angie calmly continued, "Stella became Charles' girlfriend and saved the White family. Jennifer, you've told this story a thousand times."
"So what? I'll tell it a hundred thousand times!" Jennifer grabbed a cookie from the table and bit into it fiercely.
"When her family was down, I wanted to help her, at least to finish her studies abroad. But she told me to mind my own business? I was such a fool. Now she's doing great, and I look like a clown!"
So it was a case of friends turned enemies, Diana concluded silently.
Jennifer was straightforward, her emotions clear on her face. Stella, on the other hand, was more surprising.
For Charles to willingly be seduced, they must have had some kind of agreement.
"Don't you think it's unfair? I'm not jealous of her, I just think Mr. Percy deserves better than a gold-digger like Stella."
Jennifer asked Diana, unable to hold back.
Diana nodded without hesitation, showing her agreement.
Jennifer seemed to hit a switch, listing all the reasons she hated Stella.
Angie gave Diana a look that said, "I can't control her," and they both listened quietly.
"My birthday wish this year is for Stella and Charles to break up!"
By the end, Jennifer was hoarse. She grabbed a nearby drink, took a big gulp, and made her wish earnestly.
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