"Mom, what is it?"
"Your sister just threw a tantrum and threatened to jump off a building, insisting she be the one to marry..."
Rosalind Lowell's eye twitched. 'What a spectacle. And they didn't call me sooner to watch.'
"Your dad and I couldn't talk her out of it. Your dad's making the call now. This Friday, you're coming with us to the engagement party."
Rosalind Lowell hung up the phone, still in a daze. She clutched the device tightly. She was like a toy, tossed back and forth—wanted one moment and cast aside the next.
She felt a wave of disappointment. 'If I'm not the one in this marriage alliance, will I ever get a chance to leave this family?'
...
The Davenport Group's private luxury cruiser.
The occasion was the Davenport Group's anniversary celebration. Dexter Davenport had invited numerous business partners, and the event naturally drew a crowd of wealthy heirs and socialites.
When Herman Lowell and his family of four boarded the cruiser, they couldn't help but be stunned by the sheer luxury before them.
Faye Lowell wore a sexy, red haute couture gown, her chin held so high it seemed to scrape the heavens.
'This cruiser alone is a testament to the Davenport Family's wealth,' she thought. 'Good thing I changed my mind and insisted on the marriage; otherwise, I'd be regretting it for the rest of my life.'
Rosalind Lowell wore a white lace dress. Its layers of silk and unique design fluttered in the sea breeze, giving her an ethereal aura.
Herman Lowell had only splurged on the dress for her because this was a major occasion. After all, everyone here was a tycoon, and if a nouveau riche family like theirs showed even the slightest flaw, they would be ridiculed.
Herman Lowell, with Yvonne Carter on his arm, took Faye Lowell with them to socialize. Faye picked up a glass of champagne, putting on the airs of the evening's leading lady, and followed her father as they plunged into the crowd.
Rosalind Lowell let out a soft sigh. 'At least today is a chance to see the world,' she thought. Normally, when she networked for the company, she only met small-time bosses. With Herman Lowell holding her back, those connections weren't very useful.
The guests today weren't just tycoons from old-money families, but also socialites and young heirs closer to her own age—people she could actually talk to.
'Except I'm not a true socialite, and their circles aren't easy to break into...'
During her school days, Faye Lowell always incited others to ostracize her, so she had few friends.
'And now that Faye is marrying Mr. Davenport, my chance to leave this house is probably gone. I'll have to find another way to get away from the Lowell Family.'
She scanned the crowd, her eyes landing on a woman standing all alone on the deck, perched on the railing. Her entire upper body was leaning out over the side of the cruiser.
Rosalind Lowell gasped. 'On a day like today... surely she isn't thinking of...'
Lifting her skirt, she hurried across the deck in her high heels. Reaching the woman's side, she grabbed her arm to pull her back. "Miss, don't—"
Clearly startled, the woman nearly toppled over the side, but Rosalind managed to pull her back in time.
Once the woman was safely on the deck, she clutched her chest, catching her breath. "I wasn't trying to jump."
Rosalind Lowell also breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me."
The woman's gaze turned back to the sea, her expression melancholic.
Looking closer, Rosalind saw her dejected profile. "You seem unhappy?"
The girl was taken aback for a moment. "Is it that obvious?" She then glanced at her. "And you are...?"
Rosalind Lowell smiled gently. "Hello, Miss Ainsworth. My name is Rosalind Lowell."
She had seen the guest list sent over from the Davenport Family the day before and had memorized it completely.
Elsa Ainsworth had once been a minor socialite herself. After her father passed away, her mother remarried into the Ainsworth family. The family patriarch, Ashton Ainsworth, had previously lost his wife and child in a car accident. Upon joining the household, Elsa had taken the Ainsworth surname.
Elsa Ainsworth was slightly taken aback, then gave a polite smile and a nod. "Hello, Miss Lowell."
Usually, people only approached her to curry favor because of her family's status; none of them genuinely wanted to be her friend. Coupled with her unusual family situation, she never fit into the socialite circles and didn't bother to memorize the names of those in attendance.
"So even socialites have their troubles."