When Lily removed her coat to reveal her own cheongsam, Nadia felt a wave of misfortune. Lily's cheongsam was more vibrant, stylish, and made of visibly higher-quality material. Moreover, Lily wore it with an elegance that Nadia couldn't match. Being outshone by Lily in such a way was indeed unlucky.
"Oh my, I just noticed, Royce's wife is also wearing a cheongsam. Lily, isn't it such a coincidence? You two have such similar tastes," Karina remarked, glancing at Royce with a hint of mischief, implying they also shared a liking for the same man.
Nadia knew Karina was doing this on purpose. Karina, always venomous and loves stirring trouble, had been provoking Malika and others all evening. Despite her grievances, Nadia didn't dare retaliate. She was newly married, without any backing, and couldn't afford to offend anyone here. She hoped Lily would catch on to Karina's insinuations and clash with her.
Everyone understood Karina's undertone. The old man, tired of petty squabbles, left for the dining room with the help of the butler. The remaining guests watched the unfolding drama, their eyes darting between Lily, Royce, and Nadia.
Royce, reminded by Karina, realized Nadia was also wearing a cheongsam. Noticing her discomfort, he quietly offered, "Should I ask Leila to get you another dress?"
Leila, Franklin's sister, was of a similar build to Nadia. Royce hadn't thought much about it, only wanting to spare Nadia further embarrassment. However, Nadia felt a crushing weight at his suggestion. In Royce's mind, did Lily look better than her?
Nadia masked her hurt and clung to Royce's arm, her voice soft. "I'll do as you say." She didn't want to sulk; the night was still long. If she didn't change, she'd be overshadowed by Lily the whole evening.
As Royce was about to find Leila, Lily spoke up. "Karina, are you going through menopause?"
The room fell silent, and Karina's face turned livid. "What did you say? Menopause?"
Lily, maintaining her sincere demeanor, replied, "Yes, you just said you only noticed Royce's wife wearing a cheongsam now, even though she's been here all afternoon. Are you experiencing memory loss?"
Earlier in the car, Franklin had mentioned that Nadia had arrived at noon to help out and ingratiate herself with Malika. Given her status, doing so was unnecessary and could lower her standing, providing ammunition for Karina's taunts. To deal with people like the Zhou family, you couldn't just be agreeable; sometimes you had to fight fire with fire.
Ignoring Karina's anger, Lily continued, "Women entering menopause often experience memory issues, emotional swings, and other symptoms. You might want to get checked if you're having these problems."
Karina was caught off guard and struggled to maintain her composure, forcing a smile. "Lily, sometimes I speak without thinking. I just meant I noticed it now, that's all."
Lily smiled back. "You did say that Nadia and I have similar tastes. Were you talking about the cheongsam, or were you implying something else?"
The spectators subtly took a step back, anticipating a showdown.
Karina, realizing Lily had mentioned Royce, tried to deflect. "Royce? I never brought him up. Lily, you shouldn't dwell on past events. You've moved on from thatChapter with Royce."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "You forget I have amnesia. I can't dwell on the past because I don't remember it. Maybe it's you who's forgetting things, Karina."
Karina was left speechless. Malika, though secretly enjoying the confrontation, felt compelled to intervene. "Alright, Lily, that's enough. Karina is older than you. Show some respect."
Feigning surprise, Lily began counting on her fingers. "I'm 24, and Karina is 48. Oh my! You're right, she's 24 older than me. Women typically experience menopause between 45 and 55. You might want to get that checked, Karina."
Karina's face flushed with rage, and Malika felt a surge of frustration, realizing she had unwittingly been dragged into Lily's retort.