Too Late to Love the Real Me novel Chapter 33

Chapter 33 A Birthday Dress

Wesley scoffed, his tone frosty. “I’ll deal with her once she’s home.”

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Neither of them seemed to recall that Azalea had been the one who wanted nothing to do with them from the start.

Meanwhile, back at the Larks‘ residence-

Cassius looked toward the couch where several people were sitting. “What’s happening here tonight?”

Seeing them come in, Ivy quickly waved them over. “Sydney’s not home, so I called Matthias and Skyler to come back. I wanted everyone to see this.”

As she spoke, she unrolled a sketch she’d been holding. Ivy had once been a famous designer overseas and now ran her own fashion label. It had been years since she personally created anything new.

The illustration showed a short, sparkling dress decorated with tiny crystals. A huge beige bow sat at the back and trailed behind like a train. Even in the drawing, it looked magical–like stars glittering in a night sky. The dress itself was a soft blue with delicate golden tones.

“When Sydney walks across the floor at the party, the gold dust on the train will shimmer with each step, like a quiet stream following her,” Ivy explained, pointing out the gown’s key features.

“Is this for Sydney’s 18th birthday celebration?” Bastian asked.

Ivy nodded in response.

Cassius felt a sharp pang in his chest as he gazed at the design. Most people in the house might not know the truth, but he did–this dress was something their mother had started creating the year Azalea was born. It had gone through many changes, and the final version wasn’t finished until the year Azalea vanished. Originally, it had been meant for her fifth birthday.

If things hadn’t gone so wrong, Azalea would’ve gotten 20% of the Larks‘ share and other properties when she was five. Also, the original version of the dress had flower petals trailing behind it.

This piece had once held significant meaning for their mother. Cassius never thought she’d take that old design and rework it for Sydney.

Matthias’s face lit up. He didn’t know much about clothing, but just from the way their mother described it, he could already picture Sydney shining like a star in that dress.

“She’s the jewel of our family–she should look the part!”

Among the brothers, Skyler had the best fashion sense. He’d seen tons of expensive designer gowns, but even he paused to admire this one. Custom–made clothes were hard to resist, and he could already imagine how excited Sydney would be when she saw it.

She was going to be over the moon.

“Mom, you’re totally playing favorites. You haven’t made anything in years, and now you go all out for Sydney? You never once offered to design me something for my next red carpet–event,” Skyler joked. He was the most attractive of the siblings, with a small mole by his eye and those playful, almond–shaped eyes

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Chapter 33 A Birthday Dress

that gave him a naturally charming look.

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Ivy laughed, playfully pinching his check. “Alright, alright–I’ll design something for you too. For all of you.”

Wesley didn’t say much, but his faint smile showed that he was pleased.

Then, out of nowhere-

“What about Azalea?” Bastian asked. The happy mood vanished in an instant.

Ivy’s expression turned bitter. “Why bring her up? She doesn’t even see me as her mom anymore. What, does she expect gifts after cutting ties?”

“She doesn’t really want to leave,” Ivy added coldly. “She’s pretending to play hard to get, hoping we’ll beg her to come back and kick Sydney out in the process!”

She was sure of it–she knew her daughter well.

To Ivy, Azalea was a selfish, sneaky girl shaped by her years in the orphanage. She wasn’t about to let Azalea manipulate them anymore.

“I thought she’d changed, but now I get it. She’s been playing us the whole time,” Wesley said, his anger growing with each word from his wife.

Matthias was livid. “How can she be so low? Sydney’s done everything for her, and all she does is scheme against her? Being related to someone like that is disgusting.”

Skyler didn’t say a word, but the look on his face said everything–he had no respect left for Azalea.

After witnessing plenty of scheming in show business, he really hated people who played dirty like that.

Bastian glanced around at his family.

They seemed like strangers to him. He just couldn’t figure out why everything had changed so much since Azalea came back.

His eyes turned to Cassius, who had been quiet the entire time.

Cassius was just as confused. If he were in Azalea’s shoes, surrounded by people like this, and had someone like Hubert looking out for him… wouldn’t he leave, too?

Would Azalea really come home again?

Meanwhile, the supposedly “calculating” Azalea was sitting across from Hubert, caught in a staring contest.

Hubert frowned. “What are you staring at?”

Without hesitation, Azalea replied, “Just admiring how good–looking you are.”

Hubert, who usually brushed off compliments with ease, turned slightly red.

He cleared his throat. “You’ve got a sharp tongue.”

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Chapter 33 A Birthday Dress

But no matter how hard he tried to stay serious, a smile crept onto his face.

And honestly, that shy smile of his? It made him even more irresistible.

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Azalca continued to gaze at him, stunned by how effortlessly attractive he was. She honestly wanted to know what kind of magic food he ate growing up to end up this perfect.

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