I frowned. “The dresses he got for you, along with your necklace. He made me try them to see if they’d look good on you.”

She shook her head. “No, he didn’t give me any dresses.”

If he didn’t give them to her, then what did he do with them? Did he… buy them for someone else?

I bit my lip, clutching the purse tight in my hand.

“Oh, maybe he had some other plans with them,” I said, forcing a smile.

Something flashed over her eyes as they widened a bit. Mumbling something under her breath, she put a hand on my shoulder. “Maybe he wanted to give them to me on other occasions. You know, he bought all the gifts together so he could give them to me one by one at my other wedding ceremonies?”

That made sense.

The heaviness in me disappeared as I nodded.

Why could I just not care? She must have noticed the sudden change in my mood.

Someone’s clearing their throat behind Tess pulled everyone’s attention. When Tess moved, and that person appeared in sight, my lips parted in surprise.

The man I bumped into at Coopers Fabrics, back in New York, and saw at the restaurant that day.

What was he doing here at this engagement party?

Dark orbs stared right back at me with a smile on his face as Tess and Caleb welcomed him with side hugs.

“Hello, Mr. Hutton. It’s been a long time,” he said, shaking his hand with Dad.

Dad smiled. “Yeah, it’s been months. You finally got free of your busy schedule, huh?”

He shrugged. “Work is work. You can’t avoid that.”

“True,” Dad said, as that man greeted Mom.

“Em, meet Arthur. Achilles and Caleb’s uncle.” Tess introduced him to me. “And Arthur, this is Emerald, my sister.”

“Ah, the infamous Emerald Hutton. I finally got lucky to have the pleasure of meeting you.” He grinned. Taking my hand, he placed a kiss on the back of it.

Ace’s uncle?

What a coincidence I had already met him twice before our official meeting.

I gave him a hesitant smile. “Nice to meet you, too. By the way, we’ve already met if you forgot.”

Tess and Dad raised their brows at that.

“You guys already met? Where?” Caleb queried.

“Oh? We did?” He tilted his head, dark eyes puzzled. Why did it look so fake?

“Yeah, at Coopers Fabrics, New York?”

Thinking for a moment, he then shook his head. “Sorry, dear. I’m a little lost here. Maybe I forgot. It’s proof I’m getting old now.”

Everyone cackled with laughter, but I couldn’t. I didn’t know why, but something was off about him. When he looked at me again, something flashed over his eyes, but it was gone as soon as it came. Averting his gaze, he went back to the conversation.