Ashley widened her eyes and glanced at Stacey. Suddenly, Stacey’s expression changed. She bit her lip and twitched her mouth.
“Mrs. Reed has arrived!”
Someone called out, and everyone turned to look upstairs. They watched as servants helped Melinda Reed down the stairs, followed by Joshua’s parents, Arthur Reed and Evelyn.
The hall was filled with guests lining both sides of the staircase and looking up at Melinda.
Joshua approached Melinda first, exclaiming, “Grandma!”
Melinda leaned on a cane with a golden phoenix pattern, showing the elegance of a prestigious family. Her face lit up with joy when she saw Joshua, and she came down the stairs to take his hand. “Joshua, where’s your girlfriend? Did you bring her with you? I want to meet her.”
Joshua was the darling of the family. Arthur and Evelyn adored him, and Melinda, who was almost a hundred years old, also adored him. After all, Joshua was the youngest in the family.
This made Joshua quite confident. For his marriage, his family only wanted him to choose a girl he liked who was decent and educated.
Despite these lenient conditions, Joshua had been hesitant to settle down. However, they had heard that he was in a serious relationship this time, and his family, especially Melinda, were eager to meet this young woman.
Joshua had no option but to introduce Ashley to them.
Meeting Joshua’s girlfriend was the highlight of Melinda’s day. If the girl proved to be kind and decent, it might signal wedding bells in their future.
Melinda’s greatest desire was to see Joshua start a family before she passed away.
She had high hopes for this young woman.
“Grandma, this is her.” Joshua pointed to where Ashley stood with a wave of his hand.
Bianca and Ashley stood side by side. When they noticed Joshua’s wave, they both turned to look at him at the same time.
Melinda approached them with her cane. Ashley beamed with anticipation, knowing that after tonight, her marriage to Joshua would be certain.
She would be the envy of everyone. Her life had never seemed so bright before.
With a wide grin, Ashley moved towards Melinda, offering her hands for support.
However, Melinda didn’t acknowledge her at all. She walked past Ashley and went straight to Bianca, eagerly taking her hands and giving her a thorough look-over. Her eyes sparkled with delight as she spoke, “Young lady, you must be Joshua’s girlfriend. You’re stunning, and your demeanor is impeccable. That red dress suits you wonderfully. I used to love such vibrant red dresses when I was your age. So, what does your family do? Tell me everything about yourself.”
A silence fell over the gathering.
The situation was uncomfortable. Joshua’s real girlfriend was already present, yet Melinda had mistaken Bianca for her.
At first, Bianca hadn’t attracted much notice standing next to Ashley.
But now, in her stunning evening gown and elegant makeup, she stood out, capturing everyone’s attention and leaving Ashley feeling overshadowed.
Bianca’s presence captivated everyone who laid eyes on her, especially Melinda, who was patiently waiting for her grandson’s girlfriend.
People exchanged glances, their eyes filled with amusement and sympathy as they turned their attention to Ashley. Then, their gazes returned to Joshua, who couldn’t take his eyes off Bianca.
Joshua was also struck by her beauty that day.
Ashley’s expression changed dramatically. She felt an overwhelming urge to rush forward, tear apart Bianca’s red dress, and mar her pretty face.
Stacey suddenly realized she might have made a serious mistake. Not only had she unintentionally made Bianca the center of attention, but she had also attracted Melinda’s interest to her.
She wondered how she could fix this for her daughter. Petter, caught off guard by the unfolding events, stood nearby, unsure of what to do.
Meanwhile, Bianca remained composed and calm. “Ma’am, I’m not Joshua’s girlfriend. The person you’re looking for is right there.”
She then turned her gaze towards Ashley. Melinda’s expression instantly hardened as she shifted her attention to Ashley.
She frowned unhappily.
Trying to maintain her composure, Ashley forced a smile and introduced herself, “Nice to meet you. I’m Joshua’s girlfriend, Ashley.”
The smile on Melinda’s face disappeared, replaced by a cold stare. She scrutinized Ashley from head to toe, then called Joshua over. Doubting her own perceptions, Melinda asked Joshua, “Is this woman really your girlfriend?”
Joshua glanced at Ashley and confirmed, “Yes, Grandma. She’s my girlfriend, and the woman next to her is her sister, Bianca.”
Melinda studied Ashley closely. Years of experience in a prominent family had sharpened her ability to judge people.
Melinda couldn’t help but wonder why her grandson, who grew up in a wealthy family and held a high position at Golden Gate Films, surrounded by many beautiful women, would choose someone who seemed so artificially charming. At first glance, Ashley appeared innocent and pure, but Melinda sensed underlying cunning and vulgarity.
She realized she had paled in comparison to the stunning girl before her.
They were sisters, yet it was clear who stood out more when they were together. Why did Joshua choose the less appealing one?
Although Melinda hesitated to admit it, she was glad her grandson was happy. As an elderly woman, she acknowledged she might be out of touch with the younger generation’s preferences.
Melinda offered Ashley a forced smile and said, “I’ve made a mistake, please forgive me.”
“It’s really no trouble at all. It doesn’t bother me,” Ashley said with a smile, hoping to make a good impression on Melinda.
Melinda glanced once more at Bianca, still holding onto a bit of hope, but then accepted the situation and joined the other guests.
Arthur announced the beginning of the family celebration. Everyone happily wished Melinda a happy birthday.
They all had brought very expensive gifts.
Ashley, Stacey, and Petter had also put a lot of thought into their gifts for Melinda’s birthday celebration.
After presenting her gift, Ashley looked at Bianca disdainfully. “It’s Mrs. Melinda Reed’s birthday. Did you even bother to bring a gift for her?”
Bianca glanced at Ashley teasingly, with her arms crossed and hand on her chin. “Take a guess.”
“Hah, I bet you didn’t bring anything at all!” Ashley smirked, hiding the fact that it was Melinda’s birthday from Bianca, hoping to embarrass her.
Guests nearby turned their attention to Bianca. “Really? You came to the birthday party without a gift?”
“That’s quite rude, not knowing basic social etiquette!”
“Maybe she’s too poor to afford a decent gift.”
“Even in those fancy clothes, it just shows that while the Reed family dresses impressively, those who wear them might still be poor underneath.”
Ashley felt a surge of satisfaction hearing the mocking comments about the two.