I really hope you re right. Kylee gave a small nod, letting Cynthia s reassurance linger between them.

An uneasy feeling crept into her chest, refusing to let go.

Kylee s words to Cynthia stalled in her throat when someone familiar appeared at the entrance.

The moment she recognized Collin, her face brightened. She darted away from Cynthia, eager to reach him.

Eyes from across the banquet hall followed her sudden dash. A ripple passed through the crowd as they glimpsed what had caught her attention.

Did anyone else just see what happened? Why would that woman

Who exactly is she? I don t remember her face at all.

Someone mentioned she s Collin s new bride. Honestly, I never expected her to outshine Miss Russell. Maybe she s a celebrity?

Whispers and hushed chatter filled the air, curiosity bouncing between every guest.

Excitement colored Kylee s face when she approached Collin, but that feeling vanished when her gaze landed on Linsey, leaving her rooted in surprise. The gown draping Linsey was a near match to the one Kylee had chosen.

Frozen in place, Linsey mirrored the same disbelief.

Collin wanted her to make the right impression as his wife, so he took charge of her preparations for the evening.

The stylist paraded countless luxurious gowns before her, and Linsey picked the one that caught her eye.

She had never imagined things would turn out like this.

The only thing separating their gowns was the color Kylee s was a bold red while Linsey s shone in white yet everything else, down to the brooches, matched so closely it seemed planned.

Surprise flickered across Linsey s face, and unease tugged at her mind. It dawned on her that showing up in the same dress as the guest of honor on Kylee s birthday might spell trouble. She fretted over whether Kylee would assume she had done it on purpose.

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Meanwhile, a growing chorus of whispers rippled through the room, and snippets of those sharp remarks found their way to Linsey.

Catching bits of the gossip, Linsey sensed that things were spiraling. If the guests were twisting the situation, she figured Kylee might start thinking along those lines as well. ? ?s? ?s find?novel.net

Linsey hovered on the edge of defending herself, ready to explain that it was nothing but chance, when Kylee stepped in and took command of the moment. Flashing her a friendly smile, Kylee said in a clear voice, making sure everyone could hear, Linsey, what are the odds that we d pick almost the same dress tonight?

With gratitude, Linsey met her gaze and replied, Yes, what a surprise, recognizing that Kylee was trying to put everyone at ease. She played along to help dispel the tension.

Their easy exchange was enough to smooth ruffled feathers, leaving no room for awkwardness. In moments, the buzz in the hall faded away. A hush swept through the room as guests caught sight of the friendly exchange, and soon their conversations drifted elsewhere.

Relief washed over Kylee when she realized no one was watching anymore. Turning, she fixed her eyes on Collin.

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