Her Hidden Hero from the Unwritten Page novel Chapter 12

Whitney clenched her fists. "Last week."

She kept it deliberately vague.

"Well, that's strange." A playful smirk tugged at the corner of Winona's mouth. "This specific dress sold out two weeks ago. There isn't a single piece of inventory left in any boutique in the city. So, how exactly did you manage to buy it?"

"I... I had it shipped in from another city." Whitney tried to sound calm, but the faint tremor in her voice completely gave away her panic.

Isabella, completely out of the loop, glared at Winona. "Why are you asking about this?"

Winona ignored her entirely. Letting go of Seth's wrist, she stepped right up to Whitney.

Resting her hands on her knees, she leaned in slightly and said, "Why don't you tell everyone exactly who bought this dress for you? And while you're at it, let's clear the air: is Seth's attention actually a bother to you?"

"What are you talking about?" Whitney reflexively shot back. "I bought this dress myself."

Winona stared dead into her eyes. "I'm only giving you one chance."

Under that intense gaze, a sudden chill ran down Whitney's spine. It made no sense—this girl was her age, just another teenager.

"Mom..." Whitney pouted pathetically and buried her face in Isabella's shoulder.

Isabella immediately flared up. "You're a pretty young girl, so why are you being so vicious and aggressive?"

"How is she being aggressive?" Seth finally broke his silence. "She always talks like that, and no one else has a problem with it. Why does she suddenly become 'vicious' just because you say so?"

Winona shot him an approving look.

Good boy, at least he knew how to defend his sister! He wasn't entirely beyond saving yet.

"Seth, this is my mother. Please show her some respect," Whitney snapped, unable to tolerate it anymore.

"Correct." Winona nodded.

Jonathan instinctively looked at Whitney.

Whitney's face was deathly pale. Her lips trembled for a long time, but no words came out.

Jonathan frowned. "Whitney, say something."

The surrounding classmates began to whisper amongst themselves.

Looking as though she might collapse, Whitney squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth. "Fine! Seth bought it for me. But I already told him I would pay him back!"

The crowd barely registered the second half of her sentence. They were entirely focused on the first half.

So Seth was the rich one?