<b>Chapter </b><b>378 </b>


    Mirabe straightened <b>up</b>, her voice steady and firm. “Do I look like I’m brushing you <b>off</b>? <b>Jenna </b>red at her, thinking to herself, “You bet you are, and it’s big time!”


    <b>I </b>honestly don’t know,” Mirabe said with <b>a </b>shrug, her hands spread wide in a gesture of Innocent cluelessness.


    “But seriously, I always thought Summer was a bit of a phony, but I never guessed she’d be so malicious. To take your brother’s music and hand it over like it was hers, then have the gall to use him of being the thief?”


    Jenna clicked her tongue in disapproval. “Thank goodness for that recording that surfaced. Without it, your brother would be up the creek without a paddle, tarnished reputation and all. I wonder which guardian angel pulled that one out of their hat. It’s freaking impressive to dig up a recording like that.”


    Mirabe raised an eyebrow, a smug look crossing her face. “Perhaps that guardian angel is closer than you think.”


    Jennaughed it off, not taking her seriously. “Queen Mira, you should be bowing down to that guardian angel. Thanks to them, your brother’s future isn’t going down the drain.”


    Mirabe just looked at her silently, choosing not to respond.


    “Summer skipped school today,” Jenna continued, “and after this scandal, I bet she’ll be too embarrassed to ever show her face here again. It’s a ssic case of reaping what you sow.”


    Mirabe pondered for a moment. Given Summer’s personality, she doubted embarrassment would keep her away from school for long.


    During thest period of self–study that afternoon, Mirabe was engrossed in her work when Ms. Ate, called her out of the ssroom. Once outside, Ate got straight to the point. “Mirabe, can I ask you something? Do you have two mothers?”


    Mirabe looked puzzled. “Um?”


    Ate had met Delh before but was baffled by the arrival of another woman iming to be Mirabe’s mother. So she had asked the woman to wait in her office while she


    checked with Mirabe.


    003 2


    Clearing her throat, Ate continued, “There’s ady here who says she’s your mother, with thest name Gilbert


    Mirabe instantly understood. Her expression remained neutral as she replied, “That’s my former foster mother.”


    Ate, noting Mirabe’s cool demeanor, said, “She’s waiting in my office. Do you want


    to see her<b>?</b>”


    <b>After </b>a <b>brief </b>moment of thought, Mirabe nodded. She knew Mandy was here about the Summer incident, and even if she refused to meet, Mandy would find another excuse to <be </b>knocking. It was better to deal with it once and for all.


    <b>Soon </b>enough, Mirabe followed Ate to her office. Ate let Mirabe in and then made her way to the next office, reminding her that she coulde and find her if anything was amiss. Mirabe thanked her and stepped into the office.


    Mandy was sitting there, looking posh with her makeup on point, exuding a strong scent of perfume that filled the room. Her gaze upon seeing Mirabe was cool and detached.


    Getting straight to the point, Mirabe asked, “What do you want?”


    Mandy’s brow furrowed at Mirabe’s disrespectful tone. She stood up, her voice icy. “What, can’t even call me Mom anymore?”


    Mirabe’s lips curled into a sly smile. “Ms. Mandy, have you forgotten? We already showed our true colors at the hospitalst time, didn’t we?”


    Mandy was caught off guard by her foster daughter’s boldness, and her expression darkened instantly. “Such an ill–mannered brat!”