Rhea''s words struck like a thunderbolt, leaving all the girls, including Brianna, whose face was still stinging, utterly stunned.


    Their gazes shifted to Rhea, a mixture of confusion and disbelief in their eyes.


    Had Rhea lost her mind?


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    How could she p her best friend for a girl none of them even knew? Was she spouting nonsense in broad daylight?


    Brianna, however, quickly snapped out of her shock.


    Her face was a mask of utter bewilderment as she stared at Rhea.


    "Rhea, you hit me? You hit me for her?"


    Seeing Brianna''s disrespectful tone towards Raven, Rhea quickly interjected, "Brianna, what do you mean ''her''? Apologize to Miss Valor, now!"


    Brianna, feeling the sting of betrayal after Rhea prioritized Raven over their six- month friendship, clenched her fists, her voiceced with a newfound


    resolution, "Rhea, we''re done!"


    Without another word, she turned and stormed off.


    Rhea''s heart sank with a sudden urgency.


    However, her fear of Raven''s true identity kept her rooted to the spot. She bowed deeply to Raven, "I''m so sorry!"


    Only after seeing no visible change in Raven''s expression did she finally hurry after Brianna.


    The other three girls, after giving Raven a long, hard look, followed suit.


    Just then, a phone rang.


    Raven answered, Cassian''s voice, capable of melting any girl''s heart, flowed from the speaker.


    A faint smile touched Raven''s lips as she listened, "Okay, I''ll be right there."


    After hanging up, Raven found herself face-to-face with Caleb, his expression a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.


    Caleb swore that if he hadn''t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn''t have believed this ice queen capable of such a smile. If only she had shown him a fraction of that tenderness, he wouldn''t be having nightmares about her face every night.


    Five minutester, Raven arrived at the sales office.


    As she entered the lobby, she spotted a familiar figure – I Thornton, the Regalhold University campus belle whose arm Cassian had broken at the Valor family banquet ten days prior.


    I was currently chatting with a middle-aged man beside her.


    "Dad, she''s the only person in Vyrdenia to be promoted to General in thest decade, someone even Grandpa can only look up to. Will she really appreciate such an ordinary vi?"


    I''s father, Carl Thornton, also the head of one of Regalhold''s five major families, shook his head.


    "This vi is just a token gesture. The real gif I''m presenting at the banquet tonight won''t be so obvious."


    I''s eyes widened, as if a sudden thought had struck her, "You''re not going to give her..."


    16:55 Mon, 14 Apr


    Chapter SS


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    "Alright, let''s choose the vi first! Even though it''s just a superficial offering, it would be great to receive apliment from such a distinguished figure." I nodded solemnly, "Okay."


    As I was about to start browsing, her eyes caught sight of Raven, who had just entered the sales office.


    Instinctively, she clenched her fists.


    The sharp pain in her arm brought back the humiliation of the Valor family banquet.


    Then, the usually calm and collected I, disyed a deep-seated aversion towards Raven.


    Noticing I''s expression, Carl Thornton asked, "I, who is that?"


    I pursed her lips into a thin line, her voice loud enough for Raven to hear,


    "Someone who should just ept her fate as a nobody, but instead tries to climb thedder by stealing other people''s men!"


    Lucky Draw