All Her Secrets by Chestnut

Chapter 12 Center of the Gossip

Korbin frowned, and his eyes fell on Catherine with displeasure.

He thought, “Indeed, this kid doesn’t know how to behave herself. She doesn’t deserve my love.”

Catherine, you’d better change into formal dresses. We are not the only family that attends Mr. David’s party, and there will be other top and famous families in Casier. I don’t want them to point and laugh at you.

Catherine was more like a detached observer than the person Korbin was educating.

“The mouths belong to them. If they want to laugh, they can laugh. I don’t care.”

Korbin was irritated. At his age, apart from Vicente, who had passed away, no one dared to talk to him like that.

He was about to get shirty with Catherine, but Catherine spoke first, “If I can’t wear this, I won’t go to the party.”

Korbin was blindsided.

As Catherine was turning away, Korbin shouted, “Wait!”

Catherine whirled around and stared detachedly at him like staring at a stranger.

Korbin furrowed his brows and waved at her with resignation.

“Dress whatever you like. I don’t care. It’s about time. We should get going now.”

Since Korbin said so, even Rachael did not have the guts to question him, let alone his children.

The whole family went to Mr. David’s house. As Korbin mentioned, many other wealthy families in Casier attended the party too.

They also seemed to learn that Mr. David valued family and went to the party with their whole family.

The party was held in the residence where Mr. David had been born and lived during his childhood. Now that Mr. David returned home, he redecorated the house.

It was a manor passed down from the nineteenth century, which was incredibly exquisite and splendid.

Mr. David’s ancestors were well-known figures in Casier, and they had left a lot of property.

When the Swanns arrived at the manor, they became the center of attention.

With so many things happening among the Swanns recently, everyone was gagging for a good show.

They all noticed Catherine walking at the back at a glance because she was really out of tune with other well-dressed family members, even dressing more poorly than the servants.

The wealthy ladies had plenty of spare time and loved gathering and talking about other affluent families. Since they had a great topic, they began to chitchat.

One woman said, “Do you see that? The girl at the back of the Swanns is the jinx who has just returned and has inherited all the family properties.”

A woman next to her echoed, “I know her! I saw her at the funeral. Why does she wear shabby clothes? The Swanns are outrageous. She’s the biological daughter of their family. Why don’t they prepare a decent dress for her? What’s the use of giving all properties to her in that case? She still looks so poor.”

Another woman wore a mysterious look and snuggled up to them like an insider.

“Let me tell you something. It’s said that she would bring disasters to the Swanns. Her grandmother died because of the bad luck that the jinx brought. Who would want her around? I wonder what Vicente Swann was up to. It’s quite unaccountable.”

…

The crowd had a heated discussion about Catherine while the center of their gossip sat aside with boredom.

Catherine had excellent hearing and took in all their words about her. But just like what she had said to Korbin, the mouths belonged to the others, and they had the right to talk freely.

There was nothing she could do about it, and Catherine did not bother to care about the gossip. She let it be.

Suddenly, there was a flurry of excitement not far away, which threw off Catherine’s rhythm and caught her attention.

She tilted her head sideways to look afar, wanting to see what was happening.