章 2: 2 The Copycat
"Claire! Your sister's going to try this dress on," Olivia's anxious voice pulled me out of my reverie.
I came to my senses and found Cathy directing the staff to try on the dress for her.
"Wait!"
Facing Cathy, the staff was embarrassed. "Excuse me, Miss..." She looked at her apologetically. "This lady was here first..."
"So what!" Oh God, my nosy stepmother Rachel joined the chaos.
"Do you know who I am? My daughter is the Alpha's daughter!" Rachel c.ocked her neck as if her eyes were growing under her nostrils. "Do you have any idea what we're buying this dress for?"
The staff lowered her head. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't understand your situation. Please don't be angry."
Rachel scoffed. "You're just an Omega. Cut the crap and take that dress off!"
The staff looked troubled, her eyes drifting between Cathy and me.
Olivia, in a panic, shook my arm and whispered, "Claire, what are we going to do? They're really out of line!"
I was just about to say something when Rachel turned to another staff member and asked, "How much is this dress, by the way?"
"Six thousand dollars, madam."
"What?! $6,000 for a dress! Is your dress made of gold?!" Rachel screeched like a parrot with feathers.
"Madam, this dress was designed by our senior designer. There are more than 2,000 diamonds on it and it was hand stitched by craftsmen. It's the only one in the country. It's unique," the staff explained.
"Diamonds? Ha! Do you think I'm stupid? Who knows if your diamonds are real or fake?"
Rachel pulled Cathy over. "Sweetie, I don't think this dress is that good. Let's go look at something else."
"What? Mom! I don't want it! I want the dress! You know everyone will be watching me tomorrow!" Cathy frowned, her face full of displeasure.
"Pfft." Olivia burst out laughing. Everyone looked at her, including me. She pouted at me. "I'm sorry. I just don't think a pheasant could be a phoenix if she's too well-dressed."
"You!" Cathy tried to rush forward, but Rachel caught her just in time.
I could hear Rachel telling Cathy to leave, even though their voices were low. "Your father only gave me three thousand dollars. This dress is too expensive!"
"What?! Dad is so stingy! He only gave you three thousand dollars! What nice clothes can I buy for three thousand dollars..."
It looked like Cathy was about to cry. "Mom, don't you have some savings? You can give me three thousand dollars. I want the dress. I don't want to lose to Claire!"
Rachel tightened her grip on her purse. "I don't have any money. Change your dress!"
\With a sneer, I took out my credit card and handed it to the clerk. "I like this dress. I'll take it."
Cathy's burning eyes were piercing me. "How did you get so much money? Did our father give it to you?!"
I didn't want to talk to Cathy, but my experience had taught me that she never gives up. So, I smiled and told her plainly, “I bought it with the money my mother left me. It has nothing to do with anyone else.”
“You...!” Cathy nearly screamed, but then noticed that the other guests were staring at her and she quickly lowered her voice. She deliberately raised her chin to show off her pearl necklace. “Father likes me better. Look! He gave me a necklace for this banquet. And you, what do you have? You can only live off your mother's inheritance!”
I raised my hand and touched the jewellery necklace on my chest. “At least my mother loves me. She didn't want to embarrass me when I went shopping for a dress.
Cathy was crazy. “Don't think that just because you have that inheritance, you can spend it freely. You will lose all that money sooner or later!”
“That's one million bucks,” I brushed my hair casually, not looking at her increasingly angry face,“Cathy, don't be so jealous of me. Oh, and when your mother dies, you'll probably get $3,000 to buy a dress.”
“Claire, how can you talk to your sister like that?” Rachel scolded me. “I told you, you should have given me and your father your mother's inheritance. You're just a kid!”
“I'm not a child anymore,” I replied, looking back at her. “I'm an adult. I'm going to marry Joe and become the next Luna of the pack!”
“Don't be too happy! Not everyone can become Luna, my dear sister,” Cathy said viciously, staring into my eyes.
“You're right, but it will never be you who becomes Luna!”
I was tired of the constant bickering between them. I was tired of the mother and daughter's drama. As for my father, I had already been greatly disappointed, but all of this would soon be a thing of the past.
I couldn't wait for Joe to propose to me with a diamond ring. I couldn't wait to say “I do”. Helen, my wolf, wagged her tail with excitement, and her happiness infected me, making the unpleasant conflict with my stepmother and sister seem insignificant.
Mom, I'm going to be the happiest Luna in the world, I thought to myself.
……
"I've never seen a copycat like Cathy." Olivia said contemptuously as we walked out of the store. "Every time someone praises your new clothes, jewelry, or makeup, the next day she will buy the same thing and imitate you! How annoying! Doesn't she have her own brain? Why does she always watch you and copy you?"
"Who cares!" I rolled my eyes.
Since Cathy came to my house, she has used every opportunity to show that she is Alpha's favorite daughter. To win the favor of the pack, she began to imitate everything about me. At first, she just copied my hairstyle, clothes, and makeup, and exaggerated them even more. Later, she imitated my movements, tone of voice, and even selected boys who looked like Joe to date.
It made me feel like there was another me in this world, a fake and cheap imitation of me.
Damn it! I really hate this feeling!
"Look, Claire!" Olivia whispered excitedly, interrupting my thoughts.
"What?"
"Isn't that man Joe?"
I looked in the direction that Olivia was pointing. Yes, that was my boyfriend, Joe Russo. I recognized his back at first glance.
He answered a phone call, perhaps asking for someone's opinion. Maybe he is talking to his friend?
"He entered a jewelry store," Olivia grabbed my arm and shook it eagerly. "It looks like he's really going to propose to you, Claire!"
We stood on the corner of the street, watching Joe go to the counter. The salesperson took out a pair of rings for him. He kept smiling sweetly while on the phone.
At that moment, I couldn't even put my feelings into words. I felt like I had turned into a happy bubble, almost floating to his side with the wind.
"Congratulations, Claire." Olivia was also happy for me. "You're going to have your own home now. I guessed it right. He's going to propose to you at the party tomorrow."
I blushed and lowered my head. Joe and I started dating when we were 17, and we are now 20. Although he promised to marry me, sometimes I worry about when he will actually propose. Until a week ago, when Olivia discovered that Joe was collecting some proposal materials, I realized that he had made up his mind.
"Everyone knows that tomorrow's party will be unprecedentedly luxurious. Many celebrities from all packs will be there. He chose this important occasion to propose to you. Oh, my moon goddess. You are really lucky! I'm already jealous of you," Olivia cried excitedly.
"It's nothing. He probably just wants everyone's blessings." My heart was pounding in my throat, but I pretended to be calm.
'Stay calm, Claire.'
I looked up at Joe's back again. His broad shoulders made me feel like I had strong support for my future.
Oh, damn it. Why doesn't tomorrow's party come sooner?
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