After My Sister Was Reborn, She Warned Me to Be Wary of My Childhood Friend

: The Dress

3

I walked over, step by step, in my high heels.

His friends saw me first. The teasing smiles immediately vanished from their faces as they nudged Holden Gideon.

The man was surprised for only a moment before walking over to greet me.

"Claire, what brings you here so early today?"

"You should have texted me beforehand."

I gave him a faint smile. "You all looked like you were having such a good time. I didn't want to interrupt."

I was being sarcastic with Holden Gideon, and he knew it.

Brother Quinn is a good friend to both of us, and he can't stand his half-sister. Naturally, we don't like her either.

I'd complained to Holden Gideon several times about her playing the innocent victim around me.

To put it bluntly, I don't like Yara Quinn.

But here he was, laughing and joking with Yara Quinn when I wasn't around.

The moment Yara Quinn saw me, her smile vanished, and she became timid and cautious.

It was as if I were some kind of monster who could take her life at any moment.

"Claire, nothing is ever truly fun without you here."

"We were just making small talk."

As Holden Gideon spoke, Yara Quinn took a few steps back, leaning against him, whether intentionally or not.

Everyone knew that whenever I was around, Holden Gideon only had eyes for me.

We grew up together, and all through college, he was completely devoted to me and me alone.

So when that love was no longer exclusively mine, I was the first to feel it.

"Didn't the Quinn Family get her a dress? Since when did you become so charitable?"

My words have always had a sharp edge.

The others' expressions changed. Murmuring among themselves, they all looked to see how Holden Gideon would react.

Holden Gideon immediately explained, "Yara Quinn's dress was ruined when she arrived. You know I have a habit of getting a dress for you, so I felt sorry for her—a young woman in a bind—and just lent it to her."

A perfectly natural thing to do.

'But all I heard was that he'd given the dress meant for me to the person I hated most?'

I had to laugh.

Holden Gideon was an expert at reading my moods. He always knew when I was happy and when I was upset. So how could he not know that I was absolutely furious right now?

"Claire, if it bothers you, I'll have all the latest styles sent over for you to choose from, okay?"