The childhood friend didn't expect Melody Sheffield to speak up for Viola Harris. It wasn't a secret in their circle that Melody didn't like Viola. She thought her words would earn Melody's solidarity against a common enemy.
She forgot that Melody was most concerned about appearances, especially in front of outsiders.
Under these circumstances today, there was no way Melody would allow The Sheffields to lose face for the sake of a momentary verbal victory.
The childhood friend pursed her lips, awkwardly stepped aside, and began chatting with someone else, quickly forgetting the embarrassment caused by Melody's words.
Melody's voice wasn't low when she said those words, and several people around heard them. Somehow, the story spread, ultimately turning into a narrative that The Sheffields not only didn't look down on the Dou family's poor relatives but also valued them highly. People started to regard those relatives with changed attitudes, no longer dismissive.
