And then there was Ava, standing out in her globally limited-edition dress.
Sue had seen the dress before on Irwin’s computer.
Back then, she naïvely thought it was a gift for her—but clearly, she had mistaken it.
Dressed simply and casually, she moved through the crowd, drawing sneers and sarcastic remarks.
It wasn’t until Irwin stood beside her that people finally recognized her identity.
“So she’s his wife… I thought she was a maid or something.”
“I also thought the dress President Bondi bid on at last month’s auction was for his wife. Who knew it would end up on Ava instead? Tsk, tsk.”
Irwin looked uneasy. He quickly took Sue’s hand and explained, “Sue, that dress was meant for you, but… you’re too thin. You wouldn’t have been able to pull it off, so I gave it to Ava instead.”
Sue’s heart sank. Forcing a stiff smile, she muttered, “It’s fine. I understand.”
But before she could even process her disappointment, Ava spoke up, ruining the moment.
“Oh, Irwin, I love the dress you gave me! Thank you for getting it just for me!”
She turned to Sue, smiling sweetly. Next to her, Sue looked dull and worn-out like a dusty shadow of a person.
“Sue, did you know? This was Irwin’s birthday gift to me.”