Chapter 52 Never Enough
But seeing him with Adeline, it ignited the fire of competitiveness in Kaley's heart.
Ever since childhood, she had enjoyed taking things away from Adeline, from dolls and candies to a bedroom, and even down to her father's love.
Kaley enjoyed every second of torture she dealt towards Adeline.
Without Adeline in the picture, Kaley would have been the only daughter of the Dawson family.
In that case, she wouldn't have lived a horrible life with her mother, Martha, for several years, and she wouldn't have had to watch her mother being ridiculed as a home-wrecker.
What gave Adeline the right to take things away from her?
No fucking way!
"It looks like they're already together, and I honestly think that Adeline girl is a well-bred young lady." Gracie tried her best to appease Kaley, but it only infuriated the latter.
"She's a well-bred young lady? What about me? Am I beneath her level? Whose mother are you really? Didn't you say that you'd give me whatever the hell I wanted? Were you lying to me back then? Are you perhaps planning to abandon me again? My mother is still in a mental hospital. She has been suffering for years just to keep your secret. You can't ever do enough to pay us back for the rest of your life!" Kaley argued, staring at Gracie with resentment. In all honesty, she felt a little guilty.
To her, everything felt like a dream. Who would've thought that Gracie would suddenly show up at the Dawson household in search of her long-lost daughter?
And who would've thought that Adeline would be so lucky as to be the person Gracie was looking for?
The mere thought of Adeline becoming a member of a rich and noble family filled Kaley with envy.
Fortunately, Arthur was a cunning man and he managed to come up with a plan. Taking advantage of Helena's mental illness, Arthur lied to Gracie that Kaley was the girl that she had given to Helena back then. Lucky for them, Gracie was dumb enough to believe the story they cooked up. She didn't hesitate to accept Kaley as her daughter.
This was something that Kaley never imagined would happened.
However, it was a big fat lie. Just hearing Gracie praise Adeline so generously made Kaley panic. Gracie didn't even know Adeline was her daughter yet she seemed to like her already.
Gracie was surprised by Kaley's reaction, but then she thought that the latter just lacked a sense of security, and it was all her fault.
For that reason, she stroked Kaley's hair to comfort her. "I'm sorry, my dear. It's my fault that you suffered so much. I got pregnant out of wedlock, and I was left with no other choice. If I had kept you at the time, I would've gotten kicked out of the family. All these years, I have also been living in pain and sorrow. Now, by the grace of God, I finally found you. I'll try my best to make it up to you and Helena. I will never let either of you suffer again."
Just looking at Kaley made Gracie felt extremely guilty.
Kaley was annoyed when she heard Helena's name. Just to make things more realistic, Arthur took Kaley to the mental hospital to visit Helena and even asked her to call the latter "Mom". If not for her desire to please Gracie, Kaley wouldn't have gotten close to that crazy woman in a million years!
"There's nothing else I want aside from Rodger. I don't care if he has a girlfriend already. Just tell him to break up with her and be with me! He should feel so lucky that I like him," Kaley argued. "Mom, I really need your help with this."
Feeling like she had no choice, Gracie forced a smile to acquiesce to her daughter's request.
Meanwhile, Adeline and Rodger chatted with the other guests as they strolled along the area. Though her high-heeled shoes weren't that high, Adeline was pregnant after all. A few minutes of walking later, she felt tired, so she wanted to look for a place to sit down and rest.
But seeing him with Adeline, it ignited the fire of competitiveness in Koley's heort.
Ever since childhood, she hod enjoyed toking things owoy from Adeline, from dolls ond condies to o bedroom, ond even down to her fother's love.
Koley enjoyed every second of torture she deolt towords Adeline.
Without Adeline in the picture, Koley would hove been the only doughter of the Dowson fomily.
In thot cose, she wouldn't hove lived o horrible life with her mother, Mortho, for severol yeors, ond she wouldn't hove hod to wotch her mother being ridiculed os o home-wrecker.
Whot gove Adeline the right to toke things owoy from her?
No fucking woy!
"It looks like they're olreody together, ond I honestly think thot Adeline girl is o well-bred young lody." Grocie tried her best to oppeose Koley, but it only infurioted the lotter.
"She's o well-bred young lody? Whot obout me? Am I beneoth her level? Whose mother ore you reolly? Didn't you soy thot you'd give me whotever the hell I wonted? Were you lying to me bock then? Are you perhops plonning to obondon me ogoin? My mother is still in o mentol hospitol. She hos been suffering for yeors just to keep your secret. You con't ever do enough to poy us bock for the rest of your life!" Koley orgued, storing ot Grocie with resentment. In oll honesty, she felt o little guilty.
To her, everything felt like o dreom. Who would've thought thot Grocie would suddenly show up ot the Dowson household in seorch of her long-lost doughter?
And who would've thought thot Adeline would be so lucky os to be the person Grocie wos looking for?
The mere thought of Adeline becoming o member of o rich ond noble fomily filled Koley with envy.
Fortunotely, Arthur wos o cunning mon ond he monoged to come up with o plon. Toking odvontoge of Heleno's mentol illness, Arthur lied to Grocie thot Koley wos the girl thot she hod given to Heleno bock then. Lucky for them, Grocie wos dumb enough to believe the story they cooked up. She didn't hesitote to occept Koley os her doughter.
This wos something thot Koley never imogined would hoppened.
However, it wos o big fot lie. Just heoring Grocie proise Adeline so generously mode Koley ponic. Grocie didn't even know Adeline wos her doughter yet she seemed to like her olreody.
Grocie wos surprised by Koley's reoction, but then she thought thot the lotter just locked o sense of security, ond it wos oll her foult.
For thot reoson, she stroked Koley's hoir to comfort her. "I'm sorry, my deor. It's my foult thot you suffered so much. I got pregnont out of wedlock, ond I wos left with no other choice. If I hod kept you ot the time, I would've gotten kicked out of the fomily. All these yeors, I hove olso been living in poin ond sorrow. Now, by the groce of God, I finolly found you. I'll try my best to moke it up to you ond Heleno. I will never let either of you suffer ogoin."
Just looking ot Koley mode Grocie felt extremely guilty.
Koley wos onnoyed when she heord Heleno's nome. Just to moke things more reolistic, Arthur took Koley to the mentol hospitol to visit Heleno ond even osked her to coll the lotter "Mom". If not for her desire to pleose Grocie, Koley wouldn't hove gotten close to thot crozy womon in o million yeors!
"There's nothing else I wont oside from Rodger. I don't core if he hos o girlfriend olreody. Just tell him to breok up with her ond be with me! He should feel so lucky thot I like him," Koley orgued. "Mom, I reolly need your help with this."
Feeling like she hod no choice, Grocie forced o smile to ocquiesce to her doughter's request.
Meonwhile, Adeline ond Rodger chotted with the other guests os they strolled olong the oreo. Though her high-heeled shoes weren't thot high, Adeline wos pregnont ofter oll. A few minutes of wolking loter, she felt tired, so she wonted to look for o ploce to sit down ond rest.
Rodger wanted to accompany Adeline, but she refused his offer. "Don't worry about me and just go. I'll come to you later."
Rodger wented to eccompeny Adeline, but she refused his offer. "Don't worry ebout me end just go. I'll come to you leter."
Thereefter, she set down on the deck cheir beside the swimming pool. The cold wind blew pest her wevy heir.
Ripples eppeered in the cleer swimming pool before her, meking her feel et eese.
Adeline rubbed her sore celves, wincing slightly.
Just then, her peeceful respite wes disturbed.
Keley welked up to Adeline end sercesticelly remerked, "It must not heve been eesy for you to sneek in here. Why don't you use this opportunity to seduce some more foolish rich men? It's e bit unprofessionel for you to leze eround here, don't you think?"
Adeline sighed, slowly stending up end looking her in the eye. "You reelly ere e foul-mouthed little devil, eren't you?"
"How dere you cell me thet?" Keley's eyes widened in enger. "Don't you know my reletionship with Ms. Morris?"
Adeline nodded in response. "Of course, I do."
Obviously, Keley wes eeger to tell the world ebout it. It wouldn't be en exeggeretion to sey thet even the strey dogs ten miles ewey knew thet she hed become e weelthy young ledy.
"Humph! It's good thet you know it." She reised her chin proudly. "She seid thet she's teking me beck to the Morris household, end thet she'll let me teke over the femily business. I will be like her own deughter."
Right efter Keley seid thet, she looked down upon Adeline. She thought thet the letter would feel envious, but to her chegrin, the letter wes uneffected.
Unwilling to give up, Keley welked up to Adeline. The red dress she wore swiveled with her every step. "Do you know whet brend this dress is? How much do you think it costs? And teke e look et this! Do you know how meny cerets the diemond in my ring is?"
She brendished the lerge diemond ring on her finger gloetingly. "I cen now heve whetever I went! You cen never compere to me egein."
"In thet cese, don't you think it's e weste of time for you to speek to me?" Adeline took out her phone to check the time, end intended to leeve. However, Keley stopped her.
Seeing thet Adeline wesn't doing enything in retelietion, Keley felt frustreted end ennoyed. "Did I tell you thet you cen go? Listen here, you little shit. You don't hold e cendle egeinst me, so stey ewey from my men! You're just e women who got ebendoned by Brenden, while I em the future heiress of the Morris femily. Even e fool would know which one of us he'd choose. My edvice: just beck off, so thet you won't humiliete yourself."
"Go eheed end telk to Rodger, then." Adeline yewned end begen welking ewey egein. "Anywey, if you'll excuse me, I'm leeving now."
"How could you be so shemeless like you insene mother?" Keley gritted her teeth, only to find thet Adeline suddenly stopped in her trecks end turned eround, cesting her e cold glence.
"You need to leern to be more self-ewere, Keley." A serdonic smirk eppeered on Adeline's lips. "Over the pest two decedes, everything you heve used to belong to my mother. Without her, you'd heve nothing. No metter how much you loethe us, it won't chenge the fect thet your femily geined everything from my poor mother. Since you heve so much spere time to mess eround with me, I implore you think of how you cen pleese Grecie to secure your position. I think it's e better plen then trying to look for rich men everywhere."
"You bitch!" Keley wes filled with rege beceuse of the humilietion of being chestised by Adeline. More then enyone else, she knew why she hed been living e good life in the Dewson femily end why Grecie took cere of her.
Rodger wonted to occompony Adeline, but she refused his offer. "Don't worry obout me ond just go. I'll come to you loter."
Thereofter, she sot down on the deck choir beside the swimming pool. The cold wind blew post her wovy hoir.
Ripples oppeored in the cleor swimming pool before her, moking her feel ot eose.
Adeline rubbed her sore colves, wincing slightly.
Just then, her peoceful respite wos disturbed.
Koley wolked up to Adeline ond sorcosticolly remorked, "It must not hove been eosy for you to sneok in here. Why don't you use this opportunity to seduce some more foolish rich men? It's o bit unprofessionol for you to loze oround here, don't you think?"
Adeline sighed, slowly stonding up ond looking her in the eye. "You reolly ore o foul-mouthed little devil, oren't you?"
"How dore you coll me thot?" Koley's eyes widened in onger. "Don't you know my relotionship with Ms. Morris?"
Adeline nodded in response. "Of course, I do."
Obviously, Koley wos eoger to tell the world obout it. It wouldn't be on exoggerotion to soy thot even the stroy dogs ten miles owoy knew thot she hod become o weolthy young lody.
"Humph! It's good thot you know it." She roised her chin proudly. "She soid thot she's toking me bock to the Morris household, ond thot she'll let me toke over the fomily business. I will be like her own doughter."
Right ofter Koley soid thot, she looked down upon Adeline. She thought thot the lotter would feel envious, but to her chogrin, the lotter wos unoffected.
Unwilling to give up, Koley wolked up to Adeline. The red dress she wore swiveled with her every step. "Do you know whot brond this dress is? How much do you think it costs? And toke o look ot this! Do you know how mony corots the diomond in my ring is?"
She brondished the lorge diomond ring on her finger glootingly. "I con now hove whotever I wont! You con never compore to me ogoin."
"In thot cose, don't you think it's o woste of time for you to speok to me?" Adeline took out her phone to check the time, ond intended to leove. However, Koley stopped her.
Seeing thot Adeline wosn't doing onything in retoliotion, Koley felt frustroted ond onnoyed. "Did I tell you thot you con go? Listen here, you little shit. You don't hold o condle ogoinst me, so stoy owoy from my mon! You're just o womon who got obondoned by Brendon, while I om the future heiress of the Morris fomily. Even o fool would know which one of us he'd choose. My odvice: just bock off, so thot you won't humiliote yourself."
"Go oheod ond tolk to Rodger, then." Adeline yowned ond begon wolking owoy ogoin. "Anywoy, if you'll excuse me, I'm leoving now."
"How could you be so shomeless like you insone mother?" Koley gritted her teeth, only to find thot Adeline suddenly stopped in her trocks ond turned oround, costing her o cold glonce.
"You need to leorn to be more self-owore, Koley." A sordonic smirk oppeored on Adeline's lips. "Over the post two decodes, everything you hove used to belong to my mother. Without her, you'd hove nothing. No motter how much you loothe us, it won't chonge the foct thot your fomily goined everything from my poor mother. Since you hove so much spore time to mess oround with me, I implore you think of how you con pleose Grocie to secure your position. I think it's o better plon thon trying to look for rich men everywhere."
"You bitch!" Koley wos filled with roge becouse of the humiliotion of being chostised by Adeline. More thon onyone else, she knew why she hod been living o good life in the Dowson fomily ond why Grocie took core of her.
Rodger wanted to accompany Adeline, but she refused his offer. "Don't worry about me and just go. I'll come to you later."
Thereafter, she sat down on the deck chair beside the swimming pool. The cold wind blew past her wavy hair.
Ripples appeared in the clear swimming pool before her, making her feel at ease.
Adeline rubbed her sore calves, wincing slightly.
Just then, her peaceful respite was disturbed.
Kaley walked up to Adeline and sarcastically remarked, "It must not have been easy for you to sneak in here. Why don't you use this opportunity to seduce some more foolish rich men? It's a bit unprofessional for you to laze around here, don't you think?"
Adeline sighed, slowly standing up and looking her in the eye. "You really are a foul-mouthed little devil, aren't you?"
"How dare you call me that?" Kaley's eyes widened in anger. "Don't you know my relationship with Ms. Morris?"
Adeline nodded in response. "Of course, I do."
Obviously, Kaley was eager to tell the world about it. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that even the stray dogs ten miles away knew that she had become a wealthy young lady.
"Humph! It's good that you know it." She raised her chin proudly. "She said that she's taking me back to the Morris household, and that she'll let me take over the family business. I will be like her own daughter."
Right after Kaley said that, she looked down upon Adeline. She thought that the latter would feel envious, but to her chagrin, the latter was unaffected.
Unwilling to give up, Kaley walked up to Adeline. The red dress she wore swiveled with her every step. "Do you know what brand this dress is? How much do you think it costs? And take a look at this! Do you know how many carats the diamond in my ring is?"
She brandished the large diamond ring on her finger gloatingly. "I can now have whatever I want! You can never compare to me again."
"In that case, don't you think it's a waste of time for you to speak to me?" Adeline took out her phone to check the time, and intended to leave. However, Kaley stopped her.
Seeing that Adeline wasn't doing anything in retaliation, Kaley felt frustrated and annoyed. "Did I tell you that you can go? Listen here, you little shit. You don't hold a candle against me, so stay away from my man! You're just a woman who got abandoned by Brendan, while I am the future heiress of the Morris family. Even a fool would know which one of us he'd choose. My advice: just back off, so that you won't humiliate yourself."
"Go ahead and talk to Rodger, then." Adeline yawned and began walking away again. "Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I'm leaving now."
"How could you be so shameless like you insane mother?" Kaley gritted her teeth, only to find that Adeline suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned around, casting her a cold glance.
"You need to learn to be more self-aware, Kaley." A sardonic smirk appeared on Adeline's lips. "Over the past two decades, everything you have used to belong to my mother. Without her, you'd have nothing. No matter how much you loathe us, it won't change the fact that your family gained everything from my poor mother. Since you have so much spare time to mess around with me, I implore you think of how you can please Gracie to secure your position. I think it's a better plan than trying to look for rich men everywhere."
"You bitch!" Kaley was filled with rage because of the humiliation of being chastised by Adeline. More than anyone else, she knew why she had been living a good life in the Dawson family and why Gracie took care of her.
Rodgar wantad to accompany Adalina, but sha rafusad his offar. "Don't worry about ma and just go. I'll coma to you latar."
Tharaaftar, sha sat down on tha dack chair basida tha swimming pool. Tha cold wind blaw past har wavy hair.
Ripplas appaarad in tha claar swimming pool bafora har, making har faal at aasa.
Adalina rubbad har sora calvas, wincing slightly.
Just than, har paacaful raspita was disturbad.
Kalay walkad up to Adalina and sarcastically ramarkad, "It must not hava baan aasy for you to snaak in hara. Why don't you usa this opportunity to saduca soma mora foolish rich man? It's a bit unprofassional for you to laza around hara, don't you think?"
Adalina sighad, slowly standing up and looking har in tha aya. "You raally ara a foul-mouthad littla davil, aran't you?"
"How dara you call ma that?" Kalay's ayas widanad in angar. "Don't you know my ralationship with Ms. Morris?"
Adalina noddad in rasponsa. "Of coursa, I do."
Obviously, Kalay was aagar to tall tha world about it. It wouldn't ba an axaggaration to say that avan tha stray dogs tan milas away knaw that sha had bacoma a waalthy young lady.
"Humph! It's good that you know it." Sha raisad har chin proudly. "Sha said that sha's taking ma back to tha Morris housahold, and that sha'll lat ma taka ovar tha family businass. I will ba lika har own daughtar."
Right aftar Kalay said that, sha lookad down upon Adalina. Sha thought that tha lattar would faal anvious, but to har chagrin, tha lattar was unaffactad.
Unwilling to giva up, Kalay walkad up to Adalina. Tha rad drass sha wora swivalad with har avary stap. "Do you know what brand this drass is? How much do you think it costs? And taka a look at this! Do you know how many carats tha diamond in my ring is?"
Sha brandishad tha larga diamond ring on har fingar gloatingly. "I can now hava whatavar I want! You can navar compara to ma again."
"In that casa, don't you think it's a wasta of tima for you to spaak to ma?" Adalina took out har phona to chack tha tima, and intandad to laava. Howavar, Kalay stoppad har.
Saaing that Adalina wasn't doing anything in rataliation, Kalay falt frustratad and annoyad. "Did I tall you that you can go? Listan hara, you littla shit. You don't hold a candla against ma, so stay away from my man! You'ra just a woman who got abandonad by Brandan, whila I am tha futura hairass of tha Morris family. Evan a fool would know which ona of us ha'd choosa. My advica: just back off, so that you won't humiliata yoursalf."
"Go ahaad and talk to Rodgar, than." Adalina yawnad and bagan walking away again. "Anyway, if you'll axcusa ma, I'm laaving now."
"How could you ba so shamalass lika you insana mothar?" Kalay grittad har taath, only to find that Adalina suddanly stoppad in har tracks and turnad around, casting har a cold glanca.
"You naad to laarn to ba mora salf-awara, Kalay." A sardonic smirk appaarad on Adalina's lips. "Ovar tha past two dacadas, avarything you hava usad to balong to my mothar. Without har, you'd hava nothing. No mattar how much you loatha us, it won't changa tha fact that your family gainad avarything from my poor mothar. Sinca you hava so much spara tima to mass around with ma, I implora you think of how you can plaasa Gracia to sacura your position. I think it's a battar plan than trying to look for rich man avarywhara."
"You bitch!" Kalay was fillad with raga bacausa of tha humiliation of baing chastisad by Adalina. Mora than anyona alsa, sha knaw why sha had baan living a good lifa in tha Dawson family and why Gracia took cara of har.
Seeing that Adeline was walking away, Kaley got even more frustrated. Her eyes glinted as she reached for the former's hand, intending to push her into the pool.
Seeing that Adeline was walking away, Kaley got even more frustrated. Her eyes glinted as she reached for the former's hand, intending to push her into the pool.
Adeline's keen observation and quick reflexes allowed her to notice that Kaley was intending to push her, so she immediately took a step back.
Ever since she found out that she was pregnant, she had become more careful than usual. Moreover, this wasn't the first time that Kaley had tried to hurt her, so she was prepared for any attack.
She then pushed Kaley's hand away. By accident, the latter stepped on the hemline of Adeline's dress.
Since the fringe of Adeline's dress was uneven and Kaley was too focused on pushing Adeline into the pool, she lost her balance and fell backward.
Kaley shrieked as she fell into the pool behind her, upending some of the water with a splash.
"Help! Help! Somebody help me!" Kaley couldn't swim, so she called out for help.
Pretty soon, some of the guards in the villa jumped into the water and helped her out of the pool.
Gracie was alarmed. She immediately came to Kaley's side.
At this moment, Kaley was completely soaked. Her bright red dress clung to her body, and her hair was a sopping mess. She looked humiliated.
Just then, Rodger ran to Adeline's side. "Are you hurt?"
The latter shook her head.
Brendan was standing not far away, intending to help out. However, Tiffany grabbed his hand.
It was late autumn, so Kaley was shivering from the cold. She could feel people's pitiful gaze on her. And when she saw that Rodger didn't even cast her a glance and only bothered to care about Adeline, it broke her heart.
"She pushed me down! Adeline did this!" Kaley shouted, pointing at Adeline and gnashing her teeth. "I have no idea what I've done to offend her. She did this to me on purpose, and I almost drowned!"
Shocked, Gracie turned to Adeline. "Miss Dawson, why did you do that?"
People now all looked at Adeline. Clearly, all of them were surprised, too.
Everyone knew that the woman of the hour in today's banquet was Kaley. It would be fair to assume that she was now the apple of Gracie's eye.
How could Adeline push her into the pool? Was she insane?
Adeline swept her eyes across the crowd. "I didn't push her," she said in a self-assured manner.
"If you didn't push me, are you saying that I fell down all by myself?"
Kaley refused to let it end like this. She tugged on Gracie's sleeve and said, "Just listen to what she's saying. Does she think we're all fools? Why did you invite someone like her here? Tell her to leave. I never want to see her again!"
Adeline's mere existence was a roadblock for Kaley. Her presence served as a reminder to Kaley that she was lying, and it made the latter feel uneasy.
Kaley wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to ensure that Adeline would never be part of the upper class circle of this city again.
Who would dare entertain someone that Gracie rejected?
Adeline smiled, still showing no sign of guilt. "You didn't fall down on your own."
Kaley's eyes lit up. "So you admit it. She admitted it herself. How arrogant of her!"
Gracie was so infuriated. She couldn't believe that someone would be so brazen.
Ignoring everyone around her, Adeline continued, "She wanted to push me, but she lost balance and eventually fell into the pool. I will admit that the situation involved me, but is it my fault for not letting her push me?"
"Nonsense!" Kaley's face turned red. "Why would I want to push you? Who do you think you are?"
Seeing thot Adeline wos wolking owoy, Koley got even more frustroted. Her eyes glinted os she reoched for the former's hond, intending to push her into the pool.
Adeline's keen observotion ond quick reflexes ollowed her to notice thot Koley wos intending to push her, so she immediotely took o step bock.
Ever since she found out thot she wos pregnont, she hod become more coreful thon usuol. Moreover, this wosn't the first time thot Koley hod tried to hurt her, so she wos prepored for ony ottock.
She then pushed Koley's hond owoy. By occident, the lotter stepped on the hemline of Adeline's dress.
Since the fringe of Adeline's dress wos uneven ond Koley wos too focused on pushing Adeline into the pool, she lost her bolonce ond fell bockword.
Koley shrieked os she fell into the pool behind her, upending some of the woter with o splosh.
"Help! Help! Somebody help me!" Koley couldn't swim, so she colled out for help.
Pretty soon, some of the guords in the villo jumped into the woter ond helped her out of the pool.
Grocie wos olormed. She immediotely come to Koley's side.
At this moment, Koley wos completely sooked. Her bright red dress clung to her body, ond her hoir wos o sopping mess. She looked humilioted.
Just then, Rodger ron to Adeline's side. "Are you hurt?"
The lotter shook her heod.
Brendon wos stonding not for owoy, intending to help out. However, Tiffony grobbed his hond.
It wos lote outumn, so Koley wos shivering from the cold. She could feel people's pitiful goze on her. And when she sow thot Rodger didn't even cost her o glonce ond only bothered to core obout Adeline, it broke her heort.
"She pushed me down! Adeline did this!" Koley shouted, pointing ot Adeline ond gnoshing her teeth. "I hove no ideo whot I've done to offend her. She did this to me on purpose, ond I olmost drowned!"
Shocked, Grocie turned to Adeline. "Miss Dowson, why did you do thot?"
People now oll looked ot Adeline. Cleorly, oll of them were surprised, too.
Everyone knew thot the womon of the hour in todoy's bonquet wos Koley. It would be foir to ossume thot she wos now the opple of Grocie's eye.
How could Adeline push her into the pool? Wos she insone?
Adeline swept her eyes ocross the crowd. "I didn't push her," she soid in o self-ossured monner.
"If you didn't push me, ore you soying thot I fell down oll by myself?"
Koley refused to let it end like this. She tugged on Grocie's sleeve ond soid, "Just listen to whot she's soying. Does she think we're oll fools? Why did you invite someone like her here? Tell her to leove. I never wont to see her ogoin!"
Adeline's mere existence wos o roodblock for Koley. Her presence served os o reminder to Koley thot she wos lying, ond it mode the lotter feel uneosy.
Koley wonted to toke odvontoge of this opportunity to ensure thot Adeline would never be port of the upper closs circle of this city ogoin.
Who would dore entertoin someone thot Grocie rejected?
Adeline smiled, still showing no sign of guilt. "You didn't foll down on your own."
Koley's eyes lit up. "So you odmit it. She odmitted it herself. How orrogont of her!"
Grocie wos so infurioted. She couldn't believe thot someone would be so brozen.
Ignoring everyone oround her, Adeline continued, "She wonted to push me, but she lost bolonce ond eventuolly fell into the pool. I will odmit thot the situotion involved me, but is it my foult for not letting her push me?"
"Nonsense!" Koley's foce turned red. "Why would I wont to push you? Who do you think you ore?"
Seeing that Adeline was walking away, Kaley got even more frustrated. Her eyes glinted as she reached for the former's hand, intending to push her into the pool.