Everyone Can Hear My Thoughts, and Now They're Panicking

Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Pauline Shaw, Are You a Dead Person, Just Standing There?

The crowd sized up the figure behind her. She was tall with long legs, but far too thin, and her clothes were very plain.

The few men who had been catcalling immediately lost interest, not even bothering to get a good look at her face.

"Did they think this was some street market? Letting just anyone wander in."

"Seriously. She should’ve at least put on a dress and some makeup."

"You’ve got it wrong, miss. Not just anyone is worthy of a drink from our Young Master Miller."

"Don’t be ridiculous! Miss Lancaster is beautiful!" Luna Morgan argued, flustered.

"Don’t be so modest, little beauty. We all have eyes. We know the difference between pretty and ugly."

His words immediately drew a roar of laughter.

After all, the contrast between the two of them was glaringly obvious.

One wore an off-the-shoulder cocktail dress, looking pure, vibrant, and beautiful. The other was bundled up in a sweater, as if she were dressed for winter, apparently not worried about dying of heatstroke.

Someone couldn’t help but mutter, "Is there something wrong with her? Who else would dress like a frumpy old lady?"

"Who said that? You got something to say, step up and say it to my face!" Mama Knight was furious, her voice booming.

The crowd suddenly fell silent. No one owned up to it.

These people might mock someone for looking like an old woman, but when a truly formidable one showed up, they scrambled to get out of her way.

After all, a woman like that was battle-hardened, skilled with her tongue and her hands—not some young, easily bullied girl who would just blush and back down.

Pauline Shaw frowned. Of course, she knew Jane Lancaster had to dress warmly because her frail health made her sensitive to the cold.

Still, since no one was owning up to it, it was better to let the matter drop.

She chose to watch from the sidelines.

"Miss Lancaster, in my eyes, you’re the most beautiful one here!" Luna Morgan said with sudden sincerity. And she truly meant it.

"Thank you," Jane Lancaster said. "You’re quite beautiful yourself. The jewelry and the dress suit you perfectly."

Her gaze lingered for a few seconds on the necklace around Luna Morgan’s neck before she subtly looked away.

’That looks like the Heart of Diamond.’

’Oh, right. It isn’t called the Heart of Diamond yet.’

Pauline Shaw was surprised. ’Heart of Diamond? Is that the name of the necklace Luna Morgan is wearing? How would Jane Lancaster know that?’

Luna Morgan shook her head. "No, it’s not the same."

She hadn’t expected it, either. At an event like this, where all the ladies of high society were dressed in exquisite, expensive outfits, Jane Lancaster had come dressed so plainly.

’All girls love to look beautiful. She must be upset, being outshone like this, right?’

"We’re just tools for showing off the jewelry. You’re the real gem," she said with conviction.

Luna Morgan had been asked by a friend to come and model jewelry for the day as a last-minute favor.

Many influencers and celebrities had been invited to the exhibition today. They were all dressed to the nines, their main purpose being to sell jewelry to the wealthy attendees.

Even though her friend had framed it as just "helping out," Luna knew her place.

At these words, many in the crowd shot resentful glances at Jane Lancaster.

’That woman is unbelievable,’ they thought. ’Forcing that little beauty to say things like that. She should take a good long look in the mirror.’

Jane Lancaster was silent for a moment.

’Usually, when the female lead is feeling down, a flamboyant rival shows up to gloat, only to get spectacularly shut down...’

"At least you’re self-aware enough to know you’re just a tool." Sure enough, a woman’s mocking voice cut in.

Jane Lancaster’s eyes lit up!

’Here she comes! The vicious cannon fodder is making her grand, arrogant entrance!’

A commotion stirred in the crowd, and soon three or four young women walked over.

The woman in the lead jutted her chin at Luna Morgan. "Don’t think a chicken can become a phoenix just by sticking on a few fancy feathers. Got it?"

Her tone all but screamed, "You’re not worthy, you little pauper."

Jane Lancaster recognized who this was at a glance.

Beverly Lynch, the eldest daughter of the Lynch family and Pauline Shaw’s mortal enemy. The two of them had been at each other’s throats since childhood.

’Since Pauline Shaw has turned over a new leaf, it stands to reason that her nemesis is no saint.’

In the novel, Beverly Lynch was just cannon fodder—selfish, vicious, and stupid. But because her family was rich, she was always surrounded by a posse of sycophants.

But that wasn’t enough for her. She was jealous that Luna Morgan was more popular with men, so she constantly targeted her, rallying her followers to gang up on and bully Luna.

Her schemes weren’t very sophisticated, though; her only move was to throw money around, and she was quickly and repeatedly put in her place by the heroine’s admirers.

Eventually, she was set up, her family went bankrupt, and she was saddled with enormous debt. The same people who had once fawned over her all scattered in an instant.

Even her seemingly honest fiancé, after tricking her out of her last bit of money, kicked her to the curb.

Broke and unable to bear a life of poverty, Beverly Lynch decided to take a desperate risk: she would try to seduce the story’s all-powerful arch-villain.

But the villain saw her plan coming a mile away. He drugged her drink beforehand and had her delivered to the bed of a vagrant under a bridge.

When Beverly Lynch woke up, she snapped. Ignoring the vagrant’s threatening fists, she threw herself straight into the river.

’...How insane!’ Jane Lancaster’s brows knitted together as she mentally reviewed Beverly Lynch’s fate.

"Beverly Lynch, are you nuts? What did Luna ever do to you?"

Pauline Shaw was mid-sentence when she heard Jane’s quiet utterance and shot her a surprised glance.

’Is she talking about Beverly Lynch? Well, Beverly really is the worst!’

"She didn’t, but you did! Pauline Shaw, are you just going to stand there like a corpse?"

Beverly Lynch was even angrier than her. "Just now, those people were using this girl to put down your ’best friend,’ and you didn’t say a single word? Are you deaf?"

Jane Lancaster froze for a second, then it clicked. The "girl" Beverly was talking about was Luna Morgan, and the "best friend" was her.

’Wait, how did I get dragged into this mess?’

’Beverly Lynch’s intel is out of date. Doesn’t she know Pauline Shaw has been hanging out with Luna Morgan lately?’

Pauline Shaw’s face turned livid. "What’s it to you!"

Beverly Lynch scoffed. "How is it not my business? Back in the day, Jane Lancaster was the undisputed number-one socialite in Stratton. I mean, I never thought she was all that much better than me, but what’s this about you people letting some random girl walk all over her?"

She pointed a manicured finger at Luna Morgan, her posture radiating arrogance.

"Even *I* couldn’t knock Jane Lancaster off her throne as the top socialite, but this girl can? Says who? Is she prettier or better than me?"

Jane Lancaster: "..."

’The reasoning is sound and the logic is flawless. Classic Beverly Lynch, always taking the road less traveled!’

Pauline Shaw found her reasoning absurd. "You have to make this a competition, too? Jay never cared about being the number-one socialite."

"She might not care, but you do, don’t you? You’ve forgotten how you used to force her to get all dolled up for every important event, just to make sure she outshone me?"

Beverly Lynch looked Pauline Shaw up and down, then sneered. "And yet today, you only bothered to do your own makeup. Not hers."

"What, you’re done using her and are ready to throw her away?"

Pauline Shaw’s hands slowly clenched into fists. Beverly Lynch’s words had a way of dredging up the past.

Even though she had already resolved to cut ties with Jane Lancaster and put the past behind her, she couldn’t stand the thought of losing face in front of Beverly Lynch.

It was a matter of pride. She turned, grabbing Jane Lancaster’s arm. "What are you talking about? Jay can’t wear makeup because her health is poor."