Chapter 253

"You!"

Lydia Montgomery trembled with rage, her finger jabbing accusingly at Lillian Rothschild.

Lillian's words were clearly mocking her for pretending to be something she wasn't.

Gritting her teeth, Lydia sneered, "Lillian Rothschild, what a loyal little lapdog you are. Barking before your master even gives the command."

Lillian arched a brow, unfazed. "I'm proud to be Sister Evelyn's lapdog. But you—understanding a dog's bark so well—does that make you Sophia Lowell's pet? Always snapping at people."

A smug smile played on her lips.

Evelyn Laurent was everything—gracious, kind, and genuine. Unlike Sophia Lowell, who put on airs at every turn.

Lydia hadn't expected Lillian to own the insult so boldly, making her own pettiness glaringly obvious.

What stung worse was that she couldn't match Lillian's donation.

Lillian cast a dismissive glance at Sophia and drawled, "Careful. Wouldn't want that bravado to burst like an overinflated balloon."

With that, she turned on her heel and strode away, leaving them fuming.

Sophia clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms.

Lydia shot a venomous glare at Lillian's retreating figure before sidling up to Sophia. "Sophia, they're just jealous of your family's status—"

"Enough!" Sophia screamed internally.

This idiot had no tact whatsoever.

Lillian's words carried an underlying meaning—did she know something?

Sophia's mind raced, but she forced a composed smile. "Lydia, donations are personal. There's no need for comparisons."

Her heart ached. Why should she donate a single penny to some earthquake in Oklahoma? Every cent in her private fund was precious.

Lydia finally shut up, but Sophia's strained smile was painfully obvious.

Meanwhile, Lillian sidled up to Evelyn, gleeful. "Sister Evelyn, wanna bet how much Sophia donated?"

Evelyn didn't even spare a glance, scoffing. "How much could a miser possibly part with?"

"Evelyn Laurent!" Lydia shot to her feet. "How dare you look down on Sophia!"

Sophia wanted to strangle this useless ally.

Evelyn's gaze turned icy. "I do look down on her. What are you going to do about it?"

Lydia froze.