Chapter 34: This is from July?

Composing herself, Shirley Vance refused to let Amanda get to her. Her gaze swept over Samuel Ford. She hadn’t been able to see his face clearly from a distance, but now, up close, his unparalleled good looks made her heart pound.

He was more handsome than any man she had ever seen, but what attracted her most was the aura of power he exuded. Recalling his long list of titles, Shirley Vance couldn’t help but swallow.

’This man... I must have him!’

Looking at Amanda Vance again, she put on a saccharine voice and said, "Sister, don’t worry. Just come home with us and apologize to Dad. He won’t hold it against you. After all, you’re his daughter too. There’s no such thing as an overnight grudge between a father and daughter, right?"

Amanda Vance nodded. "Are you finished?"

The two exchanged a glance, unsure of what she meant. But when Sarah noticed that quite a few people had overheard them and were now glancing their way, a thrill surged through her. ’Everyone here today is a prominent figure. If I can destroy her reputation now, she’ll never be able to make it in Aethelburg again.’

At this thought, Sarah Sullivan suppressed her delight and put on the perfect stepmother act. In a gentle voice, she said, "Megan, your father is so good to you. Whenever he buys clothes, he always tells me to get two of everything, so neither of you is favored over the other. Oh, why aren’t you wearing the outfit I just bought for you?"

She sighed and advised earnestly, "When you attend a party at someone else’s home, you really should dress a little more formally."

"Like Shirley Vance, you mean?" Amanda Vance asked coolly.

Hearing her mention her dress, Shirley Vance proudly lifted her chin and added, "Sister, Dad bought you a dress from July, too. Why aren’t you wearing it? What brand are you even wearing now? I don’t recognize the label. Don’t tell me you just picked it up from some street stall."

As she spoke, she frowned again in disapproval. "Sister, even if you’re upset with Dad, you shouldn’t just come out wearing any old thing. People who don’t know the situation might think Dad mistreats you."

The commotion was drawing more and more eyes, and people instinctively followed her line of questioning, scrutinizing the two sisters’ outfits.

Mrs. Young glanced over as well. She already had a poor impression of the Vance mother-daughter duo, and now, hearing that the other Vance daughter had also come dressed so casually, her eyes flashed with impatience.

’Does the Vance Family have any sense of propriety? What are they trying to prove, showing up at a Ford Family banquet dressed in cheap, street-stall clothes?’

She glanced over in disgust, wanting to see what sort of off-brand junk Amanda was wearing. But the moment she looked, she froze.

She blinked, looked again more carefully, her lips parting slightly. ’This... this can’t be...’

Seeing Amanda remain silent, Shirley Vance grew even more brazen. "Sister, wearing cheap clothes from a street stall... don’t tell me you think President Ford’s banquet isn’t worthy of a nice dress."

After she spoke, she shot a glance at Samuel Ford, expecting him to get angry.

But Samuel Ford acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing, his expression completely unreadable.

Seeing his non-reaction, Shirley Vance started to feel nervous. Just as she was about to say something else, Amanda finally spoke, repeating Shirley’s own words back to her. "So, you came here wearing street-stall clothes because you think President Ford isn’t worthy?"

Shirley Vance froze. ’What nonsense is she spouting?’

"This is the latest design from July!"

"Is that so?" Amanda’s gaze fell to Shirley’s dress, her expression one of undisguised disdain. "Inferior fabric, crude workmanship, and you call this the latest from July? Heh. Even if you want to put on a show, you could at least try a little harder. Did you think President Ford would be so easy to fool with something this shoddy?"

At these words, Samuel Ford lifted his gaze to look at her. When she met his eyes, she was completely unfazed. She even gave him a little wink, showing absolutely no guilt for using him to make her point.

’This woman.’

Samuel Ford remained silent, but his gaze held a new, probing quality as he watched her.

He was somewhat curious to see her next move. Not that there was much suspense—those two grating women were far from her match.

Shirley Vance was so furious at Amanda’s words she could have spat fire. Convinced Amanda was just trying to stir up trouble, she shot her a vicious glare when she thought no one could see, then turned to Samuel Ford with a woeful expression. "President Ford, you mustn’t listen to my sister’s slander! I bought this in a July boutique. I still have the box at home."

’She’d seen the label clearly. It was definitely from July.’

"Tsk. So having a July box at home proves all your clothes are from July? July sells dresses, not boxes," Amanda Vance scoffed.

"You!" Shirley Vance sputtered, fuming.

Just then, another voice spoke up from behind them. "That is indeed not a dress from July."

Seething, Shirley whipped her head around to see who had spoken. A woman was walking in from the entrance, dressed in a sharp white suit, her hair pulled back in a neat bun. One side of her face was lovely, but the other was marred by a scar, like a burn, that disfigured her features.

’Where did this ugly hag come from?’

Disgust flashed in Shirley Vance’s eyes, and she failed to notice the flicker of excitement in Mrs. Young’s eyes as she saw the newcomer.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Shirley Vance snapped. "This *is* from July! What gives you the right to say it isn’t? What’s your proof?"

As she finished speaking, Mrs. Young’s expression changed. She started to move, but when Cecilia Reed’s gaze drifted her way, she immediately stilled, content to remain on the sidelines and watch the drama unfold.

’That idiot. If you’re going to lie, at least pick the right occasion.’

"If I say it’s not, then it’s not," Cecilia Reed said, her chin lifted in pure arrogance.

Shirley Vance laughed in fury. "You say it’s not, and that makes it so? What an ego! Who do you think you are?"

"I’m no one special, just an ordinary person. However, when it comes to July, I do have a say in the matter." She took two steps forward, closing the distance between them. She was already tall, and in her high heels, she now towered over Shirley by more than half a head. Looking down from such a height and proximity created an immense pressure. Shirley instinctively wanted to step back but forced herself to stand her ground, meeting the woman’s gaze defiantly.

Her red lips parted. "Shirley Vance, isn’t it? You’re on July’s blacklist. You have no right whatsoever to make purchases from our brand. And you claim this dress is from July? Laughable."

What? July had a blacklist?

The surrounding crowd was stunned. They instinctively glanced at Mrs. Young, who had a partnership with July and ought to know if this was true. Seeing her impassive expression, they realized that July must indeed have a blacklist.

They hadn’t heard of it simply because they weren’t on the list. Since they could shop there without issue, it was normal for them to be unaware.

Still, July was in the apparel business, which was a service industry. To blacklist a customer...

It wasn’t an action anyone would openly criticize, but it certainly made them curious about what someone had to do to get blacklisted.

Shirley Vance was completely floored. ’July has a blacklist? How come I’ve never heard about this?’

She began to panic. If she admitted it, everyone would know she was wearing a knockoff and had never even been able to afford July in the first place.

’No, that’s absolutely not an option.’

She gritted her teeth and held her ground. "Nonsense! Where did this madwoman come from? I am wearing a dress from July! Stop your slander!"

"Heh." Cecilia Reed chuckled softly. "Miss Vance, before you say that, perhaps you should check your neck."