?Chapter 106:


    If Ruben so much as mentioned the disastrous failure to consummate the marriage the other night, Elliana wouldn’t know where to begin.


    Elliana knew the whole family had assumed Cole couldn’t bring himself to touch her—that he’d run off out of disgust. No way could she exin that she’d been the one to push him away. And after the fiery showdown with Cole moments ago, she had no idea where things stood—or if they could stand at all.


    After a brief pause to gather herself, Elliana moved toward Ruben and sat down, doing her best to look calm and agreeable.


    But to her surprise, Ruben skipped over what she dreaded. Instead, his face lit up with admiration. “Elliana, you’re actually the famous Rosa? How could you keep such a big deal from us? That’s humility taken to the extreme!”


    Only then did it click for Elliana. She had let her identity as Rosa slip earlier while dealing with Paige.


    “It’s really not a big deal, Ruben,” Elliana said with a modest shrug. “I just design a few things—some clothes, some jewelry. Nothing that stacks up next to the Evans legacy.”


    “You’re downying it way too much!” Ruben looked at her like she’d hung the stars. “Rosa may not be as big as the Evans Group, but building an empire by twenty? That takes brilliance and backbone.” His words carried more weight as his eyes drifted toward the younger Evans n. “Honestly, not many of our descendants have done anything close to that. You’ve made me proud to call you my granddaughter-inw.”


    Not long ago, Elliana had been theughingstock of the Evans family. Now that her identity as Rosa was out? Some felt outssed.


    Rosa wasn’t just a name—it was a global fashion giant, pulling in massive revenue year after year. Ironically, the Evans women had been drooling over her designs without knowing Elliana was the one behind them.


    At that very moment, Irene, Louisa, and Trinity were literally draped in Rosa originals—head to toe.


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    Elliana’s bank ount could humble half the room—and that was being generous.


    Sure, the Evans name came withfort and money, but not all of them were self-made. A good number relied on generous monthly allowances to stay afloat. And while the allowances were the kind people would kill for, beside Elliana’s personal…


    Fortune, they lookedughable. Jeff had once mocked Elliana for adopting a stray cat, iming she couldn’t even afford to feed herself. Who wasughing now?


    Previously, Irene had made sly jabs about Elliana being unfit to be the Evans matriarch, while Trinity had dished out faux kindness just to feel superior.


    Now the three of them—Jeff, Irene, and Trinity—sat there red-faced, swallowing every smug word they’d ever said.


    Elliana could easily fund a nationwide rescue mission for stray cats and still have change to spare. The idea that she couldn’t support herself wasughable.


    Running Rosa like a global powerhouse proved one thing—Elliana had more than enough backbone to lead the Evans family.


    When Elliana was already a globally recognized design force, who really cared about her SATs or which college she would get into? From the moment the truth about Elliana being Rosa hit the air, Trinity had been silentlybusting with envy. Year after year, she had shelled out thousands on Rosa’stest collections, bragging to her socialite friends and iming Rosa as her ultimate idol.


    Now that Rosa had a face—and that face was Elliana’s—Trinity felt humiliated, like she’d been duped. If only she could rewind time and take back every word of praise. Elliana was supposed to be ordinary—ugly, even. How did that nobody turn out to be the brain behind an empire?


    Trinity’s grip on the spotlight felt like it was slipping. How was she supposed to outshine Elliana now? What if the admiration she’d soaked up all her life started shifting in Elliana’s direction? Cole still wasn’t hers, and if she lost her audience now, what was left? Being adored was her lifeline. Watching it slip through her fingers wasn’t something she could stomach. Jealousy twisted in her chest, tight and bitter, as if the ground beneath her was tilting.


    Unbothered by the silent war breaking out around him, Ruben kept singing Elliana’s praises like she was the most precious thing he’d ever seen—until he nearly lost his voice.


    The longer he went on, the more Elliana shifted ufortably. She almost reached over to tell him to take a break—it was gettingte. Out of nowhere, Louisa chimed in with a warm smile, “Elliana, do you mind if I ask you a favor? I hope it’s not a bother.”


    That got Elliana’s attention. She nced over, curious. Louisa was usually the calm one—graceful, polished, never ruffling feathers.


    Hearing her speak up like this? That was unexpected.


    “Of course,” Elliana said, offering a polite smile. “What do you need?”


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