CHAPTER 3: CHAPTER 3: WAITING TO SEE HER EMBARRASSED

"Pfft..." The guests stifled their laughter.

Is this mother and daughter pair here for comedy?

Stella Monroe was so awkward that her toes were trying to dig through to the Earth’s core.

Damian Knight doesn’t know her either, so who is he here for?

She suddenly thought of...

Everyone looked down on, including herself, they didn’t care about Summer Monroe, who seemed to have come down from Damian Knight’s helicopter.

Because Summer appeared so suddenly and looked so shabby, she hadn’t linked Summer with Damian Knight at first.

Could it be that Summer knows Damian Knight?

Just as this thought emerged, Stella saw Damian bypass her to stand in front of Summer.

"Are you sure this is your wish? It’s not too late to change it now."

Summer looked baffled, "Are you Aladdin’s Magic Lamp? I told you just dropping me off would be fine."

Everyone around, including Stella and Clarissa Stanton, couldn’t believe their eyes as they watched Summer and Damian Knight.

What’s going on?

This beggar knows Damian Knight?

Damian’s dark eyes were fixed on Summer, just as he was about to speak, Old Master Stanton’s excited voice rang out—

"Young Master Knight! Why didn’t you call ahead if you were coming to see me? I’ve been shamefully unprepared for your arrival!"

The moment Old Master Stanton spoke, he noticed everyone looking at him as if he were an idiot.

Stella closed her eyes directly.

What’s happening?

Henry Stanton finally noticed something was amiss and suspiciously scanned the surroundings.

His brows furrowed immediately when his gaze landed on Summer.

"Clarissa, why did you invite a beggar to the birthday party? Get her out of here! Don’t sully Young Master Knight’s eyes!"

Clarissa’s face stiffened, though she was a bit pleased, and she said with a complex expression, "Dad, she is..."

"Dad!" Summer interrupted Clarissa and spoke willingly, "Don’t you recognize me? I’m Sadie."

Her nickname was indeed Sadie.

"Sad..." Henry’s eyebrows shot up, and two seconds later, he asked in shock, "You are... Summer?"

"It’s me, Dad." Summer stepped forward.

After a decade, she had no memories of her childhood, but there was something familiar about that face.

Hearing Summer’s words, Henry subconsciously took a step back.

It was a kind of fear, the fear of a secret being uncovered.

Summer sharply noticed it, but she continued, unfazed, "Dad, it’s been so long since we’ve seen each other, I missed you so much."

Henry’s expression was stiff as he forced himself to pat Summer’s shoulder, "It’s good you came back, it’s good... but why are you dressed like this? And Young Master Knight, why does he... look not quite clean either?"

Only after Henry’s reminder did the crowd realize they had been so fixated on Damian Knight himself that they hadn’t noticed his clothes were also crumpled, looking like they had been soaked.

Clarissa’s eyes shifted suspiciously between Summer and Damian Knight.

Could there be something between these two?

However, Clarissa quickly dismissed this idea. Damian Knight’s status is so prestigious that it’s impossible for him to pay attention to a dirty, ugly, and foul-smelling country bumpkin like Summer.

Unless he was blind!

Stella, seeing the awkwardness of the scene, hurriedly spoke up, "Master, it seems that Young Master Knight brought our Summer back."

"Is that so?" Henry’s expression showed a little less disgust towards Summer upon hearing this.

After all, when that matter happened, Summer was still young, reportedly amnesiac and couldn’t have remembered.

But if they could use Summer to climb up to the Knight Family... it would surely be a foolproof deal!

Henry immediately turned with a beaming smile towards Damian Knight and asked, "Young Master Knight, so you know my dear daughter! Thank you for bringing her back. Would you stay for a meal before leaving?"

Stella also said, "Yes, Young Master Knight, we just happen to have new clothes for guests at home, would you like to change?"

Damian was about to decline.

But he had a bit of a cleanliness obsession, and wearing clothes soaked with sea water was already pushing his limits.

Seeing Damian Knight not refusing, Henry immediately made a "please" gesture and softly instructed Stella, "Make sure Summer is well groomed."

Stella, married to Henry for nearly ten years, instantly grasped the deeper meaning behind "well groomed."

They planned to use Summer to climb to higher branches of the Knight family.

Such a boon should belong to her daughter, not Summer!

When Luna Monroe was alive, she overshadowed her; after her death, she would never allow Luna’s daughter to overshadow her daughter!

Stella agreed on the surface but secretly pulled Clarissa aside and said, "Take Summer to clean up and dress up a bit, and from now on she’ll be your sister, get along well."

Although her words were conciliatory, the gaze she passed to Clarissa was full of hidden meaning.

Clarissa immediately understood and turned around with a smiling face, telling Summer, "Sister, let me take you to freshen up and dress up, alright?"

Summer didn’t believe that this mother and daughter would be able to accept her so easily.

She didn’t show any suspicion and smiled innocently, "Sure, sister."

The two entered the villa hand in hand.

The lawn party guests whispered, speculating about Damian Knight’s purpose for coming.

But whatever the reason, Damian Knight’s arrival meant they had to treat the Stanton family with more respect in the future.

On the second floor of the villa.

"Sister, this is the guest room; your room hasn’t been prepared yet, you can temporarily use this one. The toiletries are all there, I’ll go get you some clothes to wear."

"Okay, thank you."

"Ah, by the way, sister, can you manage the water heater? It’s set to constant temperature, no need to adjust it." Clarissa "kindly" reminded, but didn’t hide the disdain in her eyes.

Summer seemed not to notice, smiled faintly, and said, "I can manage."

She’s amassed numerous identities abroad; how could she possibly not know how to bathe?

"That’s good then, I’ll go get the clothes for you."

Clarissa smiled and turned to leave, the moment she closed the door, her smile vanished instantly.

She pulled out a handkerchief and vigorously wiped the hand that had touched Summer’s, then tossed the handkerchief to the ground as if it were some virus.

This ugly girl, she really stinks!

There’s no way Young Master Knight would look at her. Her return must be an accident.

...

Inside the room.

Summer was enjoying a comfortable hot shower.

After spending a week on a deserted island, she felt like she was about to rot away.

As the hot water streamed down her face, the dirt and grim gradually washed away, revealing the pale, delicate skin underneath.

A flawless, palm-sized face emerged from the swirling mist, resembling a fairy.

Ten minutes later, Clarissa knocked on the bathroom door.

"Sister, the dress is here. Please open the door so I can hand the dress in; the shoes are at the door for you to wear afterward."

"Okay." Summer opened a small crack to take the dress inside.

She didn’t see the playfulness in Clarissa’s eyes.

This dress was a couture Gucci gown, even more expensive than the dress she was wearing. She had struggled to buy it.

But after buying it, she found she couldn’t wear it.

While the dress was perfect, it required a particular figure.

Its design could only be carried by supermodel physiques — no extra weight, yet needing sufficient bust. Ordinary people would either look fat or unable to fill it out.

She couldn’t wear it due to having no collarbone, plus thicker shoulders, which was why she wasn’t wearing it today.

Once this ugly Summer puts it on, it’d surely be hilarious!