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Chapter 223: 223: Mysterious Female Lead (17)

He looked at Charlotte with a playful, affectionate expression, his eyebrows flickering slightly. Then, he reached out his hand, placing it on the back of the chair behind her, giving the illusion that he had her in his embrace.

His tone was languid, and he sounded almost carefree: “No, I’m just complimenting you. ”

A delicate smile blossomed on Charlotte’s face like a flower.

As Ruby Gregory chatted with Madeleine, she felt an odd change in the atmosphere surrounding her. Well-dressed women she knew and didn’t know appeared before her and Madeleine from time to time, either alone or in groups. Their gaze always seemed to flit over to her, and the groups would exchange knowing glances and smiles, before huddling together in a secretive manner after passing her.

The repeated scenes perplexed Ruby Gregory, and even Madeleine seemed to notice something was amiss.

Only then did Ruby Gregory start paying attention to the reactions around the room. She noticed many people staring at her, their eyes either mocking or curious.

Unaware of what had caused them to treat her this way, Ruby Gregory felt increasingly overwhelmed and decided to make an excuse to leave Madeleine and the banquet early.

Ruby Gregory, fearing that leaving through the front entrance would attract even more attention, opted for the back exit. As she pushed the door open and prepared to walk down the mountain path, she heard intermittent laughter from not far away. Curious, she paused and looked around, spoting a man and a woman engaged in animated conversation in a gazebo.

Despite the distance, the soft red glow emanating from the round lanterns hanging on all sides of the gazebo allowed Ruby Gregory to clearly see who the pair was.

With his back facing her, she couldn’t make out Steve Burton’s expression, but she had a clear view of Charlotte Madris’s.

The woman looked playfully charming as she gazed at Steve, her eyes twinkling with laughter even as she spoke, resembling a delicate flower.

Whatever Charlotte said, Steve stood up and walked to the edge of the gazebo, leaning far out to pluck a large bunch of vivid pink chrysanthemums in full bloom, before handing it to her.

Charlotte clasped the chrysanthemums with both hands, her smile bright and radiant.

Afterward, the two walked shoulder-to-shoulder out of the gazebo and left together along another path.

Ruby Gregory stood rooted in place, staring blankly at the retreating figures of Steve Burton and Charlotte Madris..