Chapter 49

IRENE'S POV Still browsing through the dresses, my attention kept drifting back to Thea, who was still eyeing that ridiculous, overly-revealing dress. I couldn’t help but approach her, hoping to steer her away from making a fool of herself at the Moonlit Festival. But I kept my tone light, casual. “Thea,” I said, tilting my head slightly, “don’t you think that dress is a bit too bold for the Moonlit Festival? You know how the elders feel about traditional attire. I just don’t want you to get into trouble.” Her head snapped toward me, eyes narrowing instantly. “Oh, please, Irene,” she spat with disdain. “Are you really pretending to care about me now? You’re just jealous because you know I’ll look better than you ever could.” I raised an eyebrow, realizing instantly that reasoning with her was pointless. She was determined to see me as the enemy, no matter what. Thea’s defiance only grew as she marched over to the sales assistant. “Ring it up,” she demanded with a smug smirk on her face