"You really have the nerve to show up here wearing just that plain dress, Claire?"
Natalie’s shrill voice greeted Claire the moment she stepped through the hotel ballroom doors. Natalie stood in the center of the room, wearing a gold dress covered in sparkling sequins. Around her neck and ears hung a set of large diamond jewelry that looked almost too heavy for her petite frame. She deliberately stood under the main crystal chandelier so everyone could see how expensive her appearance was that night.
The engagement party was held at a smaller family-owned hotel, but Natalie had tried hard to transform it into something grand. Unfortunately, budget constraints made the lilies she had chosen look slightly wilted in some corners, and the room felt too crowded for the number of guests presen
